Jennifer Koonings, a mental health provider formerly affiliated with Inspire Mental Health Services, recorded and published a video in which she directed antisemitic slurs toward individuals in New York City. In the footage, Koonings can be heard shouting phrases including “baby killers,” “you guys killed babies in Palestine,” and “f*ck Israel” at individuals who appeared to be peacefully going about their day.
Given Koonings’ role as a mental health provider at the time of the incident, the episode raised broader questions about professional judgment and the ability to provide care to diverse populations, including Jewish clients. Following public reporting, Inspire Mental Health Services seems to have removed Koonings from its “Our Team” page of their website and has reportedly confirmed that she is no longer employed by them.
This public outburst and firing does not appear to be occurring in isolation. Publicly available materials, including a Change.org petition and Koonings’ own social media statements, describe a prior controversy in which she was reportedly dismissed from a previous role as a sexual assault forensic examiner at Mount Sinai Hospital after disputes related to her public commentary on allegations of sexual violence connected to the October 7 attacks on Israel. These claims remain contested and are presented here as part of the broader public record surrounding her conduct and professional history.
The direct targeting of individuals based on perceived religious or ethnic identity, particularly through dehumanizing language, raises legitimate public concern and meets the criteria for inclusion on the New Tolerance Campaign’s Hate Map.