On a cold, biting Thursday night, December 4, the Greater New York Jewish community demonstrated a level of unity and resolve rarely seen in the two years since the October 7 attacks and the subsequent fallout in the United States. In a powerful show of solidarity, four of the largest Jewish organizations – the UJA-Federation, Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jewish Committee (AJC), and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) – came together to lead a mass rally in support of the Park East Synagogue.
The event, held outside the historic synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, came in direct response to the frightening scenes that unfolded one week earlier, when a group of pro-Hamas protesters gathered outside the building. Witnesses reported chants such as “Make them scared,” a slogan many interpreted as an explicit attempt to intimidate congregants and the broader Jewish community.
The demonstration sparked widespread alarm across Jewish neighborhoods, as it represented yet another escalation in brazen displays of harassment and hostility. It raised questions about the implications of the victory of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and how he would respond to these types of escalations.
This past Thursday night’s rally served to reassure people that the Jewish community is capable of unifying, responding, and organizing.
Despite temperatures that hovered just above freezing and traffic that clogged the streets for blocks, several thousand people arrived – a mixture of retirees, professionals, parents, and concerned citizens who felt compelled to stand in the cold rather than remain silent.
Attendees formed long, slow-moving lines at the security checkpoints as people waited patiently to be let in. It was reassuring to see law enforcement out in full force to ensure the safety of the participants.
For many, the event marked the first moment in years where the major Jewish institutions presented a unified front. The UJA, ADL, AJC, and JCRC – groups that have at times differed in strategy and motivations – set aside those differences to project strength and cohesion. One attendee quipped, “I’m surprised there weren’t four rallies all side by side,” expressing frustration with the lack of cohesion that he felt up until that evening.
Jewish community can mobilize in significant numbers
Leaders from each organization delivered remarks, affirming their shared commitment to defending Jewish communities. By most measures, the rally was a success. The crowd size surpassed expectations, and the visual display of thousands of people standing shoulder to shoulder was reassuring, to say the least. It was, as many attendees noted, that the Jewish community can still mobilize significant numbers.
Still, the gathering revealed several shortcomings. One notable feature of the crowd was that the overwhelming majority of attendees were over the age of 50. Young adults – particularly those in their 20s and 30s – were strikingly few and far between. Whether due to scheduling, messaging, or possibly an oversight, their absence raises concerns that the next generation may not be comprehending the urgency of the moment, or simply may not be prioritizing the moment.
Another point of discussion centered on the program itself. While the rally succeeded in turnout and unified messaging, several attendees observed that the speeches tended toward long, formal addresses more suited to policy forums than mass mobilizations.
There was very little attempt to energize the crowd with rallying cries or chants. This was a missed opportunity to express gratitude to participants and ignite a sense of collective purpose. As one community member noted afterward, “People showed up ready to feel galvanized. They needed someone to engage with the crowd so that the crowd could feel more part of the experience.”
Despite these shortcomings, Thursday night’s event was a success. The hope is that this rally is not a one-off but part of a campaign that will hopefully build on itself to create momentum. One thing is clear: the challenges that the Jewish community faces will not disappear. The fact that these major Jewish organizations came together is encouraging. The rally at Park East Synagogue may well mark a turning point and the beginning of a renewed era of collective action.
The writer is a co-founder of a non-profit technology company called Emissary4all, which is an app to organize people to impact the narrative and move the needle on social media and beyond. He is a co-host of the podcast Recalibration. You can reach him at dmr224@yahoo.com.