A large demonstration outside Park East Synagogue on Wednesday night drew national attention, prompting statements from city and state officials who condemned some of the language used during the protest while also raising questions about the event taking place inside the building.
The protest began around 7 p.m. on November 19 outside the historic synagogue on East 68th Street and Lexington Avenue, where Nefesh B’Nefesh — a nonprofit that assists North American Jews relocating to Israel — was hosting a scheduled program. Organizers with the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation NY/NJ had promoted the demonstration on social media as a response to what they described as “settler recruiting.”
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Crowds on both sides formed quickly. Police sources estimated that each group — protesters and counterprotesters — numbered between 75 and 100 people. Videos posted online from the scene showed NYPD officers using metal barricades to keep the groups separated. In one widely circulated clip, a counter-protester can be seen exchanging heated words with several masked demonstrators before officers intervened.Aggressive agitators were protesting Park East Side synagogue, chanting the word “Intifada.” The Second Intifada refers to a campaign of terror that left more than a thousand Israeli civilians and children dead. The deliberate invocation of “Intifada”—especially in a post–October… pic.twitter.com/V2tUKiT6yn
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) November 20, 2025
COLUMBIA HITLER YOUTH CHANT “DEATH DEATH TO THE IDF! ” OUTSIDE SYNAGOGUE
Standing at the entrance to Park East Synagogue antisemites chant “death to the IDF!”
The war in Gaza is over.
This is not about Gaza, this is a war in the Jewish people.
How did the NYPD permit this… pic.twitter.com/76DhUmILQr
— Rabbi Poupko (@RabbiPoupko) November 20, 2025
Recordings from the demonstration captured several chants directed at Israel and the Israeli military. Officers remained on-site throughout the evening, and the NYPD confirmed that the protest dispersed without arrests.
The language used at the protest drew immediate responses from city officials. Mayor Eric Adams called the rhetoric “totally unacceptable,” adding that targeting any house of worship should raise concern for all New Yorkers. Adams, who is overseas on a diplomatic trip, said he intends to visit Park East Synagogue when he returns to the city later this week.
Gov. Kathy Hochul also criticized the demonstration, describing it as a “shameful” incident and denouncing the messages directed at the synagogue. Rep. Richie Torres said there is a distinction between criticizing government policy and targeting Jewish institutions, calling the latter a form of discrimination.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s press secretary offered a more layered response. Dora Pekec said Mamdani “discouraged the language used at last night’s protest” and supports the principle that all New Yorkers should be able to enter houses of worship without fear or intimidation. She also said “sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law,” referencing criticism from some activists who objected to Nefesh B’Nefesh’s work. Pekec did not elaborate on what specific activities were being referred to.
Nefesh B’Nefesh’s open house-style events typically outline the logistical steps for moving to Israel and provide information about life in various communities. While the organization does not direct new immigrants to specific locations, it has included West Bank settlements in past informational materials, which critics argue raises legal and ethical concerns. The group itself works in partnership with the Israeli government, a point emphasized by protest organizers.
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Jewish advocacy groups and local synagogue leaders expressed alarm at the tone of the demonstration. Park East Synagogue Cantor Benny Rogosnitzky described the chants as “very disturbing.” Other organizations said the event reflected a broader trend of increasingly tense or intimidating incidents directed at Jewish institutions over the past year.Wednesday’s protest is the latest example of demonstrations in New York City tied to the Israel–Hamas conflict, which has fueled a rise in political activism as well as a spike in reported hate crimes. Citywide data from the NYPD shows antisemitic incidents have made up more than half of all reported hate crimes since October 2023.
Some elected officials also called for legislative responses. Council Member Inna Vernikov, who criticized the protest as an act of intimidation, urged support for a bill she sponsors that would make it a misdemeanor to block access to educational institutions or student-organized events. She said she intends to expand the proposal to include houses of worship.
Park East Synagogue, founded in 1890 and home to a congregation that includes Holocaust survivors, did not issue a formal public statement on the protest.
The NYPD said the evening concluded without arrests and that the area was cleared by the end of the night.
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