New York City is no stranger to political tension, but the unresolved divide between mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and many of the city’s Jewish leaders has become one of the most closely watched transitions in recent memory.
With Mamdani set to take office on January 1, private meetings are underway, public statements remain carefully calibrated, and core disagreements—particularly over Israel—continue to linger.
On the Friday after Mamdani’s primary victory, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, president of the New York Board of Rabbis and senior rabbi at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, delivered a sermon that set the tone for the debate to come.
Hirsch argued that Mamdani’s criticisms of Israel aligned with, in effect, if not intent, with Hamas rhetoric and risked dividing Jews into “good” and “bad” categories—language Hirsch said could endanger the Jewish community.
A self-described liberal, Hirsch publicly challenged Mamdani to refute that characterization:
“If I’m wrong, say so,” Hirsch later told CNN. “It would be welcomed by the American Jewish community, by the New York Jewish community, and by many people who are not Jewish who care about these issues.”
A month later, Hirsch said he is still waiting to hear that direct rebuttal.
Mamdani is expected to meet privately with the New York Board of Rabbis in an unannounced session, according to people who were also invited to attend.
Several rabbis reportedly plan to urge him to reconsider positions that have drawn the strongest criticism, including his rejection of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and his support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement.
Yet even those involved acknowledge that such a shift would put Mamdani at odds with his political base that has rallied around his long-standing support for Palestinian liberation—an issue he once described as “at the core of my politics.”
The standoff reflects broader changes within the Democratic Party, where support for Israel has declined, particularly among younger and more progressive voters.
As Hirsch himself noted, this shift extends well beyond the far left.
For Mamdani, recalibrating now would not be a simple messaging adjustment but a rebuke of certain positions that have defined and shaped his political identity.
Jewish leaders across the city are divided in their assessments of the situation.
Some warn that Mamdani’s language and policy proposals risk fueling antisemitism at a moment when Jewish communities are already feel vulnerable, not only in the U.S. but around the world.
Others argue that engagement is necessary, even if trust is strained:
“I don’t know whether we can navigate it, but we’ve got no choice but to try because he is going to be the mayor,” said Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El.
Davidson emphasized that Mamdani’s stated commitment to Jewish safety must be matched with language that reassures those who feel threatened.
Mamdani has repeatedly pledged to provide security for synagogues and to oppose antisemitism.
In a written statement, he said, “As mayor, I will serve each and every New Yorker, including those who disagree with me or did not vote for me. My politics are grounded in a belief in universal human rights, dignity, and equality.”
He added that he would use “every tool at my disposal” to combat antisemitism and ensure public safety.
Still, recent events have underscored the fragility of the relationship.
A protest outside Park East Synagogue in November, where demonstrators chanted violent slogans, drew criticism of Mamdani’s initial response, which focused on the event hosted by the synagogue rather than the rhetoric outside it.
A later statement more explicitly condemned the violent language, but the episode left lasting unease.
Mamdani’s decision to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch—a respected leader who is Jewish and a Zionist—was welcomed by moderates and Governor Kathy Hochul.
Yet even that move has drawn criticism from some of Mamdani’s anti-Zionist allies, illustrating the pressure he faces from both sides.
New York’s political history looms large over the current moment.
“Pretty much every elected mayor of New York had longstanding warm relations with the city’s Jewish communities,” said Stu Loeser, a former press secretary to Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “So we are in some uncharted waters here.”
With more than one million Jews—about 12% of the city’s population—New York’s Jewish community is both diverse and influential.
Many leaders say the stakes go beyond foreign policy debates, warning that unresolved tensions could complicate broader coalitions needed to address affordability, public safety, and governance.
For now, both sides appear committed to dialogue, even as fundamental disagreements persist.
Whether private meetings can translate into public reassurance remains an open question—one that will shape not only Mamdani’s early mayoralty but the tone of civic life in a city accustomed to disagreement, but so reliant on coexistence.
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Sources Summary:
Reporting and quotations drawn from CNN coverage on Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral transition, statements by Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch and other New York Jewish leaders, and public comments from Mamdani and city officials regarding antisemitism, public safety, and Israel-related policy positions.
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