Eric Adams has mandated that New York City departments adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s antisemitism definition through an executive order signed at a synagogue ceremony. The policy announcement highlighted Adams’ response to rising antisemitic sentiment and his effort to position himself as a strong defender of Jewish communities while facing intense scrutiny over his administration’s handling of various challenges.

The IHRA definition includes controversial examples that critics argue blur the line between antisemitism and legitimate political criticism of Israeli state actions. Civil rights organizations have expressed concern that these provisions might be misused to suppress political discourse, a concern that has been echoed by the definition’s original author who has publicly warned against its potential misapplication to silence free expression.

With the Democratic primary just weeks away, Adams’ stance on this issue appears designed to appeal to Jewish voters while competing against candidates with starkly different Middle East policy positions. Andrew Cuomo has established himself as a firm supporter of Israeli leadership, even providing legal assistance to Netanyahu facing international charges, while Zohran Mamdani has consistently taken progressive stances that include describing the Gaza situation as genocidal and promising accountability for what he terms war crimes.