JCRC-NY, in Partnership w/ UJA, and NYC Council Leaders Convene Interfaith Model Seder Ahead of Passover

HARLEM, NY (03/27/2026) (readMedia)-- On Thursday, ahead of Passover, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York helped lead an Interfaith Model Seder, bringing the central themes of the Passover Haggadah-freedom, justice, and hope-to a broader cross-section of New York's civic and faith leadership. The Model Seder was hosted at Tsion Cafe, an Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant in Harlem that has faced antisemitic backlash, forcing it to end its regular dine-in hours.

The event convened prominent interfaith leaders alongside an interfaith coalition of New York City Council Members led by Speaker Julie Menin. JCRC-NY has partnered with previous Council Speakers on Model Seders in the past. This gathering marked both the first Interfaith Model Seder and the first collaboration with Speaker Menin, the first Jewish woman to lead the Council. The Seder was sponsored by Speaker Menin, the NYC Council Jewish Caucus, and the UJA-Federation of New York.

Tsion Cafe hosting the group was particularly meaningful given the antisemitism the owner and staff had to endure, and Speaker Menin kept her word to return back to the business after attending a recent JCRC-NY solidarity lunch.

Attendees included Speaker Julie Menin and Council Members Gale Brewer, Eric Dinowitz, Harvey Epstein, James Gennaro, Ty Hankerson, Shekar Krishnan, Farah Louis, Virginia Maloney, Lincoln Restler, Justin Sanchez, Lynn Schulman, Phil Wong, and Susan Zhuang, as well as JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger and a wide range of interfaith and community leaders. ??Rabbi Dimitry Ekshtut of Base Manhattan led the Seder.

The Interfaith Model Seder transformed a religious ritual into a powerful tool for community building and education. It provided a guided cultural tour of a tradition that emphasizes universal themes like freedom, justice, and the human spirit. In a city as diverse as New York, these moments of cultural exchange help strengthen the bonds that sustain shared civic life, which is central to JCRC-NY's mission.

Full list of attendees:

• Julie Menin, NYC Council Speaker
• Gale Brewer, Council Member
• Eric Dinowitz, Council Member
• Harvey Epstein, Council Member
• James Gennaro, Council Member
• Ty Hankerson, Council Member
• Shekar Krishnan, Council Member
• Farah Louis, Council Member
• Virginia Maloney, Council Member
• Lincoln Restler, Council Member
• Yusuf Salaam, Council Member
• Justin Sanchez, Council Member
• Lynn Schulman, Council Member
• Phil Wong, Council Member
• Susan Zhuang, Council Member
• Mark Treyger, JCRC-NY CEO
• Sandy Antignas, JCRC-NY
• Judy Baum, JCRC-NY
• Neil Sandler, JCRC-NY
• Dorothy Tannenbaum, JCRC-NY
• Bishop Mitchell Taylor, Urban Upbound
• Imam Muhammad Shahidullah, Save the People
• Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, NYBR
• Sheikh Musa Drammeh, Muslim Advisory Council
• Pastor Jay Gooding, Miracle Revival Fellowship Tabernacle Church Of God In Christ, Bronx, and wife Nicole Gooding
• Narendra Desai, Hindu Temple Society of North America
• Dr. Shrividya Iyer, Hindu Temple Society of North America
• Varinder Singh , Gurudawara Sach Khand Guru Nanak Darbar; Sikh Coordination Committee East Coast USA (SCCEC)
• Pastor James Richmond, Flatbush SDA Church, Brooklyn
• Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center at Manhattan University; Professor of Religion and Philosophy
• Imam Sajjad Raza, American Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN)
• Reverend Charles Galbreath, Alliance Tabernacle Church
• Reverend Chloe Breyer, Interfaith Center of New York
• Father Ryan Muldoon, Archdiocese of NY - Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue

"Today's Interfaith Model Seder was a powerful reminder that the story of Passover, and its enduring call to pursue freedom and justice, resonates far beyond the Jewish community and is an important call to action at a time of rising hate," said Mark Treyger, CEO of JCRC-NY. "We are deeply grateful to Speaker Menin, the NYC Council Jewish Caucus, UJA-Federation of New York, and all of our partners and attendees who came together in a spirit of unity and respect. Especially in this moment, showing up for one another and building relationships across communities is essential to the strength and resilience of our city. Thank you to Speaker Menin for keeping her word that she would be back at Tsion Cafe to express continued solidarity with a small business owner, an immigrant, and Ethiopian Jewish New Yorker who was forced to limit her business due to pervasive hate. Speaker Menin and JCRC-NY are declaring that hate will not have the last word and we remain in solidarity with Tsion Cafe."

"I can't think of a better place to share and celebrate this significant holiday with my colleagues than Tsion Cafe," said Speaker Menin. "I am honored to join my Council colleagues and this exceptional group of advocates and community leaders in sharing in the rich tradition of the Passover Seder."

"Thank you to JCRC-NY and Speaker Menin for convening this Interfaith Model Seder at such a critical time. As antisemitism continues to rise, it is essential that we show up for one another and stand united. The lessons of Passover call on all of us to fight for freedom, dignity, and justice, and I'm proud to stand alongside leaders from across New York City in that shared commitment," said Council Member Eric Dinowitz.

As a faith leader and community builder, I believe we grow stronger by learning from and honoring one another's traditions. The observance of Passover, marking the Jewish people's journey from bondage to freedom, resonates deeply with our own commitment at the Center of Hope International and Urban Upbound to help individuals overcome poverty and inequality. We are grateful for our partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York and the leadership of NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin, and remain committed to building bridges across faiths rooted in peace, understanding, and shared purpose," said Bishop Mitchell Taylor.