The Aporia · Organizers of Islamic wellness retreat attended by NYC first lady Rama Duwaji called for destruction of Israel in hateful social media posts

Organizers of Islamic wellness retreat attended by NYC first lady Rama Duwaji called for destruction of Israel in hateful social media posts

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Nava, V. (2026, October 1). Organizers of Islamic wellness retreat attended by NYC first lady Rama Duwaji called for destruction of Israel in hateful social media posts. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/09/30/us-news/organizers-of-islamic-wellness-retreat-attended-by-nyc-first-lady-rama-duwaji-called-for-destruction-of-israel-in-hateful-social-media-posts/

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Quick Summary

The Women Sanctuary, an Islamic wellness organization that hosted a retreat attended by New York City First Lady Rama Duwaji, posted calls for the destruction of Israel and the cleansing of Palestine from its oppressors on social media. The group’s posts include antisemitic language like "from the river to the sea" and prayers for “the liberation of Palestine.” Duwaji led an illustration workshop at a Women Sanctuary retreat in Portugal this summer where attendees paid up to $5,260 per person. This news comes as Mayor Mamdani announced plans to combat antisemitism in New York City that did not address Zionism.

Written by AI on 2026-10-01, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Rama Duwaji, the first lady of New York City and an "artist-in-residence" at a Islamic wellness retreat in Porto, Portugal, was associated with The Women Sanctuary, an organization that made hateful social media posts calling for the destruction of Israel. In October 2025, The Women Sanctuary posted on Instagram stating, “The apartheid colonial state of Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinian people” and called for abolishing the Israeli state to free Palestine. Additionally, in May 2024, they expressed a desire to "illuminate the blessed lands of Palestine, from the river to the sea," using an antisemitic slogan that many interpret as advocating for the eradication of Israel. Further, in September 2024, The Women Sanctuary published a prayer to Allah asking for the liberation and cleansing of Palestine from tyranny. These actions have raised significant concerns over the group’s stance on issues related to Israel and its supporters.

Written for “Islamic Wellness Retreat Controversy” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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This article reads unscored and hedges 15% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

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“The articles discuss different events: one is about a wellness retreat's social media posts and the other is about planned anti-Israel rallies on October 7.”

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sentences that state something as happening or true

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15%

2 of 13 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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withheld

no quote in the article backed the model's score

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66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Who wrote this

Victor Nava

67 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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All 67 articles by Victor Nava →

Narrative

Claims (13 extracted, 2 hedged)

The group behind the posh, Islamic-centered women’s retreat where New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife Rama Duwaji served as an “artist-in-residence” called for the destruction of Israel and for “Palestine” to be cleansed of its “oppressors” in a series of hateful social media posts. asserted

Palestine → center → posts

“The apartheid colonial state of Israel has committed a genocide against the Palestinian people,” read an October 2025 Instagram post from the Women Sanctuary, the organization hosting the “Journey through Islamic Calligraphy” retreat being attended by Duwaji in Porto, Portugal. asserted

post → commit → Porto

Free Palestine,” the post, first reported by the Washington Free Beacon, continued. asserted

post → report → Beacon

In a lengthy May 2024 post, the Women Sanctuary hoped for freedom to “illuminate the blessed lands of Palestine, from the river to the sea.” uncertain

Sanctuary → hop → sea

The slogan “from the river to the sea” is considered antisemitic by many. asserted

slogan → consider → many

Critics say the motto, which refers to the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, is a call for the eradication of Israel and its people. asserted

which → say → Israel

In September 2024, the group shared a prayer to “Allah” pleading for the “liberation of Palestine.” asserted

group → share → Palestine

“Cleanse Palestine from tyranny and from its oppressors,” the post stated. asserted

post → cleanse → oppressors

Another eyebrow-raising Instagram from March 2025 read: “May the winds of freedom sweep across Palestine, ushering in the complete and rightful restoration of the land’s true stewards.” uncertain

winds → raise → stewards

Duwaji, 29, ran the Women Sanctuary retreat’s “marvelous illustration workshop” during a summer session earlier this year. asserted

Duwaji → run → session

Guests paid $4,300 for a shared room to $5,260 for a private room with a private bathroom in the manor house nestled in the tranquil countryside of Arcos de Valdevez. asserted

Guests → pay → Valdevez

In July, Gotham’s controversial first lady made headlines for skipping America’s 250th birthday celebration to attend a different Women Sanctuary retreat on the Spanish resort island of Mallorca. asserted

lady → make → Mallorca

The news of Duwaji’s partnership with the alleged hateful group comes as her husband announced a plan to combat antisemitism — which completely ignored Zionism — in the Big Apple on Tuesday. asserted

which → allege → Tuesday

Organizers of Islamic wellness retreat attended by NYC first lady Rama Duwaji called for destruction of Israel in hateful social media posts

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Claims (13 extracted, 2 hedged)