NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch issued a heartfelt apology to the congregation of an historic Manhattan synagogue Saturday — conceding cops should have done a better job of keeping away hateful anti-Israel protesters.
Tisch told a crowd of 150 congregants attending service at Park East Synagogue that this week’s protests are legally allowed outside houses of worship — no matter how vile the topic — but said the NYPD failed to keep the front entrance clear and ensure “people could easily enter and leave shul.
“That is where we fell short, and for that, I apologize to this congregation,” the 44-year-old top cop said during a 10-minute speech which drew a standing ovation.
“Our plan didn’t include a frozen zone at the entrance. As a result, the space right outside your steps was chaotic.”
“You deserved an NYPD posture that recognized the sensitivity of this location, the climate we’re living in, and the heightened fear within our community,” she added.
“Instead, you had turmoil. I say all of this as someone who understands what this moment feels like.”
Elliot Felig, who attended the service, said he was impressed by Tisch’s remarks.
“She was extremely well received and spoke from the heart, and I think everyone was appreciative of her acknowledging that the effort by the NYPD — while sincere — fell a little short,” he said.
Other congregants who attended included Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who called Tisch a “woman of valor,” a source said.
Synagogue Rabbi Arthur Schneier had previously said he was “very, very touched” by Tisch’s support following the Wednesday night incident.
Some 200 demonstrators gathered outside the Manhattan synagogue and heckled Jews attending an event by Nefesh B’nefesh, a Zionist organization that helps Jews immigrate from North America to Israel.
Many chanted “Globalize the intifada” and sinisterly urged the “resistance” to “take another settler out.”
Counter protestors were also on the scene, calling the masked demonstrators “cowards” and “pussies” for not showing their faces.
Cops set up metal barricades to keep protestor at bay, but some of the barricades were left too close to the synagogue entrance – putting event attendees coming and going in potential risk.
Pal-Awda NY/NJ, the anti-Israel activist group leading the protest, said it was demonstrating against an effort to “recruit American settlers to illegally occupy stolen Palestinian land.”
There were no reported arrests.
After Mayor Eric Adams, a retired NYPD captain, learned a protest was planned, he texted his hand-picked commissioner and other NYPD honchos before it started and told them to make sure “it didn’t get out of hand, sources said.
However, Adams – who is leaving office at year’s end and made the request from Uzbekistan in Central Asia where he’s currently visiting – wasn’t happy with the results despite Tisch’s assurances the NYPD was up for the job.
“The mayor was fuming mad when saw what happened,” said a source close to Adams. “Protestors got right to the entrance, and it got nasty. Private security at the synagogue even had to intervene.”
The Mayor’s Office denied any rift between Tisch and Adams and instead pointed blame at the protestors and NYPD supervisors at the Manhattan North precinct for their handling of the incident.
“The blame lies at the feet of those spreading their hateful message, and while the mayor and police commissioner were clear about the need to ensure the entrance to the synagogue was clear of protestors beforehand, the plan executed by the commander on the ground did not meet expectations,” said Adams spokesman Fabian Levy.
“The city deeply apologizes to congregants of Park East, as well as anyone with a conscience who witnessed this despicable behavior, and as long as Mayor Adams is serving this city, he is committed to never allowing the desecration of our houses of worship.”
Tisch earlier Wednesday accepted Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s offer to stay on as top cop next year.
The socialist pol and Tisch are worlds apart on Israel, for deeply personal reasons.
Tisch, who hails from one of the city’s most prominent Jewish families, is a Zionist, while Mamdani is a longstanding vocal critic of Israel who has pledged to order the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city.
Mamdani through his spokeswoman said the protestors should have behaved better but suggested the the event the synagogue hosted, which offered information on immigrating to Israel, violated international law.
“The mayor-elect has discouraged the language used at last night’s protest and will continue to do so,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec told Jewish Insider on Thursday.
“He believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.”
Additional reporting by Doree Lewak and Georgett Roberts.
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