NY Councilwoman flaunts Israel dress, dismisses haters in viral response

Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, a soviet Jew who represents the 48th District in New York, attended the New York Young Republican Club Gala, on December 10, wearing a blue and white Israeli flag dress designed by Irina Shabayeva.

“Tonight, on the third night of Chanuka, I am at the @NYYRC Gala proudly wearing a dress emblazoned in the flag of Israel,” Venikov wrote on X. “So many Jewish New Yorkers & Jewish college students all over our country are afraid to display their Jewish identity, wear a Kipa, a Star of David, or express support for the great state of Israel. We cannot be afraid! We cannot remain silent! 

Tonight, on the third night of Chanuka, I am at the @NYYRC Gala proudly wearing a dress emblazoned in the flag of Israel . So many Jewish New Yorkers & Jewish college students all over our country are afraid to display their Jewish identity, wear a Kipa, a Star of David, or… pic.twitter.com/F45usKmvhs

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) December 10, 2023

“Be Jewish, Be Loud, Be Proud! This is where we live and we will not be intimidated! 

“PS: This dress was created by an incredible Project Runway winner & celebrity designer Irina Shabayeva who pulled it together in less than 24 hours. Irina, I am beyond grateful for your talent and tenacity. God bless America & God bless our only true ally in the Middle East- Israel! עם ישראל חי”

Hating on Israel and the dress

Her outfit and sentiments were quickly condemned by social media users.

Journalist Mariam Barghouti wrote to the councilwoman and said “I still don’t understand how you would wear the national symbol and flag of a genocidal regime committing genocide as we speak, (in the span of her tweet and my response hundreds of Palestinians were killed bringing the official count of Palestinians slaughtered in the last 64 days in Gaza alone to 17,000) and claim you’re trying to support Jewishness.

“Wear a pink Star of David or something. Why the Israeli flag? The same flag that is being held high up in every photo taken by the Israeli army as they mark their slaughter sites. The same flag that is being used in attacks on towns and villages in the West Bank. The same flag that is carried in the streets of Jerusalem and Haifa as they yell “Death to Arabs” (מָוֶת לָעֲרָבִים )

“What the hell is wrong to have messed up your moral compass? How can anyone trust a policymaker that wears the flag of genocide like a cheerleader for it?”

I forgot to ask you for fashion advice. On October 7, when 1400 innocent Jewish civilians were massacred, brutally raped, burnt alive, and kidnapped, you wrote “Gaza just broke out of prison”. Sit down, liar & Hamas sympathizer. https://t.co/RzGFo1sqIK

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) December 10, 2023

In response, Vernikov wrote, “I  forgot to ask you for fashion advice. On October 7, when 1400 innocent Jewish civilians were massacred, brutally raped, burnt alive, and kidnapped, you wrote “Gaza just broke out of prison”. Sit down, liar & Hamas sympathizer.”

Vernikov's retort has since been seen over 480,000 times, received over 4000 likes, and has 3000 responses.

Who is Inna Vernikov?

Vernikov is a Democrat-turned-Republican who was born in the Soviet Union and became an American citizen after emigrating to the US at age 12. 

Vernikov attributed her change in political parties to the rise of antisemitism. She once said Jews coming from the former Soviet Union are very familiar with communism and socialism, and many of us feel strongly that what today’s Democratic Party is promoting is exactly what we ran from—a place where speech was censored, where we were not allowed to practice religion, where we didn’t have freedom or economic opportunity,” according to the Jewish News Syndicate.