Mamdani’s Antisemitism Chief Refuses Formal Definition of Antisemitism

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top official tasked with combating antisemitism refused Wednesday to endorse a formal definition of antisemitism during a tense City Council hearing, triggering outrage from Jewish lawmakers and activists and prompting one councilman to storm out.

Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, repeatedly defended the administration’s policy of handling antisemitism complaints “case by case” rather than using a codified definition during questioning before the City Council’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism.

The confrontation quickly became a broader political fight over Mamdani’s decision earlier this year to rescind New York City’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. The internationally used framework defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews and includes some forms of anti-Israel rhetoric and double standards against Israel as potential examples of antisemitism. The move drew criticism from many Jewish groups and pro-Israel advocates. 

Under questioning from Republican Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, Wisdom said the city does not maintain formal definitions for any category of hate.

“The first thing I’ll say is that across city government, there is not a definition codified for any form of hate at all,” Wisdom said.

When pressed further on how antisemitism cases are evaluated, she said the city and the NYPD already address hate incidents without codified definitions.

“So the way that we combat hate, and that our colleagues at NYPD address these incidents is without a codified definition,” she said.

Wisdom later described antisemitism broadly as prejudice, violence, and discrimination against Jews because they are Jewish, but continued to reject adopting a formal written standard.

“The policy of this administration is that we will not — we will continue to not have any codified definition of any form of hate,” she said.

The hearing became increasingly heated as lawmakers challenged the administration’s approach. Brooklyn Councilman Simcha Felder ultimately walked out of the meeting in frustration.

“This is outrageous! Nuts! Crazy!” Felder later told the New York Post.

“We have two kids [in the mayor’s office] deciding on a case-by-case basis on what constitutes antisemitism and hate. I have never seen an administration that can’t determine what is hate or antisemitism.”

Jewish advocacy groups and education activists also criticized the administration during the hearing.

“The Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism is a token gesture to the Jewish community with zero action,” said Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers. “I sat there and heard that there is no way to contact Ms. Wisdom and that they refuse to adopt a definition of antisemitism.”

Mamdani, a democratic socialist and longtime critic of Israel who has previously referred to Israel as an “apartheid state,” opposed the IHRA definition on the grounds that it could conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

Wisdom’s appointment in February had already generated controversy because of her own opposition to the IHRA definition, though her selection was also praised by several progressive Jewish and Democratic leaders at the time.