September 15, 2026

The schools appear to have been careful not to refer to the event as a “protest,” describing it in their communications as a “communal prayer” and a “student-led communal Shacharit.” Their messaging about the reason for the demonstration, too, has been vague. The emails viewed by Jewish Currents do not mention Mamdani’s criticism of Israel or his condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the two major points of tension between the mayor and the Jewish establishment.

Despite the cautious tone, it is hard to read this mustering of day-school students outside Gracie Mansion as anything other than an act of protest against Mamdani, and an implicit charge that he poses a particular threat to observant Jews in the city. “It is time for us to stand up and be heard,” the email to Ramaz parents read. “It is time to show up proudly as Jews, as New Yorkers, and as Zionists.”

  • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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    6 days ago

    proudly as Jews

    Okay, with ya

    New Yorkers

    Yes, makes sense

    and as Zionists

    Wtf? You’re proudly hunting for more Lebensraum now?

    • Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works
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      6 days ago

      Yeah idk we have to make zionism a bad word. Idk it always was for me but I guess conservatives are trying to make it cool or something?

      zionism is genocide, full stop.

  • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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    7 days ago

    This could backfire horribly for them. If Mamdani actually goes out and greets them, talks with them, and is just a nice person, this is going to make him look so good while making them look silly. From everything I know about him, this isn’t unlikely either. The only concern is about making this acceptable, but since the children didn’t play a role in this it seems fine to me.

  • hoppeduponcoffee@lemmy.zip
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    7 days ago

    “It is time to show up proudly as Jews, as New Yorkers, and as Zionists.”

    It’s time for us to show up as AIPAC stooges for genocide, apartheid and western imperialism.

  • nullspace@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    All this does is muddy the waters of, “I’m against Israel, not Jews,” which I guess is the point to make it easier to defend against criticism of Israel.

  • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
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    7 days ago

    Its not news that lots of jewish schools and clubs are Israeli aligned indoctrination machines. There are a few good documentaries out there just about this topic. This is on the low end of the outrage bar actually, they do way worse stuff like trying to recruit kids straight from US schools into the IDF.

    • quill7513@anarchist.nexus
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      7 days ago

      birthright trips are exactly this. they reframe the zionist occupation as:

      1. fun
      2. a moral obligation
      3. an opportunity to meet hot singles to make soldiers for the future

      israel uses sex and sexuality to both glorify a patriarchy and to pinkwash genocide both at the same time. it’s extremely gross

      • JenitalJouster@lemmy.zip
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        grew up as an anti zionist jew in nyc my whole life, everyone i know is like so disgusted and shocked i never went to birthright it’s like a glitch in the matrix for them. it’s one of the best brainwashing tools among so many more israel has

        • quill7513@anarchist.nexus
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          7 days ago

          100%! I’ve seen so many people treat it as a travel opportunity and then go without any consideration for that you will only see what Israel wants you to see, and that it is only so cheap to go because they are paying to brainwash you.

          Also the notion that a birthright trip is the defining aspect of Jewish life is INSANE! The whole thing with Jewishness is that our experiences with the experience are varied and diverse, yet there is a sense of community that ties us all together. To ignore that and focus on a state sponsored act of violence when for so many of us the point of our existence is to defy state violence is disgusting, vile, and infuriating.

          The most horrifying to me has been how many former friends have come back from their trip and no longer eat unleavened bread for passover because “the exodus is over” like that was ever the fucking point

    • 🍉 DrRedOctopus 🐙🍉@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Israel has been a cancer on Judaism.

      And although the destruction it did to Judaism is nothing compared to what it did to Palestinians, it’s still killing Judaism.

  • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
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    7 days ago

    “It is time to show up proudly as Jews Germans, as New Yorkers Berliners, and as Zionists Nazis.”

    That’s okay, they still get to enjoy the improvements in NYC anyway, even if they don’t appreciate them.

  • TenTonTruck@piefed.ca
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    7 days ago

    Unfortunately Palestinian children won’t be there to counter protest as they will be too busy being wiped from the earth by the IDF and Zionist policy.

  • Madison420@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    I mean it would be a protest but the fact that it’s religion based and narrowly targeted makes it criminal harassment with a hate crime enhancement.

  • Jaysyn@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    This will either backfire because he’s a genuinely awesome person or they will try to physically attack him and will get to learn firsthand what Qualified Immunity means.

    • stoly@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Legit 10 years ago I would have thought that a statement like that was racist. In light of what is going on today, I have a very different perspective.

      • BabyVi@lemmy.world
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        7 days ago

        Part of the zionist project is to make their ideology inseparable from Judaism and ethnic Jewish identity. To me it seems dangerous to conflate zionism with Jewishness as you’re basically playing into their hands.

  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    Man, I remember they days when I was in school and when the admiration told us to do something, well we’d maliciously comply because as Pennywise says, fuck authority.

    I hope these kids are bright enough to do just that and not be used as human shields.