Mayor Adams Heads to Israel Today

By Yehudit Garmaise

In 2021, Mayor Eric Adams told BoroPark24 that he considers the borough to be so Jewish, he considers the borough to be “the Tel Aviv of New York.”

While he likely meant the “Yerushaylim of New York,” NYC’s mayor will get the chance to see the strengths and differences between two cities for himself when he travels to Israel on Sunday, Aug. 20.

Landing in Israel on Monday, Aug. 21, Mayor Adams will first head to Yerushaylim for “to meet with local and national leaders, learn about Israeli technology, and discuss combined efforts to combat anti-Semitism,” the mayor’s schedule says.

On Wednesday, Aug. 23, Mayor Adams will travel to Tel Aviv before returning to New York City on Thursday, August 24.

The UJA-Federation of New York, in partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, are co-sponsoring the mayor’s Israel trip, which “will showcase innovative programs and initiatives that are supported by the New York Jewish community,” his office said.

Last July while President Joe Biden was visiting Israel, the mayor, who did not attend himself, sent a NYC delegation to visit that included Boro Park’s own Joel Eisdorfer, who serves as the mayor’s senior advisor, Ed Mermelstein, the city’s commissioner for international affairs, Tim Pearson, the senior advisor to the deputy mayor for public safety, NYPD Inspector Richie Taylor, and the mayor’s former chief of staff Frank Carone.

Last summer, the mayor’s representatives were focused on “creating valuable relationships with Israeli business leaders,” Carone told BoroPark24.

“NYC wants Israeli businesses here,” Carone told BoroPark24. “We want them to plant their flags here. We want to create valuable business relationships for New Yorkers, so we can have an exchange of ideas and economics.”

During its whirlwind four-day tour of Israel, the NYC delegation met with four Israeli mayors and had the honor to represent NYC at a gathering that honored Biden at the elegant home of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. 

Inspector Taylor reported he had the best hummus and bread he had ever tasted at Herzog’s home, which he said Mayor Adams, a vegan, would have liked.

More details on the mayor’s trip to Israel will be forthcoming.