Jewish organizations reacted to the election of Democratic Socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani as the next Mayor of New York City with a vow to hold the mayor-elect "accountable" for protecting Jewish communities and residents in light of his support for antisemitic movements.
The United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey, American Jewish Committee of New York, and the New York Board of Rabbis said in a joint statement: “New Yorkers have spoken, electing Zohran Mamdani as the next Mayor of New York City. We recognize that voters are animated by a range of issues, but we cannot ignore that the Mayor-elect holds core beliefs fundamentally at odds with our community’s deepest convictions and most cherished values."
"As we have done for over a century, we will continue to work across every level of government to ensure that our city remains a place where our Jewish community, and all communities, feel safe and respected. We call on Mayor-elect Mamdani and all elected officials to govern with humility, inclusivity, and a deep respect for the diversity of views and experiences that define our city.
"Our agenda remains clear. We will hold all elected officials, including Mayor-elect Mamdani, fully accountable for ensuring that New York remains a place where Jewish life and support for Israel are protected and can thrive. We will continue to confront, without hesitation, the alarming rise in antisemitism and hate crimes, and loudly call out any rhetoric or actions that delegitimize Israel or excuse antisemitism.
"New York’s Jewish community - the largest and most important outside the State of Israel - has always been integral to New York City. We are strong and resilient. And we will continue, as we have for generations, to live proud and public Jewish lives and make vital contributions to the future of our beloved city,” the joint statement concluded.
Agudath Israel of America stated: "The voters have spoken, and Agudath Israel of America congratulates those elected this election cycle. Amongst the stories in this election is the remarkable turnout of the Orthodox Jewish community in New York City. Hundreds of thousands participated-including many first time registrants and voters. Community organizations in Flatbush, Queens, Borough Park, Far Rockaway, and throughout the city galvanized, with Agudath Israel, in a proactive, multi-pronged get-out-the-vote effort. This significant level of engagement, which even exceeded the already higher turnout in the general population, reflects a deep sense of responsibility. It demonstrates a firm understanding that our community's voice, expressed at the ballot box, is both meaningful and necessary."
"These hundreds of thousands of voters were driven by profound concerns. They were animated by rising antisemitism and the safety and security of their families, their institutions, and their neighborhoods. Their robust participation was an emphatic statement that these issues must not be ignored.
"In his victory speech last night, Mayor-elect Mamdani vowed to 'build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.' Agudath Israel, representing the concerns of hundreds of thousands of community members, will work with the administration to ensure that this commitment is fully honored. We will engage with the incoming administration constructively, as we continue our decades-long advocacy on behalf of our families, our schools, and our way of life.
"At the same time, while we must do our part and participate fully in civic life and perform our hishtadius as we did, as Torah Jews we place our ultimate trust in the Creator. We recognize that, even as we act responsibly, our future remains fully in His hands," the Agudath Israel statement concluded.
In addition, Sarah Forman, Executive Director of the New York Solidarity Network, said following Mamdani's election: "Tonight the quiet normalisation of antisemitism just got very loud. For years, Mayor-elect Mr Mamdani's activism was steeped in coded language about Jews, performative boycotts, exclusion, and overt hostility towards Israel. Now, his views gain a platform with real consequences for the city that is home to the largest Jewish community in the diaspora."
"Tonight's result is not a blanket endorsement of his views, and it does not give his allies license to enact policies that harm the Jewish community. We must be united and organise now to ensure our community is not a target of policymakers and to establish a future where we are valued in the city we love," Forman said.
The Israeli-American Council (IAC) said: “America's largest and most Jewish city will soon be led by a mayor whose record and rhetoric have repeatedly crossed into antisemitic territory. The Israeli-American Council (IAC) will hold the Mamdani Administration accountable for ensuring that antisemitism in all its forms, including anti-Zionism, is given no sanction, and that the persecution of Jews is given no assistance. We will watch developments closely, measuring words by actions and promises by outcomes, and we will not hesitate to take legal action to enforce the right of our community members to live in safety and security.”
On Tuesday night, Lisa Katz, Chief Government Affairs Officer of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and former New Castle (New York) Town Supervisor, stated: "Jewish New Yorkers are right to be alarmed by today’s victory of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whose radical outlook and history of antisemitic rhetoric should concern all New Yorkers."
"The Jewish community continues to face unprecedented antisemitic threat levels. Yet barring an improbable 180-degree ideological about-face from Mamdani, Jews in New York City will lack an ally in City Hall come January.
"If past is prologue, a Mamdani administration will refuse to recognize as antisemitism hate that vilifies and demonizes Jews on the basis of the Jewish people’s connection to Israel. To ensure the safety and security of all New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, it is essential that the New York City government recognize and address all forms of contemporary antisemitism.
The statement added, "The Combat Antisemitism Movement stands with New York’s Jewish community and will vigilantly monitor the new administration, together with our partners, to ensure that municipal authorities fulfill their duty to protect New Yorkers of all backgrounds, and are held accountable if they fail to do so."
"CAM works on a daily basis with mayors across the country who are proving real leadership by confronting antisemitism in all its modern-day forms, head-on without equivocation. While New York City may lack such leadership come January, the election results have only deepened CAM’s commitment to ensuring that the city government keeps all New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, safe."
Mamdani has come under fire for his anti-Israel stance, which includes his criticism of Israel on October 8, 2023 - just one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel, as well as his refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a call for violence against Jews worldwide.
He also recently declared that he would stop using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s working definition of antisemitism.
In addition, Mamdani has repeatedly accused Israel of war crimes in its battle against Hamas in Gaza, and has vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York City, citing the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu - even though the US is not a member of the ICC.