Brooklyn School Becomes Flashpoint for Antisemitism as Anti-Israel Group Stirs Outrage in Jewish Community

By: Fern Sidman

A quiet elementary school in Brooklyn has been transformed into a disturbing new battleground in the rising tide of antisemitism in New York City, as a self-described activist group, PS 139 Families for Palestine, continues to hold incendiary “vigils” on and around the school’s property. According to a New York Post investigation, these weekly demonstrations have turned PS 139 in Flatbush into an epicenter of hate, drawing widespread condemnation from Jewish parents, neighbors, and civil rights advocates.

The rallies, scheduled every Sunday from 11 a.m. to noon, have featured the dissemination of antisemitic literature, harassment of Jewish residents, and political organizing that many say directly violates New York City Department of Education (DOE) regulations. These concerns have only intensified in the wake of the recent murders of two young Israeli embassy aides in Washington D.C.—a chilling reminder of how incendiary rhetoric can spill into real-world violence.

“It endangers Jewish lives and embeds bigotry into the fabric of our educational system,” said Tova Plaut, a citywide pre-K coordinator and a prominent voice combatting antisemitism in NYC public schools. Speaking to The New York Post, Plaut warned, “It ensures that hatred of Jews takes root in the hearts of our youth.”

The group’s activities are deeply alarming to Flatbush residents, where over 33,000 Jewish adults and 12,000 children live, according to a 2023 UJA Federation survey cited by The New York Post. Protesters have been seen occupying the school’s playground—technically open to the community on weekends—despite clear restrictions in the Chancellor’s Regulations that prohibit using school property for political purposes.

According to the report in The New York Post, the group is led in part by Cindy Gorn, a member of the school’s parent association who was previously accused of assaulting two NYPD lieutenants during an anti-police protest on the Brooklyn Bridge in 2014. Since January, she and her cohort have been conducting weekly demonstrations on PS 139 grounds and at a public “Tot Lot” park directly across the street, often distributing inflammatory materials.

Eyewitness accounts reported by The New York Post describe hostile and threatening behavior from vigil attendees. On Mother’s Day, protesters allegedly posted materials on the schoolyard fence while handing out anti-Israel literature. Naomi Cohn, a local attorney and founder of the Facebook group Zionist Brooklyn, observed, “I saw them parading around the schoolyard, posting written materials on the fence and handing them out to people watching their children play.”

In one incident documented by The New York Post, a PS 139 parent threatened a Jewish neighbor by saying, “We know your name,” and “We know where you live.” In another, a group member told a Jewish woman recording the protest to “get out of here,” while accusing her of touching her baby—a claim not substantiated in the footage obtained by the outlet.

Beyond the protests, the group has sought to influence school culture and fundraising efforts. Last month, at PS 139’s Parent Association auction, they donated books from controversial anti-Israel authors. Among them: Forest of Noise by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mosab Abu Toha, who has denied atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 and disparaged Israeli hostages; Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa, who in a recent speech claimed that even terms like “extermination” and “holocaust” were insufficient to describe “Israeli terrorism”; and Ilan Pappé’s The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, a text many critics say demonizes Israel. The alphabet book P is for Palestine, which uses “intifada” for the letter “I,” was also included.

According to The New York Post, the group has raised thousands of dollars through Venmo, allegedly to assist relatives of a PS 139 family in Gaza. But critics fear these funds may be flowing through a political funnel under the guise of humanitarian support.

In April, the group lashed out at Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos for apologizing over a DOE newsletter that linked to a “Stop Gaza Genocide Toolkit.” They later partnered with radical groups Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestinian Assembly for Liberation to pressure a Flatbush Reform synagogue to cancel a luncheon supporting Unit 669, the Israeli Air Force’s elite rescue unit.

Outraged Jewish advocates have taken formal action. In a letter obtained by The New York Post, community members accused the group of “incitement disguised as community activism.” They wrote to PS 139 Principal Tamika Harding, Aviles-Ramos, and elected officials, demanding that the DOE publicly disavow the group and enforce Chancellor’s Regulations.

“When a school’s name is used to amplify hate,” the letter stated, “the damage cuts deeper than protocol — it cuts into identity, safety, and the very fabric of community.”

The DOE told The New York Post that the group is “not affiliated with PS 139 aside from parents who may have children attending the school,” and reiterated that protests cannot occur during school hours or block entrances. A DOE spokesperson said officials “engaged with this group to inform them of the rules,” and that the activists have now removed “PS” from some of their materials.

However, the group continues to operate under the name “PS 139 Families for Palestine” on its Instagram page. Neither Gorn nor the group responded to the Post’s inquiries for comment. Principal Harding also failed to return calls.

While the DOE attempts to downplay the group’s association with the school, the Jewish community is demanding immediate and definitive action to safeguard students and uphold the integrity of public education.

For many, the message is clear: using a public school as a backdrop for radical ideology isn’t just inappropriate—it’s dangerous.