On November 19, 2025, approximately 200 anti-Israel protesters gathered outside the Park East Synagogue in New York City to oppose an event being hosted inside the synagogue by Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN), a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting potential Jewish immigrants to Israel.
Many protesters wore keffiyehs over their faces, and they stood directly outside the synagogue and chanted in support of terrorism. Individual protesters threatened violence and reportedly shouted antisemitic slurs.
The protest was organized by the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation (PAL-AWDA NY/NJ) and promoted by the New York City chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), known as JVP NYC. The pro-Hamas group Within Our Lifetime (WOL) was reportedly also among the organizers.
Protest videos posted on X showed protestors chanting: “RESISTANCE, YOU MAKE US PROUD! TAKE ANOTHER SETTLER OUT!" Among anti-Israel activists, the term “resistance” is a euphemism for nationalistic terror and is used to glorify and encourage anti-Israel and anti-Semitic violence.
Protesters also chanted: "Intifada, intifada! Long live Gaza! Say it loud, say it clear, we don't want no Zionists [here]!" The term “intifada” carries the connotation of terrorist violence.
Pro-Israel counterprotesters stood in front of the synagogue and were shouted at by the protesters. One threatened to slit a counterprotester's throat, while another reportedly shouted: "F**king Jewish pricks."
Another video showed protesters shouting: "DEATH, DEATH, TO THE IDF [Israel Defense Forces]!" and: "GO TO HELL! GO TO HELL!"
Fox News showed [00:00:35] protesters stomping on an Israeli flag and chanting [00:00:22]: "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!", a chant used to call for the elimination of the State of Israel.
One day before the protest, PAL-AWDA NY/NJ posted a promotional flyer to X that said: “NO SETTLERS ON STOLEN LAND / PROTEST THE SETTLER RECRUITING FAIR." The flyer featured a photo of Jewish immigrants disembarking from a chartered NBN flight. On the front of the plane was the word "Jerusalem," which PAL-AWDA NY/NJ underlined and inserted text alleging: "Established in Europe."
One way that anti-Israel activists spread antisemitism is to claim that Jews do not descend from the ancient Israelites, but are allegedly white Europeans who lack a connection to the Land of Israel entirely. The same flyer also accused Israel of "Genocide," and referred to the IDF as the "IOF," a term meaning the "Israel Occupation Forces."
On November 24, 2025, PAL-AWDA NY/NJ posted on X: "It's our duty to protest NBN's role in the ongoing colonization of Palestine." The post had a graphic promoting a December 2, 2025, protest, and the post accused Israel of perpetrating an "ongoing genocide...illegal settlement and ethnic cleansing of Palestine." The graphic featured a sign that said: "F**k Israel."
On October 7, 2023, Hamas murdered approximately 1,200 Israelis, kidnapped hundreds and wounded thousands. War crimes included mass rape and torture. Many Palestinian civilians participated in and supported the attacks, and Gazans working in the targeted Israeli communities gave intelligence to Hamas on where to strike.
CNN reported that in response to the protest, the spokesperson for New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said that Mamdani “believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation...and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law."
