Cardinal Timothy Dolan united with members of the Jewish community on Sept. 7 during Sunday Mass at Midtown’s Saint Patrick’s Cathedral to denounce antisemitism.
Dubbed “Stand Up Sunday,” the event was part of a nationwide action aimed at raising awareness of Antisemitism, which has only become more prevalent since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel. The American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 report, published in February 2025, found that 33% of Jewish individuals stated they had been the victim of antisemitic acts.
Inside the iconic house of worship located on 5th Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets, Cardinal Dolan called on his flock to stand in defiance of hate nearly two years removed from the Oct. 7 attacks.
“This is an extraordinary event of friendship and reconciliation,” Dolan said. ”We need embraces, and we have got this venomous hatred against all religions, it seems, but especially against our brothers and sisters in the faith, the Jews. I can’t figure it out. I don’t know, it gets to you.”
“Stand up Sunday” was organized by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, who handed special pins to parishioners to mark the occasion and show support, along with Appeal of Conscience foundation. Following the Mass, Dolan met with Karen Schneier Dresbach of Appeal of Conscience foundation, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, and other leaders of faith.
“It’s like 99.99% of the world wants love and reconciliation and peace and dignity and sacredness of life, and this tiny party of hate and bigotry seems to win out,” Dolan said. “When I went to one of the synagogues, I got a letter from a young Jewish woman after the October 7 horror. She was really scared, and her kids were scared.”
Rabbi Potasnik thanked Dolan for his support of the Jewish people.
“We could not have a better friend than Cardinal Dolan. A great friend. An honorary Jew is a matter of fact, I tell you,” Potasnik said.
Other houses of worship throughout the city, such as Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, Parish of Corpus Christi – Notre Dame, Saint Thomas Church, St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Cathedral, and more, also participated in the day of action.
