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A brazen activist crew called Pal‑Awda publicly announced a plan to “shut down” a Riverdale gathering of Jewish families who were meeting to learn about moving to Israel. The group boasted of a prior “victory” in Queens and celebrated when organizers said they would cancel or move the Riverdale session. In short: families who want to talk about buying a home in Israel felt hunted out of their own neighborhood — and city leaders offered no clear, event‑specific answer.
What happened in Riverdale — and who’s claiming credit
Pal‑Awda posted a public call to action targeting an event run by an aliyah/real‑estate group. The post said the goal was to “SHUT DOWN THE SALE OF STOLEN PALESTINIAN LAND,” named the organizers, and later bragged that it had driven a prior Queens event off its original site. Event trackers showed the Riverdale listing appeared and then was removed or marked cancelled. Organizers told reporters they changed plans and moved at least one meeting offsite or online, saying safety concerns drove the decision. That chain of claims — a public threat, a brag, and venue changes — is chilling even before you add the social media chest‑thumping.
Pal‑Awda’s pattern and the real fear for Jewish New Yorkers
This isn’t a one‑off. Pal‑Awda and allied groups have repeatedly targeted Israel‑linked gatherings in New York. They’ve shown up at synagogues and community events with chants and intimidation. Whether you call it anti‑Zionist protest or antisemitic harassment, the effect is the same: Jews in the city are changing plans and hiding meetings because they fear being singled out. When a private living room becomes a target, civil‑liberty posturing about protest zones sounds like a luxury from another planet.
Where were Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani?
Bronx elected officials — including Representative Ritchie Torres, Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and Council Member Eric Dinowitz — issued a firm, joint condemnation. Good. But if you expected Governor Kathy Hochul or Mayor Zohran Mamdani to step in with a clear, event‑specific rebuke or reassurance for frightened families, you won’t find a headline. The governor has spoken broadly about antisemitism and funded community security in other contexts. The mayor and his team have yet to make a targeted statement about this campaign to hunt down Jewish gatherings. Silence, in the face of public threats and public boasting, reads like indifference.
Law, common sense, and what should happen next
New York already has laws that make harassment and hate crimes illegal. Threatening people for who they are — or for where they plan to settle — can trigger civil‑rights claims and criminal charges. So why is enforcement acting like it’s an optional hobby? City and state leaders should do three simple things: name the conduct for what it is, tell law enforcement to protect private gatherings, and make public that intimidation will not be tolerated. If they won’t, scared families will keep retreating to Zoom and Long Island, and bullies will keep getting bragging rights.
