Zohran Mamdani has been the mayor of New York City for two months. If it is too early to give a general appreciation on his performance, some of the fears that his candidacy caused among some Jewish New Yorkers are starting to materialize.
In his first month as mayor, antisemitic incidents have increased by 182% versus January 2025, but this surge cannot be blamed on him. His response has been satisfactory, both in substance and in tone, with an outright denunciation and without ambiguity. It is in line with Mamdani’s reaching out to Jewish groups during the campaign and his pledge to fight antisemitism.
The doubts about his candidacy were fueled by his stance about Israel and Zionism, and they have not been dissipated by his first weeks in office. Mayor Mamdani has not been able to reassure Jews when it comes to their connection with Israel, a country he openly delegitimizes.
In a way, he seems willing to provide physical security to New York Jews and their places of gathering and worship, but not the safety they are entitled to for supporting a state he does not deem legitimate. Whether Mamdani intends it or not, he’s sending a signal that being a visible Jew is OK, but being a Zionist Jew is not; that it is OK to wear a kippah but not to carry an Israeli flag.
Jewish safety and security
Jewish safety is not only about the presence of police in front of synagogues, as necessary as it is. French Jews know it all too well, as the best way to locate Jewish places in France today is by whether a massive police presence is there…
Security is about the police, but safety is something deeper. It is about getting political and ideological support to the Jewish New Yorkers who are, in majority, deeply connected to Israel unapologetically, albeit often criticizing its policies.
Ninety percent of American Jews believe Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state and this percentage is probably similar in New York, the biggest Jewish city in America and in the world (considering Tel Aviv as a city, not greater Tel Aviv).
When Mayor Mamdani fails to denounce his wife’s “likes” for abhorrent tweets about October 7, or accepts to be introduced at an event by a man who openly called to “strike Tel Aviv,” he sends a message to his “Jewish brothers and sisters” that he does not truly respect their emotional or physical connection to the state of Israel, or their pain during October 7.
When he welcomes Mahmoud Khalil at Gracie Mansion, he goes beyond the protection of Khalil’s constitutional rights, sending an unequivocal message of support for his worldview, which is not only against Israel’s policies but is radically anti-Israel. This latter opinion is protected by the Constitution, but should it be openly embraced by the mayor of New York, in the mayor’s official residence?
Understanding New York Jews' Zionism
These latest actions complement his executive orders on the very first day about Israel (that, to be fair, took place in a broader context) and some problematic appointments in the very beginning of his tenure. Mamdani has thereby shown a consistent pattern of not backing down his anti-Zionism, which is an easier (and cheaper) way to remain in the progressives’ good graces than keeping his promises on affordability or taxing the rich.
The question is not whether Mamdani is antisemitic – his outreach to Jews, his words and actions tend to prove the opposite. The question is about his ability to understand his fellow Jewish New Yorkers. The mayor should embrace their connection to the State of Israel the way former US president Joe Biden embraced abortion rights, despite being personally against abortion.
Zohran Mamdani is today the mayor of New York, not an activist or private citizen, and certain responsibilities come with the job – like being able to represent all New Yorkers. He does not live anymore in Astoria but at Gracie Mansion, he praises the NYPD, and he has even met President Donald Trump – twice.
Hopefully, he can understand that he also has to adjust some stances that are deeply offensive to the majority of his fellow Jewish New Yorkers, at a time when radical anti-Zionism can fuel antisemitism and lead to attacks on Jews. As these attacks flourish in New York and around the US, you should do better on this topic, Mr. Mayor – now.