On his final day in office, New York City Mayor Eric Adams made public the inaugural annual report of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, formally closing out a year of policy development and enforcement initiatives aimed at addressing antisemitism across the city.
Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, praised the mayor’s approach and leadership. “A famous quotation in the movie The King’s Speech is when King George VI says, ‘I have a voice.’ Thankfully, Mayor Eric Adams has been a courageous voice in combatting the scourge of antisemitism in our city,” he said. “While some were silent, he was not afraid to shout and stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. He would remind us that antisemitism is anti-Christianity, anti-Islam, and anti-all faiths. We will always be grateful.”
The report was issued jointly with the office’s executive director, Moshe Davis, and provides a detailed overview of the structures, policies, and legislative planning put in place since the office was launched in May 2025. It represents the first time a major U.S. city has established a municipal agency devoted solely to combating antisemitism.
Davis said the document is intended to serve both as a record of accomplishments and a practical guide for other cities. “We cannot control world events or eradicate centuries-old hatred, but we can do what government does best: create policy, enforce the law, educate, and speak with moral clarity,” he said. “This report is both a record of what we accomplished and a blueprint for what municipal government ought to do.”
According to the report, the decision to establish the office followed a surge in antisemitic incidents after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. During early 2025, antisemitic incidents made up the majority of reported hate crimes in New York City, which the administration said underscored the need for a coordinated, citywide response.
The document lays out the administration’s central initiatives, including adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, the formation of an interagency task force involving more than 35 city agencies, and the issuance of four executive orders. Those orders addressed antisemitism in city procurement, public communications, coordination with law enforcement, and enhanced protections for houses of worship.
“After the attacks of October 7, 2023, I wasn’t afraid to say what so many New Yorkers were feeling: We were not alright. That was the truth and a call to action,” Adams said in a statement released with the report. “Confronting antisemitism has been a priority for our administration. New York City is home to the largest Jewish community outside of Israel – a point of pride and responsibility.”
Adams said the administration emphasized pairing strong rhetoric with concrete enforcement. “In a few short months, we delivered four executive orders, built an interagency task force dedicated to coordinating responses, and adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism,” he said, adding that “there is still more work to be done.”
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said the report captures a whole-of-government response to a growing problem. “We find ourselves at a crossroad in this city with antisemitism raging,” Mastro said. “Such hate cannot go unchecked here, home to the largest Jewish population of any city in the world.”
Beyond policy summaries, the report includes historical analysis of antisemitism in New York City, legal reviews of executive actions and proposed legislation, and a forward-looking plan that outlines legislative goals, citywide training programs, and expanded enforcement tools. Appendices provide the full text of executive orders, mayoral remarks, and draft legislative proposals.
The publication builds on steps taken throughout 2025, including the formal launch of the antisemitism office, creation of the interagency task force, recognition of the IHRA definition, and executive orders barring discriminatory procurement practices targeting Israel and directing the New York City Police Department to review protest-related policies near houses of worship.
Community leaders also welcomed the report’s release. Hindy Poupko, senior vice president of the UJA Federation of New York, said, “We are grateful to Mayor Adams, First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, and Executive Director Moshe Davis for their unwavering advocacy and support for Jewish New Yorkers at a moment when the community urgently needed government to act.” She added, “The recent antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach underscores the ongoing need for efforts like those undertaken by MOCA, including strengthened enforcement tools and training, streamlined security infrastructure for synagogues and Jewish institutions, and citywide educational initiatives – all helping to ensure that Jewish New Yorkers feel safe and supported.”
The report’s release comes as the city prepares for a transition in leadership. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is scheduled to be sworn into office on New Year’s Day.
{Matzav.com}
