In my column in last week’s QJL, I wrote that “When there was an intimidation protest outside Park Avenue Synagogue, we responded with our own rally of support. That is what we need to do every time there is a similar protest.” I did not know when I wrote the column that such a situation would happen within a few days - and in my community.
Last Thursday night, a group called Pal-Awda (Palestinian Assembly for Liberation) held a protest near the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills titled “Stop the Sale of Stolen Palestinian Land.” There was a program at the Young Israel by Tivuch Shelly, a real estate agency, about buying property in Israel.
Kew Gardens Hills is a large, vibrant Jewish community. This was the chance for our community to come out in force and send a message that we support Israel and are not going to be intimidated by groups such as Pal-Awda. It was expected that there would be a large media presence, since this was the first protest since Mamdani became mayor and after the debacle at Park East Synagogue on November 19.
Instead of the community coming out in force, the exact opposite happened. Very few supporters of Israel showed up. I did not see any community leaders in our group. We were outnumbered by those who hate Israel. This sent a message that the Jewish community is afraid and can be intimidated by our enemies. We let our enemies control the narrative. Imagine if thousands or tens of thousands of supporters of Israel had shown up. The narrative would have been: Look at the small crowd who came to attack Israel and the thousands who came to support her. This would have also given the mayor the message that we are not giving him a free ride and that if this is going to continue, there is going to be an immediate mass reaction by our community. This incident was widely reported in the Israeli media as well as the American media. What message does the small number coming to support Israel send to the Israeli people?
It is also important that if you show up to support Israel, you do not engage in conduct which can be used by our enemies to undercut our position. Unfortunately, during the rally, I warned a group of young men not to shout provocative comments that would be picked up by the media and used against us. There was also a Kach flag. Unsurprisingly, the New York Times picked it up and tried to equate the comments of some in our group to those of the antisemitic group. This included comments by those in our group threatening bodily harm, which I was unaware of. Maybe if there had been leadership present and greater attendance, these extreme voices would have been silenced or would not have received any attention.
The one profile in courage was the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, which hosted the event knowing what the reaction would be.
I think of those in my parents’ generation and what they must think of the Jewish community’s response to the protest. My father would have said that if they had tried that in the Lower East Side when he was growing up, it would have been the first and last time. They would have gotten a message they would never forget. In our time, we show strength not through physical force but through numbers. In this situation, we did not show strength; instead, we showed weakness.
I do not blame the people who did not show up, because they were listening to what those in Jewish leadership—locally and citywide—and some elected officials told them.
Their reasoning does not add up. One of the reasons given is that by showing up, it will give our enemies media coverage. There was already significant media coverage because of the uniqueness of the event and its timing. Another argument was that it was not safe. That is also nonsense. I was not worried because, considering what happened at Park East Synagogue, I knew there would be a significant police presence. The NYPD also said there would be a great police presence in the neighborhood. Sure enough, that is what happened. There were many police positioned in areas separating both groups, and when some from the other group split off, the police followed them. Another excuse was that if we came, it would make it harder for the police. With that logic, we should not show up for the Salute to Israel Parade or any event where there could be a counter-protest because it may make it more difficult for the police. In any event, that is the job of the police. I do not have to change my behavior just to make their life easier. Another analogous situation would be to say not to bring a lawsuit because it makes judges work harder.
Those who did not want us to appear in a counter-rally may point to statements by elected officials such as AOC and the mayor that their approach was correct. AOC tweeted: “Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying, ‘we support Hamas’ is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do. Pretty basic!” Mamdani’s response was: “As I said earlier today, chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city.” There is a lot less in these statements than appears at first blush. They are not objecting to the protest itself, including its location and the other chants said at the rally. It is only the chant “we support Hamas” that was a line even they could not defend.
I expect those who told us not to show up to issue strong statements condemning the protest and the language spewed. I would not be surprised if there was a call for a rally by the library. The same people who told us to stand down the day of the protest by the shul will give speeches about how it is important to stand up for Israel. This is too little too late. You had the chance to have an influence, and it was lost. No one cares about statements and rallies made days later.
Imagine if a Jewish group had decided to stage a protest against a group holding an event in a mosque in a mainly Muslim community. Do you think the community would have hidden in their homes in fear like we did, or would they have come out in droves?
I hope that other Jewish communities that may be in the same position as we were do not make the same mistakes as the KGH Jewish community. Living in fear and hiding in your homes are not the ways to respond to antisemites who are coming into our communities to spew their hatred.
