After Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary election with 43.5% of the vote, Jewish and Israeli-American New Yorkers have expressed concerns about the potential consequences if he wins the general election in November.
"I am super worried, and I hope November makes people change this plot because the last thing this city needs is a mayor who supports Hamas and jihadist ideology, even if it's not all he 'stands for,'" Erez, a 36-year-old Israeli-American resident of Harlem, told Israel Hayom. He added that the primary results reflect how "the Democratic Party, especially in New York, is filled with young, brainwashed liberals who consider themselves 'progressive,' but are far from it, because they are delusional and misinformed."
Rachel Levy, a 25-year-old Queens resident, also voiced concerns about Mamdani's political positions. "He has a very communist view, which historically has not gone well anywhere at any point in history and anywhere in the world. The younger the generation and the more public places you go, there are people so widely promoting Palestinians and Arab causes, and communist social causes, and it's very scary because anyone who's doing that is an automatic enemy toward Israel and Jews."
Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, New York has witnessed numerous anti-Israel protests, with demonstrators chanting slogans such as "globalize the intifada" – a phrase associated with calls for violence against Jews. Mamdani initially supported this slogan, saying in a podcast interview, "Ultimately, what I hear in these expressions is a desperate yearning for equality and human rights for Palestinians." He attempted to justify the term by claiming its meaning in Arabic is "struggle."
Following controversy over his statements, Mamdani held a press conference where he said, "It pains me that they call me antisemitic. I love the Jewish community in New York."
Keren Azaria, an Israeli living in New York and former chief of staff to Israel's consul general in New York, Asaf Zamir, told Israel Hayom that Mamdani's primary victory reflects a troubling trend in American politics. "It is disturbing that so many New Yorkers felt comfortable voting for a candidate who has proudly made deeply troubling statements about Israel," she said. "Extreme anti-Israel voices are becoming increasingly normalized in American politics. When this kind of rhetoric becomes acceptable, it does not just alienate the Jewish community, it undermines the core values of tolerance and mutual respect that define both New York and America."
"It hasn't been easy," Erez said, describing the reality facing Jews and Israelis in New York. "You see hateful stickers everywhere, young people with keffiyehs because it's trendy. The worst for me was to watch the protests when they raised terrorist organization flags, and it's allowed. It's been devastating to see how this city has become so antisemitic."
Azaria expressed particular concern about the safety of New York's Jewish community – the largest outside of Israel – under potential Mamdani leadership. "New York City mayors have always stood with our community with pride, whether at the annual Israel Day Parade on Fifth Avenue, at memorials, or at cultural events. That is why Mamdani's candidacy is so alarming," she said.
"He is someone who refused to condemn Hamas after October 7, he has made inflammatory statements comparing Israel to the Holocaust, and he has actively participated in extreme anti-Israel protests. This is not just about political disagreements; it is about whether Jewish New Yorkers can still count on their elected leaders to stand with them in the face of rising hate. With Mamdani in office, many of us, including myself, are no longer sure."
