Mayor Adams Doubles Down on Efforts to Crack Down on Rising Crisis of Antisemitism and Calls on City Council to Immediately Codify Definition Into Law
New Executive Order Will Codify Definition Used by U.S. Department of State, Helping City of New York Identify Incidents of Antisemitism and Raise Awareness
New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a historic executive order to recognize the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism to facilitate constructive discourse, further understanding, and enable a thoughtful response to antisemitic hate in New York City. Amidst a historic rise in antisemitic incidents across the five boroughs and the rest of the nation, Mayor Adams today is taking an ambitious stance against acts of hatred and violence against New York’s vibrant and diverse Jewish community, totaling approximately 960,000, or more than 11 percent of the city’s population. This order directs agencies to use this working definition to identify and address incidents of antisemitism across the city, as well as to raise awareness of this crisis. As a part of this announcement, Mayor Adams introduced legislation to the City Council, calling on them to match this commitment by codifying this definition in new legislation.
“Antisemitism is a vile disease that’s been spreading across our nation and our city. What’s worse, since Hamas’ terror attacks on October 7, 2023, we have seen this hateful rhetoric become normalized on our campuses, in our communities, and online as antisemitic propaganda far too often masquerades as ‘activism.’ When Jewish New Yorkers make up 11 percent of the population but more than half of all hate crimes, we know this moment demands bold, decisive action to crack down on anti-Jewish hatred,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, we signed a landmark executive order to adopt an internationally recognized definition of antisemitism, but we must go further. I am calling on the City Council to join this commitment to target antisemitism everywhere it exists and immediately pass a bill to codify this definition into law. It’s time we all come together to eradicate this hatred from our city, once and for all.”
“As home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world, we have zero-tolerance for antisemitism and discrimination of any kind,” said First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro. “With today’s executive order adopting the internationally-recognized definition of antisemitism, Mayor Adams has taken bold action to address an endemic problem in our city, country, and world. And we know we had to act because more than half of all hate crimes in our city today are committed against Jewish New Yorkers. To combat antisemitism, we have to have a common understanding of what it is — now we do.”
“Recognizing the IHRA definition of antisemitism is critical to confront hate and understand the pervasiveness of antisemitism,” said Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism Executive Director Moshe Davis. “We will no longer tolerate denying the Jewish community the right to self-determination, using code words to demean Jewish New Yorkers, or targeting our community while claiming to target Zionists; we’ve seen the violence this breeds. Antisemitism has no place in our schools, our government, or our city.”
This working definition was first adopted by the IHRA’s 31 member states, of which the United States is a member, in May 2016. This definition outlines specific, contemporary examples of antisemitism to illustrate how this form of hatred appears in daily life, such as “accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust,” “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” and “holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.” This non-legally binding working definition has been recognized by the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Education, 35 states, the District of Columbia, and over 80 other localities.
Last month, Mayor Adams established the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, the first office of its kind established in a major city across the nation. Flanked by dozens of leading Jewish advocates, the mayor announced this new effort, which is establishing an inter-agency taskforce dedicated to fighting antisemitism in all its forms, including by monitoring court cases and outcomes at all levels of the justice system, liaising with the New York City Law Department on appropriate cases to bring or join, advising on executive orders to issue and legislation to propose to address antisemitism, and working across agencies to ensure New Yorkers feel protected against antisemitism and address incidents of antisemitism, among taking other actions. The office will also work to combat antisemitism at city-funded entities and city agencies.
Today’s executive order follows a historic rise in violence against Jewish New Yorkers. Last year, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported that 54 percent of all hate crimes in New York City were against Jewish New Yorkers. As of the most recent data from 2025, that number rose to 57 percent. The Anti-Defamation League recently reported a record number of antisemitic incidents in 2024 across the country, including the highest number in New York state.
These new efforts build on Mayor Adams’ strong record of taking action to protect Jewish New Yorkers, including by directing the NYPD to take action against hate crimes and violence that threaten New Yorkers; establishing the city’s first “Breaking Bread, Building Bonds” initiative to broaden connections amongst communities of every faith, class, and creed; and establishing the city’s first Jewish Advisory Council to ensure Jewish communities across New York City are connected with all of the city’s resources and services available.
“By adopting the critically important IHRA definition of antisemitism, Mayor Adams is taking an important step in confronting the appalling rise in Jew-hatred that is plaguing our country,” said Elan Carr, chief executive officer, Israeli-American Council (IAC) and former U.S special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. “New York is home to America’s largest Jewish community, and we are continually grateful to Mayor Adams for his friendship and commitment to justice.”
“As the president’s nominee to combat global antisemitism, I welcome this important step by New York City,” said Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, nominee for U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. “It is crucial for all cities, states, and countries to adopt these policies and build on the requirements outlined in IHRA’s language. Antisemitism must be a bipartisan issue and condemned by all people.”
“With antisemitism surging across our city and country, we applaud the mayor for his leadership in adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism – an essential step in confronting anti-Jewish hate,” said Eric Goldstein, chief executive officer, United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. “Let us be clear and speak with one voice: Antisemitism in any of its destructive manifestation has no place in our city.”
“Since October 7th, Jewish New Yorkers — regardless of our connection to Israel — have been relentlessly pressured to renounce Zionism and the very idea of Jewish self-determination, treated as suspect or unwelcome when we refuse. At a time when eliminationist rhetoric like ‘globalize the intifada’ is shouted in our streets and on our campuses, we are told that our safety must be sacrificed on the altar of someone else’s version of free speech and human rights. These are false choices — ones that no other community is asked to make. And holding Jews to these exceptional standards is plainly antisemitic. That’s why this Executive Order — recognizing the IHRA working definition of antisemitism — is so important,” said Mark Treyger, chief executive officer, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. “The IHRA definition, which has strong bipartisan and international support, will assist New York City agencies by better equipping them with tools to recognize, respond to, and prevent antisemitism with the clarity and seriousness it demands. The government of New York City cannot protect Jewish people if it cannot define the hate we face. I thank Mayor Adams for taking this urgent and necessary step to confront antisemitism and protect the rights and safety of Jewish New Yorkers.”
