Jewish groups criticized reports that a newly formed working group within the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene convened an internal meeting to discuss Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
The “Global Oppression and Public Health Working Group” allegedly held its inaugural meeting on Feb. 3 at Health Department offices during official work hours, focusing on the public health impacts of the Gaza conflict.
Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, stated on Feb. 6 that the reported meeting represented a misuse of municipal resources and raised serious concerns about workplace safety and neutrality.
“Our public health agency exists to protect the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, who were the target of an average of one antisemitic hate crime per day last month—not to serve as a venue for blatant and unlawful political activity,” Treyger wrote.
He added that holding such a meeting during work hours constituted “clear political activity” and “created an environment where some staff felt unsafe and unwelcome.”
Treyger called on Health Department leadership and City Hall to ensure accountability and to reinforce city rules governing political activity within municipal agencies, and commended Julie Menin, speaker of the New York City Council, and Lynn Schulman, chair of the City Council Health Committee, for speaking out and pushing for accountability.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement called the meeting “taxpayer-funded hate, pushing dangerous anti-Jewish policies.”
“Unbelievable,” the group wrote. “Under Mayor Mamdani, NYC Health Department staffers launch an ‘Oppression Working Group’ during work hours, accusing Israel of ‘genocide’ while ignoring Hamas terror and rising antisemitism.”
