NYC health department wouldn’t let Jews form staff group, retaliated when they mourned antisemitic mass shooting in Sydney, lawsuit alleges
“They had no empathy for the feelings of the Jews about that horrific attack on Jews, who were trying to observe Chanukah at Bondi Beach in Australia,” Alan Scheiner, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told…
Assessment
A lawsuit claims the New York City health department blocked Jewish employees from forming an official staff affinity group and then punished them for holding a moment of silence after the 2024 antisemitic shooting in Sydney. The complaint centers on whether the department treated Jewish staff differently from other religious or ethnic groups that had formal recognition. The case tests how far public employers can go in managing religious expression and mourning without crossing into discrimination. Watch for the city's response and whether other agencies face similar claims.