NEW YORK — Deirdre Levy spoke at an Upper West Side rally on July 26 where she criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and said anti-Zionism has become a hate movement that puts Jewish lives at risk.
The rally was organized by End Jew Hatred in response to recent stabbings that injured one Jewish man and one Asian man in the neighborhood.
Levy, a Filipina American educator and community organizer, told the crowd, “Anti Zionism is a hate movement that puts Jewish lives in danger.”
In a follow-up message to TOFA News by email, she said her comments were about opposing hatred, not any group of people.
“Just because I advocated against hateful rhetoric, it doesn’t mean I’m against anyone. I’m just against hatred,” Levy said. “My grandfather was born in Jerusalem and he grew up with Arab and Jewish friends, which is why he was the only sibling taken out of his homeland to NYC, so I like to live in his honor and treat all people with respect.”
The protest came amid renewed debate in New York over antisemitism, anti-Israel activism and public safety after the attacks on the Upper West Side drew widespread attention.
In a social media post shared by New York City Jews, organizers said “silence and dangerous rhetoric from city leadership are putting targets on our backs” and called on city leaders to “recognize and call out antizionism” as racism. The post also said, “As an Asian Jew, the recent stabbings on the Upper West Side hit deeply personal,” and called for more focus on “the safety, security, and daily lives of New Yorkers.”
Levy also said at the rally that the event was a response to what she described as “blood libel.” She singled out Mamdani and said his positions and the political climate around them have contributed to hostility toward Jews. Mamdani has rejected accusations of antisemitism and said criticism of Israel should not be confused with hatred toward Jews.
The rally was held on the Upper West Side, near Amsterdam Avenue, and brought together Jewish New Yorkers and allies who said they wanted city leaders to respond more forcefully to hate crimes and what they see as growing hostility in public life. Organizers said the demonstration was meant to demand accountability after the stabbings and to push back against rhetoric they view as dangerous.
Levy’s background also helped explain why her remarks drew attention.
A 2020 profile described her as a Filipina-Jewish educator with ties to both Filipino and Jewish communities, noting her earlier work as a Jewish life liaison and her involvement in campus and community programming. That background has shaped her public voice on identity, inclusion and hate prevention.
Levy first gained broader attention when she ran for New York City mayor, which placed her in the spotlight as one of the more visible Filipina American figures in local politics. She has continued to speak publicly on issues affecting Jewish, Asian and immigrant communities.
Deirdre Levy is a former TOFA awardee, honored in Las Vegas in 2025.
