Major Jewish groups announce NYC rally against antisemitism during UN General Assembly

Organizers say Sept. 23 protest will urge world leaders to do more to counter ‘growing tide of antisemitism’ as they meet for week-long conference in New York City

By Luke Tress

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10 September 2026, 1:59 pm

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Luke Tress is The Times of Israel's New York correspondent.

The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building, February 28, 2022, at United Nations Headquarters. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Major Jewish groups in New York City announced on Thursday a rally against antisemitism, to be held during the UN General Assembly in the city this month.

The rally aims to “call on world leaders to act decisively to stop the growing tide of antisemitism.”

“Tell world leaders — no more excuses,” read the protest advertisements.

The rally is being organized by a broad swath of large communal organizations, some of which do not frequently sign onto protests.

Organizers include the UJA-Federation of New York, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Conference of Presidents, the Union for Reform Judaism, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Yeshiva University, the Israeli American Council and StandWithUs.

The protest will take place at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, across from the United Nations headquarters in midtown Manhattan, on September 23, at the beginning of the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, in which world leaders address the UN.

The protest will take place the day before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the UN.

Pro-Israel protesters hold signs at a rally in opposition to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York, July 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Earlier this year, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani denounced Netanyahu as a “war criminal” while lamenting that New York lacked the authority to arrest the premier on an International Criminal Court warrant.

Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon confirmed on Wednesday that Netanyahu would be making a whirlwind 24-hour trip to speak at the General Assembly because “there is no option” but to do so after Mamdani’s comments.

The scheduled rally reflects growing frustration in the New York Jewish community over antisemitism. There has been an uptick in protests against antisemitism in the past year, as organizations and activists transitioned from rallying for the release of the hostages in Gaza to demonstrating for local Jewish concerns.

On Wednesday, the pro-Israel activist groups EndJewHatred and the Lawfare Project protested near the Manhattan offices of the far-left, anti-Israel Democratic Socialists of America organization, of which Mamdani is a member.

Organizers said in a statement that several hundred people attended.

The protesters demanded that Mamdani and New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels implement a mandatory curriculum on the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Speakers, including New Yorkers who lost family in the terror attacks 25 years ago, decried Mamdani’s friendly ties with anti-Israel streamer Hasan Piker, who said in 2019 that “America deserved 9/11.”

Mamdani has called that comment “objectionable and reprehensible” and has said he will attend the memorial.

AP contributed to this report.