Philadelphia ZOA Executive Director Steve Feldman said in an interview that the problem is not with the method but with the message.

By Andrew Guckes

(February 11, 2025 / Phila. Jewish Exponent) On Saturday, Jan. 25, dozens of people marched on Philadelphia City Hall and Center City in opposition of Israel. The principle in and of itself is not new. However, the messaging was.

One protester carried a banner that read, “Long Live October 7th.”

Oct. 7, 2023, was the day Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 251 others. Approximately 75 hostages remain in captivity.

Now, the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Zionist Organization of America is calling on the city’s mayor, Cherelle Parker, to unequivocally condemn the display. The mayor has yet to comment on the request concerning the events of Jan. 25 and did not respond to questions posed by the Jewish Exponent over email.

Philadelphia ZOA Executive Director Steve Feldman said in an interview that the problem is not with the method but with the message.

“We’re not condemning freedom of speech and the rights of those individuals to be out there and say terrible things. It’s more of a reflection of the ills of society that people feel comfortable doing this; that’s the problem that needs to be addressed,” he said.

In an open letter to the mayor’s office, the Philadelphia ZOA chapter says that those who took part in the march, wearing Hamas logos, were “reflecting their support for … a United States designated terrorist organization that has murdered hundreds of Americans and calls for the murder of all Jews worldwide.”

In the letter, the ZOA said that its goal in this process is to meet with the mayor to discuss ways to combat antisemitism in the community, especially considering that the 250th anniversary of the nation is coming up in a year.

“Philadelphia will rightly be a focal point. We do not want the city’s reputation harmed or the city embarrassed as a haven for Jew-hatred and support of violence,” the letter says.Feldman said that the issue at hand is a deep-seated one.

“We’re not against them having a permit to have their demonstration, but we wonder about a society where people think it’s OK to celebrate mass murder and mass rape and call for the destruction of millions of Jews,” he said.

As the ZOA said in the letter, the mayor’s stance on this is much more than a formality. The leader of the city has a responsibility to all residents, they said, and ignoring this shirks that duty.

“To be silent is to give it consent. Further, we ask you to work with our chapter to implement reforms where possible to prevent this evil from growing and spreading and becoming more acceptable,” the letter says.

The letter was sent on Jan. 29, and Feldman said that the organization is still waiting on a reply. He said he recognizes that the mayor is busy and that this issue doesn’t take precedence over other recent events.

“In between the demonstration and our letter, there was a terrible plane crash in Philadelphia. People lost their lives and homes were destroyed. So the mayor does have a lot on her plate, and we recognize that what took place outside City Hall certainly does not take priority over a catastrophic plane crash — we don’t expect her to put that aside and then turn all of her attention to us in the Jewish community,” he said.

What they do expect is a response, especially considering the climate that Jews live in right now. In Philadelphia, Feldman and the ZOA see a problem that is only getting worse.

“She needs to address the anti-Jewish activity and indoctrination in the city’s public schools, libraries, in other departments and on college campuses,” he said. “We call on the mayor to do those things and we hope she takes us seriously.”

The ZOA has existed for more than a century and a quarter and its mission is still the same: educate people. It is not a big organization, but it is effective.

“We are small, but we are mighty and we have the facts on our side,” Feldman said.This mission means even more in Philadelphia. The city has a reputation to protect and further its multicultural nature, Feldman said.

“Philadelphia has something that other cities in America know we have, which is brotherly love,” he said. “That’s the motto, and that’s what Philadelphia means. What happened outside city hall, right under the mayor’s window, is not brotherly love.”

This article was originally published in the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and can be viewed here.