Karen Schneier Dresbach, the daughter of prominent Rabbi Arthur Schneier, has accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of fueling antisemitism in the city. Schneier Dresbach, who also serves as executive vice president of the multi-faith Appeal of Conscience Foundation, stated on Sunday that some Jewish New Yorkers who voted for Mamdani are experiencing "buyer's remorse."
"When you have a mayor of the city of New York, who continues to spew rhetoric… this just fuels Jewish hatred in our city," Schneier Dresbach said during an appearance on WABC's "Cats Roundtable" program. She added that those who voted for the mayor, a noted critic of Israel who supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement, may have learned a difficult lesson.
Schneier Dresbach pointed to an anti-Israel protest that targeted her father's Park East Synagogue last fall as an example of rising antisemitism. The incident occurred after Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent conflict in Gaza. Her father, a Holocaust survivor who founded the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, reportedly expressed distress over the attack on his synagogue.
She also referenced a recent alleged hate crime at Central Synagogue, where an individual reportedly entered the building during a Shabbat service, attacked a congregant and a security guard. Schneier Dresbach argued that the perpetrator's specific targeting of a synagogue indicated premeditation rather than random acts of violence.
A spokesperson for Mayor Mamdani stated that the administration has "zero tolerance" for antisemitism and bigotry and has increased funding to combat it. "The Mamdani administration will continue using every tool at our disposal to stamp out hatred and build a city where every New Yorker is not only safe, but feels a true sense of inclusion and belonging," the spokesperson said.