Mayor Eric Adams, speaking in Israel, warned that "everything is not fine" for Jewish New Yorkers amid rising global antisemitism and urged the community to prepare. The comments, made at a Combat Antisemitism Movement event in Tel Aviv, prompted a response from mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's office, which said Mamdani will protect and celebrate Jewish New Yorkers. The ADL reports a 227% increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. from 2021–2023 and nearly 1,000 incidents in New York City in 2024.
‘Everything Is Not Fine’: Eric Adams Warns Jewish New Yorkers of Rising Antisemitism During Israel Visit
Mayor Eric Adams, speaking in Israel, warned that "everything is not fine" for Jewish New Yorkers amid rising global antisemitism and urged the community to prepare. The comments, made at a Combat Antisemitism Movement event in Tel Aviv, prompted a response from mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's office, which said Mamdani will protect and celebrate Jewish New Yorkers. The ADL reports a 227% increase in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. from 2021–2023 and nearly 1,000 incidents in New York City in 2024.
12:39 AM, 11/18/2025Politics
New York City Mayor Eric Adams visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Aug. 22, 2023, and during a subsequent trip to Israel he sounded a stark warning about the safety of Jewish New Yorkers under the incoming administration.
Speaking at an event in Tel Aviv hosted by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, Adams said rising global hostility toward Jews is cause for concern. He urged vigilance and preparedness for the community’s leaders and families.
“I think this is a period where they need to be very conscious that there’s a level of global hostility towards the Jewish community. If I were a Jewish New Yorker, I’d be concerned about my children,”
“There is something to be worried about,”
and later: “the [Jewish] community must prepare itself… everything is not fine.”
Adams made the comments while on an official visit to meet business and political leaders during his final months in office. The remarks — and his decision to make this trip his last while mayor — echoed earlier critiques he and others made of mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on the subject of antisemitism.
Mamdani’s office pushed back. Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec told The New York Times: “Zohran Mamdani was proud to earn the support of hundreds of thousands of Jewish New Yorkers and looks forward to both protecting and celebrating all Jewish New Yorkers as the next mayor of this city.”
The exchange recalls controversies from the mayoral campaign, when Mamdani faced criticism for initially declining to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.” He since changed his position and has repeatedly condemned antisemitism; during his victory speech in November Mamdani said City Hall would "stand steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers" in the fight against antisemitism.
These political disputes come amid sharp increases in antisemitic incidents. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a 227% rise in antisemitic incidents in the United States from 2021 to 2023. New York City — which has the largest Jewish population of any city outside Israel — saw nearly 1,000 antisemitic incidents in 2024, the highest total recorded in any U.S. city since the ADL began tracking such data. Those incidents included harassment, vandalism and physical attacks.
This debate about public safety and political responsibility has intensified concerns among families and community organizations across New York City. Adams framed his remarks as a call for alertness and community preparedness rather than a prediction of imminent violence, while Mamdani’s team emphasized protection and inclusion under the incoming administration.
Why it matters: The comments underscore growing anxiety about antisemitism both locally and globally and spotlight how mayors and mayoral candidates are being judged on their responses to hate and public-safety concerns.