Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at influential Hamptons synagogue amid comeback buzz

There were a different kind of fireworks happening in the Hamptons over the holiday weekend.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave a fiery speech at the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton in support of Israel, and combating antisemitism.

Rabbi Marc Schneier’s synagogue is known as a top stop for politicians to speak — and he has previously had visitors including Mayor Eric Adams, Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham and onetime House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, we’ve previously reported.

Cuomo — who we hear is being encouraged to run again for office — founded Never Again, Now! with Steven M. Cohen. The group has been running ads against terrorist group Hamas.

A spy at the Hamptons event told Page Six, “All anyone wanted to talk about was when he is going to announce he’s going to run for mayor, and how they can help.”

“Hamas is a genocidal terrorist organization dedicated to eradicating the Jewish people, period,” Cuomo told the congregation. “They are not pro-Palestinian, they are not there to help the Palestinian people. They are not human rights activists.”  

Cuomo also spoke about the protests on college campuses in NYC, which have seen encampments at schools like NYU and Columbia and harassment of Jewish students.

(On Tuesday, NYU settled a lawsuit brought by students claiming the school is teeming with antisemitism. The university has agreed to pay a sum and create a new position to respond to the problem.)

“This is not about the First Amendment, the right to speak my mind, peaceful protest,” he said. “That is not what is happening. These are criminal acts… These are hate crimes. When you attack a person because of race, religion or creed, it is a hate crime.”

District attorney Alvin Bragg recently dropped charges against a mob who violently took over Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, causing damage to the building and terrifying staff who were trapped inside.  

“Politicians are afraid of these activists because they are so mobilized,” Cuomo told attendees. “If you stop enforcing the law, don’t be surprised when chaos ensues. And that is exactly what we are seeing in New York.”

Cuomo did not mention Bragg by name, but said, “If the District Attorneys won’t do it, the Governor should appoint a special prosecutor to prosecute hate crimes.”

Cuomo — who is also launching an educational campaign to teach the history of Israel and the conflict — also spoke against rising antisemitism.

“I have come to the painful conclusion it is never going to go away,” he said solemnly. “We have to remain strong and vigilant so we keep it in check.”

Meanwhile, over in East Hampton, residents held a march for a return of the hostages taken from Israel on Oct. 7.

During a rally, rapper Kosha Dillz (whose real name Rami Even-Esh) performed his songs like “Bring The Family Home,” in front of attendees including former US attorney general Michael Mukasey, Diva Moms co-founder Lyss Stern and End Jew Hatred’s Michelle Ahdoot.

Ahdoot’s group will be holding an event in LA this week with dietician Tanya Zuckerbrot, the Lawfare Project’s Brooke Goldstein and entrepreneur and activist Samantha Ettus.

We hear it has sold out.