Mayor Eric Adms Jewish Heritage Celebration At Gracie Mansion

Douglas Murray at NYC Jewish Heritage Event

Mendy Mirocznik with leaders at Jewish Heritage Event NYC

Mayor Adams bestowing honors at Jewish Heritage Event

In a fervent address on Wednesday, July 15, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams delivered a powerful and emotional plea to approximately 1,000 attendees at a Jewish heritage celebration at Gracie Mansion. His message was clear: Jewish New Yorkers must stand firm against the rising tide of antisemitism and unequivocally choose to remain in their city, their home.

Under the oppressive grip of the sweltering July heat, Adams drew upon profound historical narratives of Jewish exile, passionately underscoring the vital importance of staying. “You have the undeniable right to be in this city and anywhere in this country,” Adams declared with conviction, his voice resonating through the crowd. “We will not be the generation of fleeing and of leaving. We will be the generation to push back with unwavering resolve against hate.”

The Mayor vividly employed the chilling metaphor of a frog slowly brought to a boil by incrementally rising water temperatures, a stark illustration of how antisemitism in New York has “been turned up one degree at a time.” He asserted, “The heat of antisemitism has gotten too hot in our city, which proudly hosts the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. I’m here to turn off the flame and get the frog out of the pot.”

The Jewish Heritage Month events, originally slated for May but postponed due to inclement weather, found their rescheduled home on Tuesday evening in Carl Schurz Park. Defying a citywide heat advisory, attendees congregated under brightly lit tents, immersing themselves in the vibrant sounds of Israeli pop music, captivating performances by singer Yoni Zigelboum (Yoni Z), and heartfelt speeches honoring distinguished community leaders.

The evening’s palpable sense of community and solidarity was further elevated by the presence of notable rabbis, influential Jewish communal leaders, and dedicated Jewish municipal employees. Among the celebrated recipients of community service awards were the tireless volunteers from Chesed 24/7 and the esteemed journalist Douglas Murray, who publicly lauded Mayor Adams’s courageous and outspoken stance against all forms of intolerance.