Eric Adams released a sweeping report on Wednesday – his last day as mayor of New York City – outlining a comprehensive blueprint for combating antisemitism, just one day before control of City Hall passed to his far-left, anti-Zionist successor, Zohran Mamdani.

The 80-page report, issued by the city’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, documents a surge in anti-Jewish hate crimes, traces antisemitism’s deep historical roots in New York, and explicitly warns that modern antisemitism cannot be separated from hostility toward Israel—a direct rebuke to political leaders like Mamdani who attempt to draw such a distinction.

Antisemitic incidents accounted for 62 percent of all reported hate crimes in New York City during the first quarter of 2025, according to the report, despite Jews comprising roughly 12 percent of the city’s population. The office was established in May amid an explosion of antisemitic activity following Hamas’s October 2023 invasion of Israel.

While incidents have declined in recent months, the report said it remains unclear whether the drop reflects effective policy, shifting global events, or other factors. Given New York’s status as home to the world’s largest Jewish population, the city bears what the report called a “unique responsibility” to confront antisemitism directly and without equivocation.

The report opens with a historical account, noting that antisemitism has existed in New York since Jews first arrived in 1654. It recounts how colonial governor Peter Stuyvesant attempted to expel Jewish refugees, branding them a “deceitful race” and enemies of Christianity.

“This founding episode established a pattern,” the report states. “A community contributing to the city’s development while facing regular discrimination.”

Antisemitism, the report argues, has continually adapted to modern political and cultural contexts while retaining its core features—especially attacks on Jews’ connection to Israel. Without naming Mamdani directly, the report draws pointed contrasts with leaders who reject Zionism and seek to redefine antisemitism narrowly.

“Understanding modern antisemitism requires recognizing that Jewish identity is intrinsically tied to Israel,” the report states. “Municipal responses that fail to account for this dimension misunderstand the contemporary manifestation of this ancient hatred.”

The document notes that every New York City mayor since Israel’s founding in 1948 has visited Israel and marched in the annual Israel Day Parade since its inception in 1964—traditions Mamdani has said he will not continue.

In one of its most forceful sections, the report criticizes “conditional condemnations” of antisemitism—statements that denounce anti-Jewish hatred while simultaneously attacking Israel or Israeli institutions.

“Political officials attempt to appease multiple audiences by appearing to condemn antisemitism for Jewish constituents while signaling sympathy for attackers,” the report states. “The opposition to antisemitism comes off as insincere.”

The language follows backlash sparked last month when Mamdani responded to a vitriolic protest outside a shul by criticizing both demonstrators and the shul itself, drawing outrage from Jewish leaders.

The report details the work of the antisemitism office, which coordinates efforts across more than 35 city agencies and includes representatives from the NYPD, the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, and the Commission on Human Rights.

Among its actions: replacing a vandalized Israel Bonds sign within hours; launching citywide antisemitism training; establishing a Holocaust memorial in Queens; reviewing public school curricula; accommodating the Jewish calendar in municipal construction schedules; and tailoring religious accommodations for incarcerated Jews.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)