Mixed emotions among New York's Jewish community over Mayor Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York’s next mayor has "represented a perfect storm," for its Jewish community, in the words of one of its leaders, who is planning for an exodus out of the city. But on the streets of the heavily Jewish Upper West Side in Manhattan, there’s push back against the notion that Mamdani poses a threat.

Mamdani's victory exposed rifts between traditional Democratic Jewish voters and younger progressives. Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, handily defeated Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic former governor of New York who ran as an independent, while beating back accusations of antisemitism over his support of Palestinians in the conflict in Gaza.

And as he takes office, there is some wariness among the city’s Jewish community.

"It's a little concerning, especially as an Orthodox Jew. Some of the rhetoric that's being spread, especially globally with what's going on, it's a little bit scary and a little tense," said Elliot Elkon, a worker in the finance industry.

Jewish opponents of Mamdani expressed concern about his refusal to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada," a slogan of support for Palestinians that some interpret as a call to violence against Jewish people. After his nomination, Mamdani privately told a group of business leaders that he would not use the phrase and would discourage others from using it, according to a July New York Times report.

He has said he supports the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, or BDS, movement, which calls for the economic and cultural boycott of Israel. And he has vowed to arrest Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York City, though New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, has expressed doubts over his jurisdiction to do so.

A Muslim immigrant, Mamdani benefited from a wave of anger over Israel’s conduct in Gaza among some Democrats and Jewish Americans who had initially supported it but grew disillusioned. That shift manifested itself in spring protests at Columbia University last year that Mamdani supported and politically benefited from.

But about one-third of Jewish voters in the November election supported Mamdani, exit polls showed, powering a victory that alarmed his Jewish opponents unaccustomed to backing the losing candidate.

"What nonsense is this," asked retired professor, Elena Aguilar, outside the popular market Zabar's, referring to the threat posed by Mamdani to the Jewish community. "It's about the most anti-Jewish sentiment you can entertain…it has been, at least we always thought it was, a tradition of Judaism… that you were tolerant and respectful and patient with people who were not like you."

Still others are making plans for a Mamdani-inspired diaspora. Rabbi Marc Scheier of the Hampton Synagogue has sought throughout his career to bridge divides with Muslims.

Scheier and Mamdani have connected to discuss issues like protests in front of houses of worship.

But Schneier is promoting his new Hampton Synagogue Jewish Day School as a refuge, located some 80 miles to the east of New York City.

"When I announced this new day school, the next morning the synagogue switchboard, the phones were ringing off the hook. Off the hook, 'tell us where can we get an application,' 'what will be tuition, registration,' you name it. It’s a very wonderful and surreal opportunity,”he said.

Production by: Hussein Al Waaile, Dan Fastenberg/Reuters