๐ฝ Pro-Palestinian protesters accused NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani of siding with Israel during an October 7 vigil recently, with criticism intensifying over his newly announced antisemitism plan. The plan doubles funding for a city hate-crime prevention program whose six lead partners include the pro-Israel Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC).
Hereโs what you need to know:
๐นThe program's $6.4 million is split among six "anchor" groups: the JCRC, the Arab American Association of New York, the Asian American Federation, the Hispanic Federation, the Anti-Violence Project and the 67th Precinct Clergy Council. There's no public breakdown of share by anchor; each passes part of its share to 41 smaller partners.
๐นThe same six have been anchors since Mayor Bill de Blasio created the program in 2021. Mamdani did not add the JCRC, but his plan doubles the program's budget.
๐นWhy the JCRC draws criticism:
โค Its stated purpose includes increasing "support for Israel among diverse groups of New Yorkers." It organizes the Israel Day on Fifth parade, which Mamdani boycotted in May.
โค In January, it joined UJA-Federation, the ADL, the AJC and others criticizing Mamdani for revoking Eric Adams' orders adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism and targeting the BDS movement.
โค It has sponsored Israel trips for New York officials, including City Council members, for more than 20 years. UJA-Federation covers almost half its budget.
๐นThe city says its work with the JCRC covers interfaith, cultural and anti-hate fellowship programs. It has not said how much of the program's funding goes to the JCRC, which spent $13.5 million in its last fiscal year, or whether any of it could potentially support the group's Israel advocacy.
๐ธ An analysis by James Ray and Jordan Duran in Commie Corner found that Mamdani's plan also expands student trips to the Museum of Jewish Heritage, which says its work on antisemitism is "consistent with" the IHRA definition. Separately, in 2025 the museum hosted a pro-Israel activist conference where British columnist Melanie Phillips, a staunch defender of all aspects of Israel's assault on Gaza, declared "there is no such thing as Palestine."