Dear YWN,

I am the same letter writer who blasted Mayor Mamdani last week for turning Flatbush into scenes of Germany in 1930. I feel compelled to write another letter.

A viral video circulating in the Flatbush Jewish community — and amplified by Councilwoman Inna Vernikov — is causing understandable concern among already anxious Jewish residents. But facts matter.

The video shows Muslim men praying on the sidewalk on East 16th Street near Avenue R, alongside the Prospect Park girls school building. (Side note, I had 5 daughters attend this school, and remain close to the administration.)

But several important facts are being conveniently ignored:

#1 — The video falsely implies the school is “on East 17th Street.” That is misleading. Actually, she is a blatant LIAR. The school building stretches from East 16th all the way through East 17th Street.

#2 — The mosque is literally next door to the school building on East 16th Street.

#3 — The mosque has been there for years without incident.

#4 — The mosque operates out of a tiny apartment space and, sometimes at their Friday prayer gathering, there simply is not enough room to accommodate everyone indoors.

#5 — There was no protest, no chanting anything anti-Semitic, no intimidation, no confrontation. They prayed and left.

#6 — Jewish communities across Brooklyn also have countless shtieblach operating out of apartments, basements, and converted homes because space is limited.

#7 — When Prospect Park’s own shul holds Kiddush Levana outside, or when there is a Hachnosas Sefer Torah spilling into the street — as happened recently — would anyone seriously call that “intimidation”?

Councilwoman Vernikov wrote:

“This is an ALL GIRLS Jewish school in my district. I’m all for prayer and free speech, but why do a bunch of GROWN MEN need to do this right outside of a school full of little Jewish girls??? Is not this what MOSQUES are for? Is this INTENTIONAL?”

After her original post, Vernikov added:

“Looks like there is a mosque right near the school, and these may be congregants. But the alarm from my constituents is understandable amidst the almost daily protests and emboldened public displays of antisemitism across our city which have blurred the line between provocation and genuine acts of religious faith. We shouldn’t have to live like this! PS: it’s not lawful to obstruct sidewalks!!!”

A councilwoman should actually know the houses of worship in her district before shooting from the hip (no pun intended).

And Vernikov writes: “it’s not lawful to obstruct sidewalks!!!”

What about Jews having Hachnosas Sifrei Torah to the tune of dozens each year, blocking sidewalks and streets every Sunday? Why would she ever go down this road? What a reckless thing to do. Wait until non-Jews turn the tables on us. Totally irresponsible.

But this kind of rhetoric, without context, only inflames tensions and frightens constituents who are already on edge because of very real antisemitic threats elsewhere in the city.

Not every Muslim gathering is a threat. Not every prayer service is intimidation.

There has been a massive mosque on Coney Island Avenue for decades with virtually no issues, and local Jewish leaders have worked cooperatively with mosque leadership on numerous neighborhood matters over the years.

The Jewish community absolutely has legitimate concerns about rising antisemitism and violent anti-Israel extremism in NYC. Those threats are real and should never be minimized.

But manufacturing panic over a prayer gathering next to a mosque that has existed peacefully for years does not help anyone. It only deepens division, fuels suspicion, and makes coexistence harder.

Signed by a real, Midwood, Brooklyn resident, anonymously, out of fear, my home will be set ablaze.

The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.