PROUD New Yorkers - Jews - Zionists

By Henry Levy

“I’m so shaken. If you are in pain, imagine how we are in pain.” These are the words of Rabbi Arthur Schneier addressing over 1100 proud New Yorkers, Jews and Zionists who braved the cold winter weather, to gather outside the Park East Synagogue and by being there, in a show of unity and solidarity conveyed that they would not go silently into this goodnight.

Rabbi Schneier’s synagogue, just two weeks before, was besieged by a hooded mob of Jew hating and Israel hating rabble rousers who tried to intimidate and scare Jews from entering the synagogue for an event sponsored by a Jewish organization, Nefesh B’Nefesh. Following the confrontation by these hateful antisemitic protestors, UJA-Federation of New York, JCRC-NY, ADL, AJC New York, New York Board of Rabbis and Park East Synagogue brought the Jewish community together in that same sacred space to celebrate and defend their community’s values and support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish homeland.

Nearly 100 synagogues, Jewish organizations, JCC’s, schools, Hillel chapters, Holocaust centers, Jewish councils and others from all five boroughs, Long Island and Westchester partnered in this effort.

After their abysmal failure at the afore mentioned protest, that NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called “turmoil”, police presence was so strong that not a single protestor dared to show up.

Rabbi Schneier also said, “It was not just an attack on Park East Synagogue: this was an attack against the Jewish community, to intimidate us, but we are not afraid. What we saw here was hatred. Hatred of the Jew and hatred of decency. United we prevail, divided we fail. Be strong and let us strengthen one another.” Rabbi Schneier also called for legislation to be passed to prohibit demonstrations in front of synagogues, churches and mosques and a strengthened police department.

UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein addressing the crowd remarked, “Let us continue in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead to proudly and publicly stand up for who we are and for our values in this, our beloved city of New York, the largest Jewish community outside of Israel. We are proud Jews, proud Zionists, proud New Yorkers.”

Rabbi Joe Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbi brought two dozen religious leaders of all faiths onto the stage and said, “We can have different views but have to come together as one. Love the United States. Love Israel.”

Mark Levine, NYC Comptroller-elect addressed the issue clearly and forcefully. He said, “It is not a matter of opinion or speculation what the goal of these protestors was.” Alluding to the comments of one of the protestors who repeated several times, “We need to make them scared”, Levine continued, ”This was unambiguously an effort to intimidate and threaten Jewish New Yorkers going into a synagogue. This should be a city where no one is harassed or threatened for who they are, for what their faith is, for where they worship or what country they have or might immigrate to or from. This should be a city where all of us feel safe. This is the New York we are fighting for.” Levine had a further comment reflecting on the organization at the center of the protest, Nefesh B’Nefesh, which is a non-profit focusing on mainly North Americans considering immigrating to Israel. Levine said, “You can be interested in in immigrating to a country even if you don’t agree with every policy of the government of that country.

And in the case of Israel, one of the most common reasons people are interested in immigrating is to flee antisemitism, which is on the rise in New York and America – a fact perhaps lost on the protestors, who were trying to make attendees feel unsafe.”

Rabbi Joanna Samuels, CEO of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan said, “The great leaders of our city have sought to unite people of all backgrounds around broad common goals … and have not been ideologues. Our great leaders have had the maturity and discipline to get rid of divisive language and rhetoric in service of their love of our city and their love of New Yorkers. I invite all of our leaders and our future leaders to uphold these values, and to demand them from those who speak in your name and on your behalf.”

The Jewish singing sensation Matisyahu sang his hit songs “One Day” and “Jerusalem” and brought a little warmth to the huge crowd on this frigid evening.

UJA-Federation’s senior vice president of community organizing and external relations, the amazing Hindy Poupko orchestrated the flow of speakers and jacketless gave a stirring speech hiligting to the crowd the reasons we were all banded together in a strong show unity and purpose.

Among a number of other speakers was Mark Treyger, CEO of JCRC-NY who said, “We’re not going back – we’re only going forward. We’re going to work and fight to make sure that we see a day where every Jewish New Yorker, every member of our community, is safe, not just in our houses of worship but in every corner of our great city.”