Modi’in mayor urges Bill de Blasio to join coalition against antisemitism

On December 31, Haim Bibas sent a letter to Bill de Blasio, urging him to join the Global Coalition of Mayors against Hatred and Discrimination.

JANUARY 2, 2020 01:41

Haim Bibas (photo credit: Courtesy) — Haim Bibas

(photo credit: Courtesy)

What can a mayor of a city of over eight million residents learn from the head of a town a fraction of its size? Plenty, it appears. Haim Bibas, mayor of Modi’in-Maccabim-Reut, which has a population of 95,000, has invited Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City, to join a coalition of mayors around the world which has been formed to fight hate crimes, antisemitism and discrimination.

On December 31, Bibas, who also serves as chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, sent a letter to de Blasio, urging him to join the Global Coalition of Mayors against Hatred and Discrimination, which also includes Gabriel Groisman, mayor of Bal Harbour, Florida, and Uwe Becker, mayor of Frankfurt, Germany, to combat hatred and intolerance.

In recent weeks, the New York area has been the focal point of a spate of antisemitic attacks, culminating in the Hanukkah attack in Monsey which wounded five Jews.

“All of us mayors have to join forces and fight those who seek to hurt people because of their religion or nationality,” wrote Bibas. “I hope that the mayor of New York – one of the most important cities in the world – will join us.”

Unfortunately, Bibas noted, many city heads in Israel are familiar with acts of terrorism and have faced these types of challenges in the past. He urged de Blasio to work with the other mayors to prevent and educate residents in order to keep these types of events from reoccurring, “for the benefit of the diverse communities living among us.”

Bibas pointed out that the diverse mayoral coalition, which represents cities around the world, is a shining example of how individuals from different backgrounds and locations can accomplish great things.

“I believe that if we work together, share information and work at the local level,” wrote Bibas, “we can influence and make our people feel safer.”

Written in cooperation with Federation of Local Authorities in Israel.