By Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, LMFT
On the Viktor Frankl Podcast this week, Gregory Lyakhov — the youngest nationally syndicated columnist in America — delivered a sobering warning about the future of New York City if radical Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and his brand of socialism prevail. Lyakhov, whose family fled Soviet communism, joined host Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch, LMFT, to expose the stark reality behind Mamdani’s rhetoric: breadlines, collapsing education, failed infrastructure, rising anti-Semitism, and the destruction of New York as we know it.
“Seize the Means of Production” — and Destroy a City
Early in the conversation, Lyakhov reminded viewers that Mamdani has openly stated his goal is not merely to raise “class consciousness,” but to “win socialism” — explicitly endorsing government seizure of private property.
“When you seize the means of production, production goes down, quality goes down, and shelves go empty,” Lyakhov warned. “That’s what my family saw in the Soviet Union — and it’s exactly what Mamdani wants to bring here.”
Drawing on personal family history, Lyakhov described how his grandparents waited in endless breadlines, hoarded sugar because it was so scarce, and lived in cramped, deteriorating housing — realities that Mamdani seems either oblivious to or indifferent about. “He’s a rich, privileged kid who lived in a palace in Uganda, yet he wants to bring Soviet-style socialism to the biggest city in America,” Lyakhov added.
📺 Watch the full interview here: www.torahpsychology.org
The Impact on Every New Yorker
Lyakhov dismantled Mamdani’s economic and social proposals one by one, explaining how each would devastate the lives of ordinary New Yorkers.
“This isn’t just bad for Jews or wealthy people,” Lyakhov argued. “It hurts everyone — Hispanic New Yorkers, African-American New Yorkers, working-class families. Under Mamdani, everyone loses.”
Anti-Semitism and Radicalism
Schonbuch and Lyakhov also addressed the deeply troubling rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric associated with Mamdani’s politics. Mamdani has sponsored legislation to divest state investments from Israel and supports the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement. “That’s not just misguided,” Lyakhov noted. “It’s clear anti-Semitism.”
He went further: “Mamdani spreads the message that it’s bad to be successful, that it’s bad to aspire to more. He stokes resentment against anyone who works hard and achieves something — and that mentality always leads to scapegoating.”
The Cost of State-Run Failure
The conversation turned to the collapse of New York’s infrastructure under existing state control, a trend Lyakhov believes would accelerate under Mamdani.
Schonbuch highlighted recent subway floods — a direct result of mismanagement by the state assembly, where Mamdani already holds power. “We’re already seeing what happens when you let socialists run things,” Lyakhov said. “Mamdani just wants more of the same — and worse.”
He pointed to Mamdani’s wasteful spending on diversity programs and museums with little connection to the communities they claim to serve, calling it “money thrown at feel-good projects without any real results.”
📺 Watch the full interview here: www.torahpsychology.org
A Generation at Risk
Perhaps the most poignant part of the interview came when Lyakhov, who at just 17 has become a leading voice for common-sense policies, explained what motivated him to start speaking out.
After reading Alan Dershowitz’s The Case for Israel, Lyakhov began writing, blogging, and eventually mentoring under Dershowitz himself. “I realized that my generation was being taught to hate success, hate Israel, hate America — and I had to say something,” he said.
He warned that Mamdani and others like him represent a broader national trend: “It started with AOC, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib — now it’s spreading to mayors and governors. If we don’t stop it, the damage could be irreversible.”
A Warning and a Challenge
Lyakhov’s parting message was directed at young voters who have embraced Mamdani and similar candidates:
“My family lived through communism. We know what it does. You may think it’s cool or progressive — but it will destroy everything you value. You didn’t do the research before you voted. Now it’s time to wake up before it’s too late.”
The Bigger Picture
Throughout the conversation, Lyakhov emphasized that Mamdani is not an isolated figure. He is part of a coordinated movement led by the Democratic Socialists of America, whose platform reads like a communist manifesto: defunding police, open borders, rent control, seizure of private property, and hostility toward Israel and Jews.
“This is not an accident,” Lyakhov said. “It’s a plan.”
📺 Watch the full interview here: www.torahpsychology.org
Final Thoughts
Gregory Lyakhov’s clarity and moral courage stand in stark contrast to the dangerous, failed ideology he is fighting against. His family’s story, and his own journey from struggling student to nationally syndicated columnist, embody the promise of the American Dream — the very dream Mamdani’s agenda threatens to extinguish.
For the sake of all New Yorkers — and all Americans — Lyakhov urges us to reject socialism, resist radicalism, and remember the lessons of history before they’re forgotten.
📺 Watch the full interview here: www.torahpsychology.org