No room for Jewish grief at Oct. 7 protests in New York City - opinion

On the third anniversary of October 7, the author attended an Israelis for Peace vigil at Union Square in Manhattan, which was met by a large, hostile pro-Palestinian protest. The protesters shouted over mourners, directed accusations of genocide at the mayor and a congressional candidate, and chanted 'Traitor' at an imam. The author argues the protest revealed an unwillingness to make space for Jewish grief, and calls on the Palestine solidarity movement to confront dehumanization within its own ranks.

On Wednesday night, October 7, 2026, the third anniversary of the Hamas attacks, the author attended an Israelis for Peace vigil at Union Square in Manhattan. The vigil was intended as a space for grief without political argument, but was met by a massive, hostile pro-Palestinian protest. The author needed an NYPD escort to enter. Protesters shouted over speakers, directed accusations of genocide at Mayor Zohran Mamdani and congressional candidate Brad Lander, and called an imam a traitor. The vigil included testimony from victims of the Nova music festival and kibbutzim, a letter from survivors, and remarks from Yonatan Zeigen, son of peace activist Vivian Silver. Speakers also shared testimony from Gazans about the war's devastation. The author argues the protest revealed an unwillingness to make room for Jewish grief, and calls on the Palestine solidarity movement to confront dehumanization within its own ranks. The vigil ended with a loud recitation of the Kaddish mourner's prayer led by Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.