Dinowitz must resign caucus

The New York Post revealed recently that Emily Mayer, a “Jewish anti-Israel activist,” has been named as director of the city council’s progressive caucus. Anti-Israel activists have no place on the payroll of this city, no place in New York City government.

As former Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind said, this hiring is “an embarrassment” and “a disgrace.” Given this revelation, members of the progressive caucus of New York City have shamefully made a choice to oppose Israel. Their silence is deafening as not one has spoken out against this hire. Shameful.

For those who are members of both the progressive and Jewish caucus — especially Eric Dinowitz, the head of the Jewish caucus — they must speak out against this hiring. They have a choice: Will they stand with Israel and the Jewish community? Or stand with Ms. Mayer, who is anti-Israel?

Dinowitz must resign as head of the Jewish caucus if he chooses to remain in the progressive caucus.

Ms. Mayer co-founded IfNotNow, which a year ago, endorsed pro-boycott, divestment and sanctions legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, claiming that “our tax dollars are complicit in apartheid” for supporting Israel. At that same time, following the 2021 Gaza conflict, IfNotNow called for people to recite the Jewish mourner’s prayer for individuals killed in the fighting, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists.

On her Twitter, Ms. Mayer recently tweeted an endorsement of hashtag “Nakbaday” and has many years of anti-Israel activities, which have been well-documented.

Mayer “has expressed support for violent protesters, trivialized antisemitism, demonized the American Israel Political Action Committee,” and in 2016, was one of 17 IfNotNow activists arrested for holding a “liberation seder” in the lobby of the Manhattan building housing the offices of the Anti-Defamation League.

In 2018, Mayer participated in an IfNotNow protest in which activists blocked the doors of U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer’s New York City office for 90 minutes for standing with Israel. And, in 2017, Mayer wrote an article accusing AIPAC of controlling American politicians. She claimed that “the group spends millions of dollars every year making it politically impossible for any elected official to disavow the occupation, creating an atmosphere in Congress that is a far cry from the views of the American people.”

The mission of AIPAC is to “strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel.”

In the article, Mayer also claimed that Israel’s policies in the West Bank and toward Gaza were based on “racial discrimination and authoritarianism.” She alleged that “AIPAC has done everything in its power to maintain, strengthen, and perpetuate the occupation — even when it means acting against the whims of the Israeli government itself, and getting into bed with antisemites and Islamophobes.”

On March 6, 2018, Mayer wrote an article where she said that the “progressive wing (of the Democratic Party) will have to fight hard to loosen AIPAC’s grip on the party.

“Progressives of all stripes must demonstrate that the future of the Democratic Party lies in policies that push for an end to the occupation. If we succeed, we can truly say good-bye to AIPAC forever.”

Ms. Mayer is married to Waleed Shahid, a leader of Justice Democrats, the progressive organization that recruited and helped elect U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman. They, too, support many anti-Israel viewpoints.

An anti-Israel, anti-AIPAC activist has no role as a leader of the city council. It is wrong she is paid from taxpayer dollars.

New York City is facing many issues, and while the progressive caucus has 34 of the 51 city council members, all those who stand against racism and antisemitism must resign from this caucus — or demand Ms. Mayer leave her job.

Eric Dinowitz, the head of the Jewish caucus, is a member of the progressive council. This is a conflict given Ms. Mayer’s role. How can he chair the upcoming hearings on antisemitism at CUNY as a member of a council which employs a director who is openly anti-Israel? Someone who daily speaks against AIPAC and the Jewish state?

One cannot support Jews and stand against Israel.

To promote radical Anti-Israel views in New York City is simply offensive and inappropriate, and says to the Jewish community of New York City, “You are not welcome here.

Mr. Dinowitz has a choice: Stand with Israel, or stand with a radical anti-Israel activist.

Mr. Dinowitz did not return repeated requests for comment for this article. Dinowitz’s silence is deafening.

Hank Sheinkopf is a Democratic strategist whose clients have included Bill Clinton. Ronn Torossian is a New York-based public relations executive.