Mixed Times for Jews in New York
Right now, it feels like Jews in New York are experiencing both the worst and the best of times.
The worst part? It’s pretty clear. A million voters chose to back a candidate who has shown anti-Semitic tendencies, missing a chance to unite against hate. This indicates a failure of our community’s organizations—groups specifically created to combat movements like Mamdani’s.
Mamdani was expected to be in New York, which houses the largest Jewish population outside of Israel. Jewish leaders really should have done more to prevent his rise.
However, it’s not entirely surprising that many of these leaders have been rather nonchalant. Take the New York Jewish Community Relations Council, for instance. They’ve hosted several anti-Israel Democrats, including Mamdani’s associate, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Meanwhile, they criticized President Trump heavily for his stance on immigration and border security.
The Anti-Defamation League has fared even worse. Once one of the most respected Jewish organizations in the country, it has transformed into more of a Democratic Party ally, producing reports suggesting that anti-Semitism is only a right-wing problem and downplaying its presence on progressive college campuses.
Moreover, a recent study highlighted in Tablet Magazine showed that those who went through the ADL’s anti-anti-Semitism training were astonishingly more likely—15 times, in fact—to express anti-Semitic views afterward.
This doesn’t take a genius to figure out. For years, the organized Jewish community has focused on leftist ideals of diversity and inclusion, all while self-proclaimed allies have made it clear that Jews have lost their place in the broader narrative that the Democratic Party champions.
If Mamdani’s win means anything, it should prompt accountability among these organizations and their leaders.
In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, massacre, Israelis noted a term—conceptziya—to describe the optimistic mindset that allowed many to overlook Hamas’s preparations for attack.
Now, Jews in New York are facing conceptziya. This is something we must confront ourselves, pushing us to hold our leaders accountable. If we do this right, it could lead to the creation of new organizations that are wary of partisan ties and focused on forging connections with loyal partners outside traditional leftist coalitions.
That’s the dire scenario.
On the flip side, if you observe the recent enthusiasm displayed by various groups in the Jewish community, there’s reason for hope.
Recently, over 850 rabbis voiced their opposition to Mamdani, and Jews across the five boroughs rallied, recognizing the significance of this election. The American Jewish community has transformed significantly over the past couple of years.
Many of us have spent the time since October 7 working on nurturing a stronger Jewish identity and community, one rooted in joy and pride, rather than fear and resentment.
That’s why I’ve noticed more Jewish friends proudly wearing large Star of David necklaces. Mamdani’s win won’t change that.
If anything, we can expect to see more New Yorkers in the Jewish community walk with confidence, demanding accountability from a mayor who’s shown a tendency to call us out, even as our organizations struggled.
We face far greater threats than a failed artist capitalizing on guilt and jealousy, aiming to join a role for which he is clearly unprepared. This challenge follows a long phase of reaffirming what it means to embrace a fully realized Jewish life.
In the words of our new rival, City Hall, it’s our time now.
