Breitbart has an interesting article claiming that 650 rabbis are opposing Mamdani’s candidacy for mayor. The article features a couple of videos, one of which I am providing below:
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue publicly denounced mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, calling him a danger to the safety of Jewish New Yorkers.
— ILTV Israel News (@ILTVNews) October 21, 2025
Cosgrove criticized Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the slogan “Globalize the Intifada,” his denial of… pic.twitter.com/51ijgdiTtm
A bit of historical perspective is in order. When Rudy Giuliani won the mayoralty in New York 30 years ago, it was powered by Jewish support. At that time, New York Jews felt threatened by violent blacks who had committed acts of violence against them.
It should be noted that New York City has had a Jewish power structure. That was certainly true 30 years ago. I suspect it is still true but perhaps not quite as much as back then. That power structure is because of influence and money– but it is also because of sheer numbers. Recall that, decades ago, Jesse Jackson got into trouble because he referred to New York City as “hymietown”.
Fast forward to the current race. Curtis Sliwa states that billionaires have attempted to bribe him to get out of the race. The fact that Mamdani has two competitors makes it much more difficult to defeat him.
It should be noted that the Jews’ objections to Mamdani relate to his opposition to Zionism and the fear that his emergence with threaten their safety in the city. It directly relates to Jewish interests. It has nothing to do with overall concerns regarding the direction of the city.
In fact, the prospect they might be victimized in the event Mamdani wins would represent a major boomerang. Recall that, many decades ago, their grandparents and great-grandparents had advocated intensely for expanded immigration into the USA from non-western nations. This also was based on Jewish perceived self-interest. Their efforts ultimately culminated in the passage of the 1965 Hart-Celler Act. Now, that is entirely to their detriment as Muslim internationals in the city make them feel threatened.
To this day, Jewish Americans tend to favor high levels of non-western immigration into the United States, legal and illegal.
Perhaps others can make sense of this situation. I can’t be sure whether Jewish opposition to Mamdani will make a difference in this race. Their advocacy for all the internationals to come here has now come to threaten them.
There are over 1 million Jews in NYC. If they vote their self-interest, let’s hope that may make the difference.
Fred, I expect some of the most hardened, secular and/or progressive/socialist Jews will support Mamdani. We shall see. It is possible, I suppose, that turn-out during the general election might be different than in the primary.