What I Saw Outside Park East Synagogue
On Tuesday morning, I heard that an anti-Zionist protest was planned outside Park East Synagogue. I had never been to that synagogue before. However, I decided to go there for evening prayers (Maariv) instead of my regular synagogue because I believed it was important to ensure that I could exercise my right to enter, pray, and exit the synagogue safely.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration shared his view on the protests, stating, “Mayor Mamdani is deeply opposed to the real estate expo this evening that includes the promotion of the sale of land in settlements in the Occupied West Bank. These settlements are illegal under international law and deeply tied to the ongoing displacement of Palestinians.”
A protest had been planned outside of the synagogue by the anti-Zionist group Pal-Awda and CUNY for Palestine to “Stop the Sale of Stolen Palestine Land.” The NYPD set up barricades before the protest and closed off the street outside of the synagogue to ensure that people could safely enter and exit the synagogue.
As I was a block away from the synagogue, I heard a group of protestors with their faces covered, chanting “We don’t want two states, we want ‘48” and “Globalize the Intifada.” It quickly became apparent to me that these protesters were not simply fighting against the sale of homes in Israeli Settlements in the West Bank; they were calling for an end to the State of Israel.
I was surprised by how many of the protestors were wearing masks. I have participated in many protests, but I have always been proud of what I was saying, and I have never been ashamed to show my face.
I proceeded on to pray at the synagogue. After passing through several layers of security, I eventually made it inside the synagogue, where I prayed the evening prayers together with two dozen others. Because of the intense security on the surrounding blocks, the prayers were quiet and peaceful.
However, when I returned outside, things had only worsened. More people had arrived at the protest, and they had only become more aggressive. They were chanting “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free,” calling for the destruction of the Jewish State.
As they chanted for liberation, the protestors pushed away the police barricades and stopped traffic on the street. “No cops, no KKK, no fascist USA.” Thankfully, we had many excellent police officers who were able to maneuver the crowd, reopen the street, and maintain public safety.
I was able to enter and exit Park East Synagogue safely, and the NYPD ensured that protestors were not able to come near the synagogue. We can have unlimited Police Officers protecting our synagogues, but if hundreds of people scream hate speech together on the street, we are still not safe.
As I was leaving the protest, Ali, a Hunter College student, approached me and asked me how I felt. He told me he felt intimidated. I told him that I also did.
It was not a protest against the sale of homes in the West Bank. It was a violent hate rally.
Postscript: Thank you to the Police Officers for keeping us safe with incredible professionalism
