A mob of roughly 200 anti-Israel protesters swarmed outside a historic Manhattan shul Wednesday night, chanting violent slogans and urging demonstrators to intimidate Jews attending an event promoting aliyah inside the building.
The rally targeted Park East Synagogue, a 135-year-old Upper East Side institution, during an event hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh, a nonprofit that assists Jews who choose to immigrate to Israel. Protesters, led by the group Pal-Awda, advertised the demonstration as a campaign to stop “settler recruiting,” despite the organization’s programs not directing immigrants to disputed areas.
Videos show protesters banging drums while chanting: “From New York to Gaza, globalize the intifada!” Another chant — “Resistance, you make us proud, take another settler out!” — echoed through the street as attendees entered the shul.
One protest leader repeatedly called for intimidation, shouting into a megaphone: “We need to make them scared. We need to make them scared. We need to make them scared.” The agitator added that it was activists’ “duty to make them think twice before holding these events.”
A small group of Jewish counter-protesters formed near the building’s entrance, shouting back “You’re cowards!” and condemning the demonstrators for protesting at a shul rather than a political venue.
NYPD officers separated the groups using metal barricades. Police confirmed no arrests were made.
Despite the hostile scene outside, Nefesh B’Nefesh continued the event inside. Volunteers greeted attendees at the entrance as the program proceeded under police watch.
The Park East Synagogue has been led for more than 50 years by its 95-year-old senior rabbi, Holocaust survivor Rabbi Arthur Schneier.
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9 Responses
“despite the organization’s programs not directing immigrants to disputed areas”
They deserve credit for this, not directing immigrants to disputed areas.
The sad part is that if you glance to the left, you see the Reshaim – Neturei Karta there.
I’m sure they helped convince anyone inside not sure about making Aliah…
Self-hating Arabs would be killed instantly, but the self-hating neturei jews have been living for decades in health with no risk to their life. I guess you could see which side is the aggressor
i have a better chant
If Mamdani’s the boss, New York pays the cost — the city gets lost.
mamzerdani is to blame
“rabbi”p:
The much sadder part is the mass idolatry of Zionism and the danger in which the evil Zionists knowingly and happily places Jews by falsely claiming to represent Jews. And that those very same “reshaim” you mentioned are trying to cleanse you and others from that idolatry and to combat that danger mentioned above. But you don’t appreciate any of that, despite the flaws you perceive in their approach. But you’re flawless, of course.
The problem is the whole world is confused about the topic of Zionism. The ideology started by herzl who was the most anti-religious person of all time was adopted by the founders of the modern state who wanted nothing to do with religion and we’re still suffering from them more and more each day. On the other hand we all love the holy land and know it’s the land given to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, the place where we belong and to practice God’s laws, which is the definition of Zionism pretty much. So you decide which one you are
Ujm: I did read somewhere that Nefesh Bnefesh primarily focuses on selling land in Israel, almost exclusively in occupied territories. It’s unfair the article says otherwise, though I do confess that I’m not sure what “disputed areas” mean…
Hakatan: I understand their goal, but the Torah way is not to stand together with them.
MDShweks: Nothing compares to the real danger of living in Israel.
RebChaimBrisker: Reb Chaim would’ve never said that… Please ask the really close people of him/their descendants what his thoughts were on this topic.
RebEmes: Zionism means promoting the State of Israel. Except for RZ’s, Jews know that we are in Galus till Moshiach will come and we are not allowed to have a nation state in Galus.That does not at all diminish our love for the holy land, but definitely not for the Zionist State. Please ask your ruv about this. We are no political nation.