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Jewish educators and advocates gathered outside the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) headquarters in Manhattan last week, demanding action against what they called a culture of antisemitism in New York City schools and within the union.
Dozens of demonstrators, including union members, held signs reading “Educate Against Hate” and “UFT Leadership: Failing Jewish Students. Failing New York.” Some wore UFT shirts with “UFT doesn’t represent me” scrawled across the back.
Organizers charged the union with “silence and inaction” as hostility toward Jews increased. They pointed to the UFT’s endorsement of Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, despite objections from Jewish educators and parents.
A UFT spokesperson rejected the accusations. “The UFT has a long history of working with, listening to, and protecting the diverse Jewish community in our schools and our city, and we will continue to do so,” the spokesperson said.
Teachers and Students “No Longer Feel Safe”
Karen Feldman, co-founder of the New York City Public School Alliance, addressed the rally. She described a Jewish teacher surrounded in a cafeteria and mocked as a “Zionist,” the slogan “From the river to the sea” plastered in a hallway, and a Jewish student group excluded from equity meetings.
“We are gathered here today because students and educators in New York City public schools no longer feel safe,” said Feldman, who left the union after 26 years. “The United Federation of Teachers, the union meant to protect us, is failing in that responsibility.”
She warned that antisemitism has “taken root, spread, and become normalized” in city schools, leaving Jewish teachers and students “harassed, silenced, [and] targeted.”
Jewish Educators Opt Out of Union
History teacher Moshe Spern, representing United Jewish Teachers, presented dozens of signed opt-out letters from Jewish educators. He said around 50 teachers had already quit, and another 100 told him they were considering it.
“Why is the Jewish community always ignored?” Spern asked. “Just talk to us, stand up for us. We’ll come back to this union. We’re not done. We believe in the union — but only when the union wants to make a difference for Jewish educators, all educators, and our students.”
Clear Demands for Reform
Protesters outlined specific steps for the UFT:
- Adopt the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism.
- Ban classroom content that demonizes Jews, Zionism, or Israel.
- Provide mandatory antisemitism training for members.
- Retract endorsements of politicians who promote antisemitic slogans, such as “Globalize the intifada.”
- Audit UFT materials to remove antisemitic content.
The demonstration included groups such as the New York City Public School Alliance, the Lawfare Project, EndJewHatred, Parents Against Antisemitism, the Gevura Fund, and SAFE Campus for Equality.
Antisemitism in Schools Under Scrutiny
Concerns about antisemitism in New York schools surged after the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel. Soon after, a Jewish teacher in Queens faced a mob of students. Pro-Palestinian walkouts across the city included chants in support of an “intifada.”
In response to mounting pressure, New York City’s Department of Education announced initiatives last year to address both antisemitism and Islamophobia. Jewish educators say the measures remain inadequate, especially as union leadership resists stronger protections.
The UFT, with more than 200,000 members, was once led by Jewish presidents for decades. Today, many Jewish educators say the union has abandoned them.
