Jewish advocacy group sues NYC on behalf of Jewish health workers

The National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC) has filed a lawsuit against New York City and its health department on behalf of seven Jewish municipal health employees. The suit alleges the agency twice refused to recognize a Jewish employee group named Hinenu, claiming Jewish identity is religious and that employee resource groups cannot be based on religion. It also alleges a retaliatory investigation after Hinenu mourned victims of the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack.

The National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC) filed a lawsuit on behalf of seven municipal health employees against New York City, its Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), and the agency's EEO director. The suit alleges the agency twice refused to recognize a Jewish employee group named Hinenu in July 2025 and July 2026, claiming Jewish identity is religious and that employee resource groups cannot be based on religious groups. Hinenu's charter explicitly defined the group around Jewish peoplehood, ancestry, and culture, stating it would not engage in religious worship or political advocacy. The complaint highlights that this rejection contrasts with the agency's recognition of six other groups, including one defined by shared ancestry of indigenous peoples of Southwest Asia and North Africa. Following the murder of Jewish people at a Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney in December 2025, Hinenu emailed about eighty-five employees to mourn and held an online support space. The EEO director ordered the group to stop using its email account and opened an investigation of eight Hinenu leaders for alleged racial and religious discrimination, questioning them about their beliefs regarding Zionism and Israel. The investigation closed in June 2026 with no findings. The lawsuit brings claims under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, state and city human rights laws, and the First and Fourteenth Amendments, seeking recognition for Hinenu, expungement of records, and compensatory and punitive damages.