Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, who leads Manhattan's Central Synagogue – among the city's most important and historic Reform congregations – delivered sharp criticism Friday evening against Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor. "I fear living in a city and a nation where anti-Zionist rhetoric is normalized and contagious, where Israel is singularly and repeatedly called out and demonized as the worst actor on the world stage, where our children feel ashamed to call themselves Zionists, or afraid to wear Jewish symbols," she said.
Video: Rabbi Angela Buchdahl / Credit: Central Synagogue
She stated, "Mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani has contributed to a mainstreaming of some of the most abhorrent antisemitism." She highlighted statements like, "His shocking 2023 accusation, 'when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it's been laced by the IDF.' This crosses the line clearly into antisemitism, not only demonizing Israelis, but echoing the age-old antisemitic trope that Jews across the world are the root cause of our problem."
Buchdahl criticized "His false claims of genocide, his reluctance to label Hamas a terrorist organization, his unwillingness to condemn phrases like globalize the Intifada, and absolute opposition to Israel as a Jewish state."
Buchdahl herself is under heavy pressure, according to the New York Times. She declined to sign a petition that more than 1,100 rabbis nationwide signed condemning Mamdani. In her Friday sermon, she reiterated her decision not to sign and not to recommend a candidate, but said she shares the concerns.
The Satmar split
Meanwhile, a dramatic split was revealed Sunday in the anti-Zionist Satmar Hasidic sect over candidate support.
I was honored to receive the endorsement of Rabbi Moshe Indig and Ahronim leaders in Williamsburg today, where we were joined by my friend @LincolnRestler.
Together, we will fight the scourge of antisemitism and build a city that works for every New Yorker. pic.twitter.com/hPyAh5k3MH
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) November 2, 2025
The local Jewish newspaper, Forward, first reported that Mamdani secured the faction's endorsement for his candidacy, publishing a photo of Mamdani with the faction's political activist, Rabbi Moshe Indig. Mamdani subsequently posted photos from the meeting, writing on X, "I was honored to receive the endorsement of Rabbi Moshe Indig and Ahronim leaders in Williamsburg today. Together, we will fight the scourge of antisemitism and build a city that works for every New Yorker."
Concurrent with the photo's publication, three senior faction leaders released a counter-declaration signed as "Satmar Williamsburg," urging voters to support Cuomo on Tuesday. The statement noted that "the progressive movement's crusading agenda is a threat to our ability to live as Torah Jews and educate our children with the same values." Cuomo responded with a post on X, "Sincerely honored by the endorsement of my good friends in the Satmar community."
Sincerely honored by the endorsement of my good friends in the Satmar community https://t.co/XYZTvd7ipP
— Andrew Cuomo (@andrewcuomo) November 2, 2025
Thursday saw Andrew Cuomo arrive alongside Mayor Eric Adams for a meeting with leaders of both Satmar factions in Williamsburg, warning that a Mamdani victory would jeopardize Torah and yeshiva education. Mamdani, meanwhile, visited the sukkot of Satmar faction leaders last month.
A poll by Atlas Intel polling institute published Sunday places Mamdani in the lead with 40.6% of voter support, while Cuomo has 34% – the narrowest gap between the two candidates yet. Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa receives 20% of the vote. Cuomo responded, "The gap is closing rapidly – we feel it on the ground everywhere. At this pace, we will win the race."
Among Jewish voters, the picture proves more complex. A Quinnipiac poll found that Cuomo enjoys 60% support among Jews, compared to 16% for Mamdani and 12% for Sliwa. This represents a dramatic improvement for Cuomo compared to an earlier Fox News poll from mid-October, when Cuomo received 42% among Jews compared to 38% for Mamdani.
While Mamdani attempts to soften his anti-Israel image and deflect accusations of antisemitism, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) branch – an extreme left faction within the party with which Mamdani is affiliated – has announced that it will hold an online event featuring Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of Britain's Labour Party. Corbyn himself was shamefully expelled from the party after losing its leadership, following an internal audit report finding he had been negligent in handling antisemitism that developed within the party under his leadership.
