New York City Mayor Eric Adams convened a meeting on Monday, Nov. 13, with Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faith and community leaders in the wake of a recent spike in hate crimes across both the Jewish and Muslim communities since Oct. 7, when Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israeli civilians, kidnapping around 240 others, and Israel launched a subsequent counteroffensive on Gaza.

 

As reported, thousands have died in the intervening weeks, many of them children, and across the world, thousands more have taken to the streets to call both for a ceasefire, amid reports from the WHO, the United Nations and others of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as for the release of Israeli hostages.

 

In the five weeks since the attacks, tensions have risen across New York City and elsewhere, leading to a rise in hate crimes in certain communities. Norwood News has reported on two antisemitic incidents which took place in the local Norwood area in recent weeks, while the NYPD reported that hate crimes increased citywide by 124% (101 v. 45) in October, compared to September, driven by a 214% (69 v. 22) spike in anti-Jewish incidents. Overall, however, year-to-date citywide hate crimes decreased by 9% (485 v. 531) police said.

 

In The Bronx, specifically, year-to-date hate crimes as of Nov. 19 were actually down by 36.6 percent. In the 52nd Precinct, the year-to-date hate crime incidents remained the same as of Nov. 19 as during the same timeframe last year.

 

City officials said Adams brought the various leaders together to discuss how to fight hate within the five boroughs and how New Yorkers could work together to create a safer, more accepting New York. “There is no place for hate in our city and we need all of our houses of worship to come together in this moment and talk about how we bring light into the darkness that we are all experiencing,” said the mayor, whose 2021 mayoral campaign finances are currently being investigated, as reported. Neither Adams nor any member of his campaign has been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

 

Regarding the recent rise in hate crimes, Adams continued, “This is a very painful moment we are all going through, and I don’t have all the answers, which is why hearing from our faith leaders is so crucial. I’m hoping this circle of dialogue and mutual respect continues to grow as we navigate all that is happening across our planet.”

 

The mayor, who denies an allegation of alleged sexual assault and battery filed in legal papers on Nov. 22 under the New York State’s Adult Survivor Act, as reported by the NY Daily News and other media outlets, on Nov. 23, concluded, “I firmly believe that what plays out in the international arena mirrors what plays out on the streets of New York City because we are such an international community. Our biggest strength is our diversity, but lately, I have seen that strength slipping away. I am proud we are showing not only the country, but the globe, that even in these difficult moments we are still able to lean into the strength of our diversity.”

 

As regards the sexual assault allegation, the woman, who the NY Daily News did not name in their story to protect her privacy, accused Adams of sexually assaulting her in 1993 when, according to court papers, they both worked for the City. Adams was a police officer at the time. According to the same NY Daily News report, along with Adams, the woman has named several other defendants in her suit, including the City, the NYPD’s Transit Bureau, the Guardians Association and several unnamed entities.

 

In one of his prior visits to The Bronx, the mayor spoke of his fondness for the borough, recalling working here as a transit cop in the early stages of his career.

Joining Adams and administration officials at the Nov. 14 meeting were Imam Shamsi Ali from the Jamaica Muslim Center, Sheikh Musa Drammeh, a local Bronx Muslim community activist who is currently in Israel on a peace mission, Doughlas Jablon from Maimonides, Rabbi Yechiel Kalish of Hatzalah, Bob Kaplan of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), Marian Soltz- Loike from Touro University, Rabbi Shlomo Nisanov of Kehilat Sephardim, Avi Posnick of Stand With Us, and Rabbi Joseph Potasnik from the New York Board of Rabbis.

 

Also in attendance were Hindy Poupko of UJA Federation, Shahriar Rahman of Bhalo, Raja Azad Gul of the Raja Community Center, Mohamed Razvi from the Council of Peoples Organization, Imam Shahid Ullah of Islamic TV, Adrienne Shamie, a Sephardic community leader, Joe Shamie, a Sephardic community leader, Imam Ahmed Ali Uzir of IQRA Masjid Community & Tradition, Archpriest Rev. Thomas P. Zain Vicar of St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, and Dovi Zeitlin from Yeshiva Chaim Berlin.

 

Ali said of the event, “It is important to come together in good times, but it is even more important to come together in a challenging moment,” He added, said “As home to some of the most diverse communities, New York City has the privilege to bring us together. Despite our differences, we always find a way to be united. In fact, we must be aware that we may agree to disagree without being disagreeable. We are one, New York!”

 

Meanwhile, for his part, Potasnik said, “We, as leaders, must demonstrate that there can be a unity of spirit as well as diversity of thought,” said  “We can share different beliefs, but we must show our young people that we belong to one human family.”

 

Rahman agreed, saying, “Engagement, service, and conversation are essential to co-existing.” He added, “Putting geopolitics aside, we need to focus and emphasize on community growth and inter-community bonding. The meeting yesterday is a start to a long recovery and building process between many communities.”

 

Poupko said they all appreciated what he described as the leadership of Adams and his team for convening the event of faith leaders “to discuss pathways that will build tolerance and understanding during this challenging time.”

 

His thoughts were echoed by Razvi who said, “It was a constructive meeting with several actionable results.” He added, “COPO does a weekly food distribution with volunteers of many backgrounds. We will immediately begin a volunteers’ dialogue prior to starting each of our distributions.”

 

Kalish said, “Hatzalah is grateful for the mayor’s leadership in bringing groups like this together to better understand each other and learn how to live as good neighbors. By clearly communicating our shared values openly and honestly under the guidance of leaders like Mayor Adams we can continue to make New York the best city in the world.”

 

Shahid Ullah said, as an Imam, he believed everyone lived under one creator. “My faith teaches me to live together, work together, and stay together. My message is very clear as a faith leader: There should be no hate in New York City.”

The majority of the invitees at the meeting were men. Meanwhile, the Council on Foreign Relations and other international organizations have long recognized the often impactful and outsized peacebuilding role women play in conflict zones. Following the meeting, the group plans to schedule a follow-up meeting to pursue both short-term and long-term actionable items discussed.

 

Nisanov described the event as a “beautiful meeting with Muslim, Jewish, and Christian community leaders to combat hate. “No one is born hating,” he said. “You are taught to hate.”

 

For more of our coverage on the latest situation in the Middle East, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, as well as a recent op-ed.

 

For those wishing to donate to help humanitarian efforts in the region, UNICEF is coordinating aid for those affected by the conflict. Visit https://www.unicefusa.org/.