Mamdani office has no definition of antisemitism after dropping IHRA, czar confirms

The Jerusalem Post reports on a concerning development out of New York City, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office has confirmed it lacks a formal definition for antisemitism. Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism (MOCA), stated during a task force hearing that there is no codified definition for any form of hate across city government, and none is planned.

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Across city government, there is not a definition codified for any form of hate at all.

This stance has drawn sharp criticism from City Council Members Inna Vernikov and Eric Dinowitz, who led the hearing. Vernikov expressed disbelief, questioning how antisemitism can be effectively combatted without a clear definition. She characterized MOCA as a non-functioning entity, lacking public-facing infrastructure like a website or phone number, and suggested taxpayer dollars are being wasted.

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It’s unacceptable. How could you combat antisemitism effectively if you can’t define what it is?

Further critique came from Moshe Davis, a former MOCA executive director, who argued that combating antisemitism requires more than just statements and videos; it demands municipal action. He highlighted his past work establishing an interagency task force and advancing legislation, contrasting it with the current administration's revocation of executive orders aimed at protecting Jewish New Yorkers. The lack of a clear definition, coupled with the perceived operational deficiencies of MOCA, raises serious questions about the city's commitment to protecting its Jewish community.

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What we generally got out of it is that the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism is basically a non-functioning, non-operational office without any public-facing infrastructure.