Don’t celebrate talk, celebrate action
Israel should not be honoring New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who does nothing to protect his Jews.
By Ronn Torossian
JNS
Jul 3, 2024
New York City Mayor Eric Adams
On a daily basis, Jews are being beaten in major cities worldwide, including in New York and Los Angeles. Against that backdrop, the Combat Antisemitism Movement and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted an event for influencers in New York City to discuss antisemitism and how to fight it.
The event, which has been featured on the official Instagram page of Israel 10 times—more than any other event since Oct. 7—featured reality show host Andy Cohen saying, “By representing Jewish culture with pride to your followers, you will have more of a far-reaching impact than you may even realize.”
Nice words, but Cohen—who said in his speech that he wouldn’t weigh in on “the politics” of the Israeli-Palestinian war and didn’t mention Israel—has yet to post about this so-called vital event on any of his social media pages. He has been silent on antisemitism on campus and the daily violence against Jews on the streets of Gotham.
Another main speaker at the event is someone not known for fighting antisemitism: New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Columbia Professor Shai Davidai, who was not invited to the event despite being a major, high-profile advocate against antisemitism in New York City, has just posted a video in which he described himself as livid. He stated:
The State of Israel is terribly mistaken to honor Eric Adams. Israel should not celebrate anyone who does not take a stance against antisemitism. Israel has a responsibility for us Israelis. But also for us Jews all over the world. This is the home of the Jewish people. We need to fight for the Jewish people. Not for people who are unwilling to do anything to help the Jewish people.
Eric Adams is all talk and no action. At a conference devoted to combatting antisemitism, Israel chooses to honor Mayor Adams, whose city is on fire? In a city where Jews are the number one target of hate crimes for the past seven years. In a city where jihadis freely march in the streets, why would Mayor Adams be honored and featured on Israel’s Instagram?
Because he has good speechwriters?
Israel should not be fighting for anyone who doesn’t fight for Jews. Not Mayor Eric Adams, and not [California] Governor Newsom, who has not done one thing for Jews after the LA riots.”
In many places in the Diaspora, Jews are in great danger. As an op-ed by Hillel Fuld in The New York Post this week said, “Jews, get out now. Get the hell out while you still can. You are no longer safe on the streets of New York or Los Angeles.”
We are past the crisis point for Jews in the United States and in many areas in the Diaspora. It is too late for speeches and it is time for elected officials to take action to protect Jews, not put people on pedestals who have great speechwriters but do nothing for the Jewish people.
Davidai is right: The State of Israel should not be honoring such people. Jews living in cities where Hezbollah flags are flying are escaping en masse to Florida, where Jews are protected. Israel would be better off posting about Aliyah on its social media pages than featuring a mayor who doesn’t protect his Jews and a reality show star who won’t mention antisemitism to his millions of followers.
Action. Leadership. Enough talk. Enough speeches.
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