Divisions in NYC's Jewish Community Amid Historic Mayor Election

Tue Nov 04 2025 09:25:48 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As New York City approaches an election that could usher in its first Muslim mayor, tensions within the Jewish community have intensified in response to candidate Zohran Mamdani's controversial views on Israel.

The upcoming election in New York City could lead to the election of Zohran Mamdani, its first Muslim mayor, stirring both support and backlash from the Jewish community. Many progressive voters are drawn to his plans for social equity, while others express concern over his critical stance on Israel. Rabbi Angela Buchdahl has called for unity amidst varying opinions, highlighting the complexities in choosing leadership that aligns with community values.

NEW YORK (FLUXDAILY) — With the city preparing for its historic mayoral election, apprehension looms over New York City’s Jewish community, the largest in the United States. Candidate Zohran Mamdani, a potential frontrunner, has sparked a mix of apprehension and support after expressing progressive ideals aimed at improving affordability and equity in NYC. However, his forthright criticisms of Israel and comments about its military actions in Gaza as 'genocide' have raised alarms among parts of the Jewish population both locally and nationally.

This growing tension was made evident during a sermon by Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, from Central Synagogue, one of the country’s best-known Reform synagogues, who addressed the community's conflicts over Mamdani's views. While she criticized Mamdani's statements on Israel, she refrained from endorsing his rivals, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, urging her congregation to avoid politicization that could be detrimental to their community.

“It endangers all of us,” Buchdahl said, condemning the pressure for Jewish individuals to align strictly with certain political views. During her address, she pointed out that Mamdani’s rhetoric not only risks mainstreaming harmful antisemitism but also perpetuates the age-old trope that Jewish people are responsible for conflict.

Mamdani, meanwhile, has attempted to connect with Jewish voters by promising to increase funding towards the investigation of antisemitic incidents and explicitly condemning Hamas's attacks as 'horrific war crimes.' Despite this, he has not wavered in his longstanding support for Palestinian rights, even stating he would seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his potential visit to New York due to impending charges from the International Criminal Court.

As the election nears, the division within the Jewish community was highlighted by Rabbi Rick Jacobs of the Union for Reform Judaism, who maintained a non-endorsement stance while imploring voters to consider various pressing issues before making a choice. Jacobs recognized Mamdani's expressed empathy for Jewish concerns but raised clarifications regarding his stance on Israel's status.

Adding to the complexity, competing endorsements and opinions have emerged from within the Satmar Hasidic community itself, with figures from different factions voicing contrasting support between Mamdani and Cuomo. The ongoing turmoil reflects a broader discourse on how issues related to Israel and Jewish identity permeate local elections and communal solidarity.

Meanwhile, public commentary from New York-based author Peter Beinhart has critiqued the organized Jewish community’s inclination to prioritize unwavering support for Israel over other democratic values at stake in the election. He posed a sobering question about the potential sacrifices the community is willing to make to obstruct a candidate advocating for equal rights for Israeli Jews and Palestinians.

As the election approaches, New York’s diverse Jewish community faces a pivotal moment, grappling with multifaceted questions about identity, safety, and political allegiance.