In the largest U.S. city, New York, concerns are rising within the Jewish community as a progressive politician known for being 'anti-Israel' has been elected as the Democratic mayoral candidate. This is significant because New York has traditionally been a stronghold for the Democratic Party, particularly serving as a political focal point for the Jewish community.
According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 25th (local time), Zohran Mamdani, who won 43.5% of the vote in the Democratic primary for mayor, is a Muslim politician and a Palestinian human rights activist. He has described Israel as an 'apartheid' state and criticized the war in Gaza as 'genocide,' while also publicly supporting the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement calling for a boycott of Israel.
Despite this political stance, Mamdani is reported to have won the primary with strong support from progressive voters and a multi-ethnic youth demographic. According to a report by the Jewish media Forward, nearly 20% of Jewish Democrats expressed support for Mamdani. Prominent Jewish politicians, including Representative Gerald Nadler and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, also stated, 'Mamdani is not an anti-Semite' and expressed their intent to 'fight against hate crimes together.'
Observations suggest that perceptions of Israel are rapidly changing within the Democratic Party. A survey released earlier this year by the Pew Research Center indicated that 68% of Democratic supporters hold negative views of Israel, a stark contrast to the 37% among Republicans.
In particular, younger Jewish voters are increasingly showing strong support for the protection of Palestinian refugees' rights. Jewish voters make up about 13% of New York City voters, but it is analyzed that only a very small number are conservative Orthodox or adhere to Zionism.
Mamdani is viewed as a symbol of internal change within the Jewish community. In his victory speech for the primary, he said, 'I will not bend my beliefs in human rights and equality,' while also stating he would 'listen to different perspectives and engage in deep discussions.' He further expressed his willingness to expand the budget for hate crime responses and strengthen cooperation with the Jewish community if elected mayor.
However, concerns among the Orthodox who form the Jewish community are not easily settled. Mamdani has a history of endorsing slogans such as 'Let’s spread the Intifada worldwide' and has previously issued statements criticizing Israel shortly after Hamas's attacks on the country.
Discontent is shifting inward within the Democratic Party. Deborah Lipstadt, the former special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism at the State Department, noted, 'While no one has said they want to drive Jews out, it is shocking that the deep concerns raised by the community over the years have been so easily ignored,' expressing her worry about the party's direction.
Religious leaders are also expressing deep concerns. Rabbi Diana Paskow stated, 'We have witnessed the violent rhetoric of the Jewish community transforming into real violence countless times,' warning that if Mamdani becomes mayor, he must be more responsive to the demands of our voters and remain alert.
In fact, anti-Semitic hate crimes are on the rise. A report released last year by the New York State Comptroller indicated that anti-Semitic hate crimes in New York increased by approximately 89% between 2018 and 2023.
Meanwhile, as Mamdani's election as mayor is virtually assured, concerns have emerged that New York may transform into a testing ground for leftist populist policies. Mamdani has proposed policies such as ▲ free public transportation ▲ rent stabilization ▲ tax increases on corporations ▲ doubling the minimum wage as part of his mayoral campaign.