NYC anti-Israel activists protest at synagogue against Israel real estate event

May 12, 2026 - 12:24

Masked activists gathered outside a Manhattan synagogue on Sunday to protest an event promoting Israeli real estate, chanting "Brick by brick, wall by wall, Zionism will fall." Videos posted by demonstrators show a crowd of around 100 people blocking the entrance to the Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue, where a private gathering for Israeli property developers was being held.

The protest, organized by anti-Israel groups, accused the synagogue of hosting what they called a "normalization" event for Israeli settlements. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held signs reading "No to Zionist land theft" and "From the river to the sea." Some wore black masks and hoods, obscuring their faces as they shouted slogans through bullhorns.

Police were called to the scene after protesters reportedly pushed against barriers and tried to prevent attendees from entering the building. Officers formed a line to separate the crowd from the synagogue entrance, but no arrests were made. The NYPD confirmed that the protest remained largely peaceful, though tensions flared when a few counter-demonstrators arrived waving Israeli flags.

The event inside the synagogue featured Israeli real estate firms marketing properties in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Organizers said it was a standard business networking opportunity, not a political statement. But critics argued that holding such an event in a house of worship crossed a line, turning the synagogue into a target for political anger.

This is not the first time New York synagogues have been caught in the crossfire of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Similar protests have occurred at other Jewish institutions in the city over the past year, often drawing condemnation from local leaders who say such actions blur the line between political dissent and antisemitism. The Anti-Defamation League called Sunday's protest "a deliberate attempt to intimidate Jews gathering for a community event."

As the crowd eventually dispersed, the chants faded but the underlying tensions remained. For many in the neighborhood, the sight of masked protesters outside a synagogue was unsettling, a reminder that the global debate over Israel often lands on local doorsteps.