New York City Mayor Eric Adams has signed an executive order adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism as the city’s official standard for identifying hate against Jewish people.

“Thank you to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance for gathering as we face new threats to Jewish New Yorkers and find new ways to protect them,” Adams wrote in a public statement.

The executive order, which was announced during a gathering with IHRA representatives, is part of a broader strategy to combat rising antisemitic incidents in the city. While the executive order marks an immediate policy shift, Adams emphasized the need for a lasting legal foundation.

“I’m proud to sign an Executive Order making the IHRA working definition of antisemitism our city’s definition of hate against our Jewish brothers and sisters,” he stated. “But we must go further by codifying this definition into law, which is why I am sending @nyccouncil a bill to make this definition city law in New York City FOREVER.”

The move comes amid growing concerns over antisemitic rhetoric and violence. Adams underscored the city’s broader commitment to safeguarding diversity and upholding justice for all marginalized groups.

“As a city, we must commit to tolerance for all communities and always defend the Jewish faith and people when it is unfairly targeted and attacked,” he added.

The proposed bill, once introduced in the New York City Council, will seek to permanently embed the IHRA definition into the city’s legal framework—a step Jewish leaders and civil rights advocates have long championed.