Brad Lander, a candidate for mayor, highlighted his Jewish identity and shared his faith journey, mentioning, “I almost became a rabbi.”
He took a jab at Andrew Cuomo, the former governor, accusing him of discriminating against Jews and exploiting anti-Semitism for his own benefit.
Lander asserted, “Donald Trump and Andrew Cuomo might disagree with my views, but they can’t define what being a good Jew means,” during a talk at a West Side synagogue.
Self-identifying as a “liberal Zionist,” Lander reflected on his lifelong connection to Judaism, saying, “You might find it surprising, but I almost became a rabbi” while recounting his upbringing in St. Louis.
His engagement with Jewish community initiatives included serving as vice president of the National Social Action for the Reformed Jewish Youth Movement and being part of Hillel at the University of Chicago.
He also taught at a Hebrew school and led songs at a Jewish summer camp while even dabbling in canoe instruction.
Lander organized a rally in Washington, DC, in 1987 supporting Soviet Jews and campaigned against cuts to social programs under Republican leadership.
He expressed, “I learned to advocate for Jews and anyone enduring oppression, striving towards a fairer, more inclusive society rooted in Jewish values, fundamentally believing everyone is created in God’s image.”
He named his son Marek after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising leader Marek Edelman and his daughter Rosa after labor rights advocate Rose Schneiderman.
Lander criticized Cuomo for his actions against the Jewish community and his tendency to label others as anti-Semitic. Polls currently show Cuomo leading in the Democratic primary.
Lander remarked, “Andrew Cuomo, accused of anti-Semitic discrimination, even resorted to using anti-Semitic slurs, trying to weaponize such sentiments against me, a leading Jew in the New York City government.”
This remark referred to the requests from three Jewish congregations to the governor regarding perceived anti-Semitic discrimination in religious gathering restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuomo had characterized the restrictions as necessary for public health.
Lander pointed to a New York Times report detailing Cuomo’s comments blaming Jewish individuals for “cursed words” during a previous controversy.
He added, “When he’s aiming for political advantage, he manipulates anti-Semitism like it’s just a game. A few years back, he falsely insinuated that his opponent was anti-Semitic and pretended ignorance about it.”
This was in reference to a controversial mailer accusing Cuomo’s main rival, Cynthia Nixon, of anti-Semitism in the 2018 election.
Another candidate, former city director Scott Stringer, recently criticized Cuomo as well for leveraging anti-Semitism for political expediency during remarks at a synagogue.
Cuomo’s campaign defended his record, asserting, “Amid rising anti-Semitic incidents, the governor enacted robust hate crime laws and positioned New York as the first state to ban the BDS movement.”
His spokesperson highlighted that Lander had a history of selling his pension fund’s Israeli bonds as a significant act.
Lander noted the diversity of opinions among Jews regarding the actions of the Israeli government and affirmed that critique of Israel isn’t inherently anti-Semitic.
“I have been critical of the Israeli government regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, advocating for assistance to avoid starvation among Palestinian children,” he commented, emphasizing that not all dissenters of Israeli policies should be labeled as anti-Semitic.
However, he clarified, “If you use the term ‘Zionist’ as an insult or target those seen as Jewish, then that crosses a line.” Lander aims to implement strategies against anti-Semitism if elected mayor.
