Mayor Adams Participates in Pre-Passover Breaking Bread; Building Bonds Dinner

By M.C. Millman

Mayor Adams participated in a pre-Pesach 'Breaking Bread, Building Bonds' dinner arranged by Rabbi Moishe Indig, Executive Director of the Williamsburg J.C.C. (WJCC).

The Breaking Bread, Building Bonds initiative was started by the mayor when he was borough president and has continued to this day. Today, the citywide initiative from Mayor Eric Adams aims to cultivate the immense diversity of New York City while bringing religious and civic leaders from diverse backgrounds together to learn about common bonds, share cultures and traditions, and break down walls between communities. The mayor hopes this will unite New Yorkers regardless of background, build understanding, aid in ending bias, hate, and discrimination, and lead to more tolerance and appreciation through recognizing the common roots communities share.

The pre-Pesach event was different from previous Breaking Bread, Building Bonds events in that it was done on a larger scale with eight round tables seating ten to twelve people at each.

Similar to other Bread Breaking endeavors, the Matzo/Bread Breaking event included individuals from across a broad spectrum of religious faiths and races and created the opportunity for meaningful conversation.

In the midst of the event, the mayor called a pause and asked attendees to take a moment to follow one of the unique customs of the Pesach seder. Each person was asked to fill up his neighbor's cup with grape juice bringing love and acceptance to the forefront of the evening even more.

Not only was the mayor in attendance but so was the borough president, Antonio Reynoso, and Councilman Lincoln Restler.

"We talked, asked questions about faith, customs, religion, nationality," Rabbi Indig shares with BoroPark24. "We also enjoyed conversations with each other. The evening served to build minds and encourages living together in peace, which will help combat anti semitism, prevent hate and violence, and allow people to accept each other."

Led by the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes (OPHC) and the Mayor's Community Affairs Unit (CAU). Breaking Bread, Building Bonds plans to organize one thousand events with at least ten New Yorkers attending each through 2023.