By: Moshe Spern

Yesterday, I sat in the City Council chambers as the newly formed New York City Council Task Force to Combat Antisemitism held its first official meeting. The hearing centered around testimony and updates from key city officials, including Phylisia Wisdom from the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, Michael Gerber from the NYPD, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, and members of the community.

The room was filled for what became a nearly five-hour session examining the City’s response to rising antisemitism and the role of the NYPD in addressing hate crimes. Representatives from UJA-Federation, the American Jewish Committee (AJC), JCRC, the Auschwitz Jewish Center, NJAC, Lawfare, NYC Public School advocates, college students, community members, and myself—representing the United Jewish Teachers—were present.

Thank you @NYCCTaskForce @InnaVernikov @EricDinowitzNYC @SpeakerMenin for giving me the opportunity to begin sharing my experience and the experiences of others in @NYCSchools . While I have a great and supportive school despite the experiences not all teachers and students feel… pic.twitter.com/KRwCO2uW6B

— Moshe Spern (@moshespern) April 23, 2026

The task force, co-chaired by Republican Councilmember Inna Vernikov and Democrat Councilmember Eric Dinowitz, rigorously questioned the NYPD regarding its updated directive requiring additional verification before hate crimes are formally categorized. Council members expressed concern that this process may delay reporting and transparency. They also called for clearer, more consistent training and retraining protocols for officers on how hate crimes are identified and classified.

Attention then turned to Phylisia Wisdom, who has recently taken on her role in the Mayor’s Office. While it is important to recognize that her office is still in its early stages, her testimony raised several concerns among council members and advocates alike. She explained that the office plans to conduct a listening tour before producing a formal report. However, when asked how the public could currently reach the office—whether through a website, email, phone, or social media—she acknowledged that no clear communication system is yet in place, and that complaints should continue to be directed to the NYPD.

She was also questioned about whether the office would adopt established definitions of antisemitism, such as the IHRA or Nexus definitions, which have been used by various federal agencies. She stated that the office would not formally adopt a definition at this time, and that incidents would be evaluated “case by case.” This approach drew criticism from several attendees and at least one councilmember, who expressed frustration during the hearing.

At one point, Councilmember Simcha Felder, who is not a member of the task force, voiced strong disagreement and left the hearing in protest.

As a Jewish community advocate, I was not shocked or surprised by the proceedings, but I was deeply disappointed by the lack of concrete systems and clarity presented. The reliance on undefined processes and delayed accountability continues to be a concern.

When it was my turn to speak, nearly four hours into the hearing, I addressed the realities of combating antisemitism within schools and public institutions. Too often, when concerns are reported to higher levels of authority, they are met with silence or indifference. This pattern has persisted, and since October 7th, many in our community have yet to see meaningful solutions.

Despite this, I remain hopeful that this task force can at minimum bring transparency to the scope of the problem, even if solutions remain uncertain. Exposing gaps in response is an important first step toward meaningful change.