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Planned ‘Day of Hate’ against Jews passes by with packed synagogues and no violence
(JTA) — A “National Day of Hate” against Jews planned by white supremacists that triggered sweeping warnings from law enforcement and Jewish security officials came and went without significant incident on Saturday.
Synagogues and Jewish institutions across the United States had spent the preceding days shoring up their security procedures, reassuring their congregants and requesting extra patrols from local police.
But the Anti-Defamation League, which monitors hate, wrote on Twitter that a meaningful escalation of antisemitic activity did not come to pass, despite some white supremacist actions and propaganda drops around the country. “Despite concerns over increased antisemitic activity, 2/25 has so far been a pretty typical Saturday in America,” the organization tweeted.
Some Jews had said they were staying home or taking other precautions against the threats of synagogue vandalism issued earlier in the week by a small extremist group in Iowa. Police published bulletins about the threats, but law enforcement officials in New York and Chicago said ahead of Saturday that they saw no indications of concrete threats. That assessment was echoed by the Secure Community Network, a group that coordinates security for Jewish institutions nationwide.
“This is yet another example of how social media is contributing to the rise in antisemitism, this time by spreading and amplifying the activities of what is surely a very small group of people,” Julie Platt, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America, wrote in an email on Friday.
Reports from synagogues suggested that the pews were crowded on Shabbat with Jews who said they would not be deterred by hate. In some cases, they were joined by non-Jewish allies who wanted to show their support.
“It was packed,” said Rabbi Eric Woodward of Beth El-Keser Israel in New Haven, Connecticut, where a preplanned Silly Hat Shabbat was transformed at the last moment into an act of defiance.
“We are wearing silly hats tomorrow because it is the first Shabbat of Adar, the month when we are supposed to ‘increase our joy’ and get ready for the costume holiday of Purim,” Woodward had written to his congregants on Friday. “Normally, it’s hard to know how to fight these abstract forces of hate. But tomorrow, you can do that.”
Communities demonstrated defiance in other ways, too. Temple Emanu-El in New York City, for example, held its Shabbat morning services on Fifth Avenue, rather than inside its majestic sanctuary on the block. Among those attending were non-Jews who wanted to show their support.
“For me, today was a symbol of resistance, of being in solidarity with the Jewish people. With all of the threats and bad things, it’s a symbol of strength and solidarity,” Jose del Rosairo told the New York Post.
That was exactly what Jewish advocates had urged as Shabbat neared. The ADL had, encouraged Jews to turn Saturday into “Shabbat of Peace, Not Hate.” Meanwhile, social media influencers exhorted their followers to demonstrate their Jewish pride and support for Jews under threat.
“Some fringe white supremacist groups have planned a national ‘day of hate’ against the Jewish people on Saturday,” read a widely shared Instagram post by Jessica Seinfeld, who previously went viral by offering non-Jews a way to signal online that they rejected antisemitism by the rapper Kanye West.
“We are hoping our friends will help us counter this idea with their love and light,” she wrote. “Will you consider joining a Jewish friend at synagogue for Shabbat? Help us fill our sanctuaries with courage and friendship.”
One of the most prominent non-Jews to join a synagogue service on Saturday was New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was at New York City’s Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, which primarily serves LGBTQ Jews.
“When there are people out there who think that by their words alone, by declaring a day of hate, that the rest of us, particularly those in the Jewish community, would cower and say, ‘Well, we’re afraid of them. We’re going to stay home’” Hochul said in brief remarks to the congregation. “They certainly misjudged the situation.”
The ADL said there had in fact been protests by antisemitic groups in Ohio and Georgia on Saturday and antisemitic materials distributed in at least four other states, even as feared violence did not materialize.
“We know that the threat does not magically disappear as the sun sets on this so-called ‘day of hate,’” the organization tweeted. “We know that vigilance is part of being Jewish in America in 2023. And we take great comfort in knowing we do not face this darkness alone.”
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The post Planned ‘Day of Hate’ against Jews passes by with packed synagogues and no violence appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Pope Leo Condemns Antisemitism, Says Church Must Fight Against It ‘On the Basis of the Gospel Itself’
Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yara Nardi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday condemned antisemitism and affirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to combating hatred and persecution against the Jewish people, arguing his faith demands such a stance.
Speaking in St. Pete’s Square at the Vatican for his weekly “general audience,” the pontiff acknowledged the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, a declaration from the Second Vatican Council and promulgated on Oct. 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI that called for dialogue and respect between Christianity and other religions.
Since the publication of Nostra Aetate, “all my predecessors have condemned antisemitism with clear words,” Leo said. “I too confirm that the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself.”
“This luminous document teaches us to meet the followers of other religions not as outsiders, but as travelling companions on the path of truth; to honor differences affirming our common humanity; and to discern, in every sincere religious search, a reflection of the one divine mystery that embraces all creation,” Leo continued.
He then added that the primary focus of Nostra Aetate was toward the Jewish people, explaining that Pope John XXIII, who preceded Paul VI, intended to “re-establish the original relationship.”
Representatives from other faiths including rabbis, imams, and Buddhist monks attended Wednesday’s gathering. Leo thanked them for joining him and acknowledged that “we cannot deny that there have been misunderstandings, difficulties, and conflicts” in the previous 60 years.
“Even today, we must not allow political circumstances and the injustices of some to divert us from friendship, especially since we have achieved so much so far,” Leo said. “More than ever, our world needs our unity, our friendship and our collaboration.”
Leo added that “each one of our religions can contribute to alleviating human suffering and taking care of our common home, our planet Earth.”
The pontiff also addressed Jewish-Catholic relations specifically.
“Today we can look with gratitude at everything that has been achieved in Jewish-Catholic dialogue during these six decades,” he said. “This is due not only to human effort, but to the assistance of our God who, according to Christian conviction, is dialogue itself.”
Leo described how through Nostra Aetate, “for the first time in the history of the Church, a doctrinal treatise on the Jewish roots of Christianity was to take shape, which on a biblical and theological level would represent a point of no return.” He said that the origins of the Catholic Church “are found already among the Patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets.”
Jewish leaders have expressed optimism for interfaith relations under Leo’s leadership.
Rabbi Noam Marans, director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee (AJC), told The Algemeiner in May that “his remarks to the Jewish people have actually been extraordinary.”
At the time, just after being elected to the papacy, Leo met with Jewish leaders and other faith representatives at the Vatican. “Because of the Jewish roots of Christianity, all Christians have a special relationship with Judaism,” he said during the meeting. “Even in these difficult times, marked by conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to continue the momentum of this precious dialogue of ours.”
Before the beginning of Leo’s pontificate, Israeli-Vatican relations had come under strain due to the late Pope Francis’s statements about the war to defeat Hamas in Gaza, including his suggestion that the Jewish state was committing genocide.
“According to some experts what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. It should be carefully investigated to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” Francis said.
In his Wednesday speech, Leo stated, “Together, we must be vigilant against the abuse of the name of God, of religion, and of dialogue itself, as well as against the dangers posed by religious fundamentalism and extremism.”
“Our spiritual and cultural differences are called to encounter one another and to live together fraternally,” the pontiff added.
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Cuomo dominates Jewish vote in final Quinnipiac poll before election
Andrew Cuomo has consolidated all of Eric Adams’ Jewish support in the final days of the mayoral campaign, while Zohran Mamdani’s share of the Jewish vote has slipped, according to a new Quinnipiac poll, the last one before Tuesday’s election.
The survey of 170 likely Jewish voters — representing 18% of the overall sample of 911 voters in the general election for New York City Mayor — conducted October 23 through October 27, shows Cuomo with 60% of their support and Mamdani, a democratic socialist and strident critic of Israel, with 16%. Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, has the support of 12%. The poll, conducted via landline and cellphone, has a reported margin of error of plus or minus 9.2%.
Among all voters, Cuomo is still trailing Mamdani 43% to 33%, according to the same poll.
In the September poll conducted before Adams dropped out of the race and endorsed Cuomo, the incumbent mayor had the support of 42% of Jewish voters, while Cuomo and Mamdani each drew about 20%.
Jews make up an estimated 10% of the general election electorate. Mamdani’s positions on Israel have roiled New York’s Jewish community — the largest outside of Israel — as he courted them for support. The Democratic nominee faced scrutiny for refusing to outright condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” hesitating to celebrate the Gaza ceasefire and release of the last living hostages, vowing to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York, and saying he doesn’t recognize Israel as a Jewish state. He is the first major-party nominee to pledge public support for the movement to boycott Israel.
The poll found that 75% of Jewish voters view Mamdani unfavorably, while just 15% hold a positive opinion of him. Half of Jewish voters also view Cuomo negatively, indicating that much of his support stems from opposition to Mamdani rather than personal enthusiasm. Only 39% of Jews view Cuomo favorably.
The post Cuomo dominates Jewish vote in final Quinnipiac poll before election appeared first on The Forward.
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Hamas Support Grows Among Palestinians as Poll Shows Backing for Armed Struggle, Doubts Over US Peace Plan
Hamas fighters on Feb. 22, 2025. Photo: Majdi Fathi via Reuters Connect
Support for Hamas appears to be rising among Palestinians, according to a new poll, with growing numbers expressing confidence in the terrorist group’s leadership and its ability to govern after the war with Israel, as ceasefire violations threaten to derail the US-backed peace plan.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR), a West Bank-based independent research institute, released a new representative poll revealing that 60 percent of Palestinians (66 percent in the West Bank and 51 percent in Gaza) are “satisfied with Hamas’s “performance in the current war.”
Despite Hamas’s escalating crackdown and violence on Gazans, the poll found that support for the Islamist group, which has ruled the enclave for nearly two decades, has actually grown over the course of the two-year conflict — with 19 percent of respondents saying their support increased significantly and another 17 percent saying it rose slightly.
By comparison, 18 percent of Palestinians said its support for Hamas was big and has not changed, while 16 percent responded it did not support the group before and its opposition has not changed. Meanwhile, 12 percent said its support for Hamas decreased a little, and 10 percent said its support for Hamas has decreased a lot.
“The conclusion from these numbers is that the past two years have led to greater support for Hamas rather than the opposite and that this conclusion is true in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but more so in the former,” the poll stated.
While such polling is among the best available data to gauge Palestinian public opinion, analysts have warned to view them with a dose of skepticism. In August, the Israeli military uncovered documents indicating that Hamas had been manipulating polling data from Gaza to inflate support for the Oct. 7 attacks and mask the group’s true level of backing.
Shortly after the US-backed ceasefire to halt fighting in Gaza took effect earlier this month, Hamas moved to reassert control over the war-torn enclave and consolidate its weakened position by targeting Palestinians who it labeled as “lawbreakers and collaborators with Israel.”
In recent weeks, Hamas’s brutal crackdown has escalated dramatically, sparking widespread clashes and violence as the group moves to seize weapons and eliminate any opposition.
Social media videos widely circulated online show Hamas members brutally beating Palestinians and carrying out public executions of alleged collaborators and rival militia members.
According to PCPSR’s recent poll, if legislative elections were held today, 44 percent of participating voters would back Hamas, while 30 percent would support Fatah, the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s ruling party.
In a presidential race between Khaled Meshaal, head of Hamas’s political wing, and PA President Mahmoud Abbas, 63 percent of respondents who would actually vote indicated they would support the Hamas candidate, while 27 percent would choose the PA leader.
The poll also revealed a sharp decline in Abbas’s support among Gazans, with 80 percent calling for his resignation and over half accusing him of corruption.
The results of a new Palestinian public opinion survey have just been released by the PCPSR. Here are some of the key takeaways:
Overall, 53% of Palestinians say the decision by Hamas to launch the October 7 attack was correct.
— Eitan Fischberger (@EFischberger) October 28, 2025
As for the war in Gaza, 62 percent of Palestinians do not believe that US President Donald Trump’s peace plan will succeed in ending the conflict once and for all.
A majority of Palestinians — 70 percent — are also skeptical that Trump’s plan will lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the next five years.
The poll further revealed that more than half of Gazans (53 percent) oppose the concept of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
While 49 percent of Palestinians oppose the US-backed ceasefire deal, PCPSR’s survey found that most support Hamas’s response and its role in the ongoing negotiations.
Following phase one of the deal, Hamas is supposed to disarm and have no future leadership role in Gaza, according to Trump’s 20-point peace plan. However, disarmament and other unresolved issues will be subject to negotiations.
As part of the plan, an international task force involving regional powers is expected to oversee the ceasefire and train local security forces.
According to PCPSR’s poll, nearly 70 percent of Palestinians (almost 80 percent in the West Bank and 55 percent in Gaza) oppose Hamas’s disarmament, saying it would not help achieve peace, while 68 percent are against the deployment of an armed Arab force from regional countries within the enclave.
A majority of 53 percent also opposed the proposal to create a Palestinian committee of professionals, independent of the PA and Hamas, to manage Gaza’s internal affairs.
When asked about the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the current war, 53 percent of Palestinians said Hamas’s decision to carry out the assault was correct.
More than 80 percent of respondents also said Hamas has not committed the atrocities depicted in videos shown by international media, including the killing of children and the rape of women in their homes.
PCPSR’s poll found that nearly half of Palestinians (49 percent in the West Bank and 30 percent in Gaza) view “armed struggle” as the most effective way to end what they call “the Israeli occupation” and achieve an independent Palestinian state. The rest chose either negotiations or “popular peaceful resistance.”