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American Jews), I felt a sort of dull, con- as well. If you talk to a lot of askanim in emboldened over the last few years
stant panic that we can’t get in, unless the Orthodox community, off the record, because of the political climate in the
we make Aliyah. The feeling that we they have quite positive memories of United States.
can’t just go there whenever we want working with him, of situations where
is very painful. he had their back on various things. With more considerable economic insta-
This past year, shockingly, looked very bilities, identity politics and nationalism
Many people are also rethinking things. different. He posted a critical tweet on the rise, it’s not surprising to any
If you’re stuck in one place, where do about the Jewish community after thou- student of history that antisemitism
you want to be? Where’s that one place sands of Chassidim attended an outdoor
that you want to be? I’ve seen quite funeral for their Rebbe. He attacked the is on the rise here as well. I think it is
a few families end up buying homes community for it. here to stay, and it is here to stay in New
in Israel this past year, even without York as well. It is painful, but we have
seeing it and considering Aliyah more But even so, I don’t think it was due to to understand that this is the reality of
seriously. antisemitism. being a Jew in a time of galut.

That being said, I don’t think people I think it was a terrible and poorly Those of us who imagined that America
are moving en masse out of New York worded statement, and it was undoubt- would forever be different were being
City, specifically. People are weighing edly dangerous in that it could incite slightly delusional and naive.
their options. There has been financial more hatred. But I don’t think it came
instability and Covid questions, so it’s from hatred itself. We are not the first Jews to be welcomed
not just antisemitism pushing people to At the same time, I don’t think de Blasio by foreign countries, experience golden
make these decisions. It’s one of several has been the smartest person in the way ages in the Diaspora, and imagine our-
factors. he’s run New York City. It’s a general fail- selves finally stable, comfortable, and
ure of leadership. And one of the ways it fully integrated.
manifests itself is through his poor deci- This story has played out before. I’m
Mayor Bill de Blasio strongly criti- sions regarding minority communities very mindful of that.
cized and singled out the New York like the Orthodox community.
Jewish community during the And so we must trust in G-d and figure
Covid pandemic, eliciting an angry out the best way to protect ourselves.
response from many Jews. Do you Do you believe that the rise in When we see disturbing things happen-
believe that his statements were antisemitism will pass, or is ing in the public arena, we have to stand
rooted in antisemitism? antisemitism in New York here to up and speak up.
I do not believe his statements are rooted stay?
in antisemitism, and I say this because I I am a daughter of Soviet Jewish immi- Over the last few years, I’ve been talking
know his history. Look at New York City grants, so I was always raised with this more and more about what it’s like to
politics over the last few years. You’ll feeling and awareness that antisemi- be a visibly Jewish person walking in
see that before he became mayor, he tism is not going anywhere. Before this New York City; what it means to be an
had a solid relationship not only with past year, I was always conscious of it Orthodox Jew in this city, where you
the Jewish community generally but and knew that it existed under the sur- are wearing a target on your back. It’s
with the Orthodox Jewish community face. It’s just that it has been far more crucial that these realities are voiced. n

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