Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Internewscast Journal
  • Home
  • US News
  • Local News
  • Health
  • People
  • Guest Post
  • Support Our Cause
Home Local news How New York City’s Predominantly Jewish Democratic Voters Supported a Pro-Critical Israel Candidate for Mayor
  • Local news

How New York City’s Predominantly Jewish Democratic Voters Supported a Pro-Critical Israel Candidate for Mayor

    How Democrats in America’s most Jewish city embraced a critic of Israel for New York mayor
    Up next
    Trump megabill narrowly advances in Senate despite two GOP defections
    Trump’s Major Legislation Passes Senate by Slim Margin Amid Two GOP Defections
    Published on 29 June 2025
    Author
    Internewscast
    Tags
    • Aiyana Leong Knauer,
    • Americas,
    • Andrew Cuomo,
    • Benjamin Netanyahu,
    • Beth Miller,
    • brad lander,
    • city,
    • critic,
    • Curtis Sliwa,
    • Democrats,
    • Donald Trump,
    • Elections,
    • embraced,
    • eric adams,
    • for,
    • Hank Sheinkopf,
    • how,
    • Israel,
    • Jewish,
    • Maya Kornberg,
    • mayor,
    • Most,
    • New,
    • Politics,
    • Ramon Maislen,
    • Religion,
    • Shimon Hecht,
    • Washington news,
    • York
    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest

    NEW YORK – The Democratic Party in New York City, which has a significant Jewish population, has selected Zohran Mamdani, a noted critic of Israel, as their candidate for mayor. This decision has caused concern among the city’s Jewish community and indicates a shift in the priorities of one of the party’s most steadfast voting bases.

    Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist, demonstrated a strong showing against former Governor Andrew Cuomo, highlighting that opposition to Israel is no longer a barrier in a Democratic primary. As a state Assembly member, Mamdani has refrained from endorsing Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, not condemned the phrase “global intifada,” and supports a campaign aimed at exerting economic pressure on Israel through boycotts and similar strategies.

    Yet he excelled in the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, and with the support of many Jewish voters.

    Mamdani’s rise signifies a shift in the political views of many American Jews following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza. Many Democratic voters, Jews included, have become increasingly critical of Israel’s actions during the conflict and of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, especially younger, more progressive supporters who have challenged the idea that being anti-Israel is inherently antisemitic.

    For others, Mamdani’s showing has spurred new fears about safety and the waning influence of Jewish voters in a city where anti-Jewish hate crime has surged. Last year, Jews were the target of more than half of the hate crimes in the city.

    “Definitely people are concerned,” said Rabbi Shimon Hecht, of Congregation B’nai Jacob in Brooklyn, who said he has heard from congregants in recent days who hope Mamdani will be beaten in the November general election, where he will face Mayor Eric Adams, who is running as an independent, Republican Curtis Sliwa, and possibly Cuomo, if he stays in the race.

    “I think like every upsetting election, it’s a wake-up call for people,” Hecht said. “I strongly believe that he will not be elected as our next mayor, but it’s going to take a lot of uniting among the Jewish people and others who are concerned about these issues. We have to unify.”

    Veteran New York Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf put it more bluntly, predicting a hasty exodus of religious Jews from the city and a decline in long-standing Jewish influence that would be replicated elsewhere.

    “It’s the end of Jewish New York as we know it,” he said, adding: “New York is a petri dish for national Democratic politics. And what happened here is what will likely happen in cities across the country.”

    Israel was a key campaign issue

    Mamdani’s top Democratic rival, the former governor, had called antisemitism and support for Israel “the most important issue” of the campaign.

    Mamdani’s backers repeatedly accused Cuomo of trying to weaponize the issue. Many drew parallels to the way Republican President Donald Trump has cast any criticism of Israel’s actions as antisemitic, claiming Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel” and their own religion.

    For some Mamdani supporters, the election results signaled a rejection by voters of one of Cuomo’s arguments: that an upstart socialist with pro-Palestinian views posed a threat to New York’s Jewish community.

    Many were focused on issues such as affordability in a notoriously expensive city, or flat-out opposed to Cuomo, who was forced to resign in disgrace amid sexual harassment allegations.

    Aiyana Leong Knauer, a 35-year-old Brooklyn bartender who is Jewish and backed Mamdani, said the vote represented “New Yorkers, many of them Jewish, saying we care more about having an affordable city than sowing division.”

    “Many of us take really deep offense to our history being weaponized against us,” she said. “Jewish people all over the world have well-founded fears for their safety, but Jews in New York are safe overall.”

    Others agreed with Mamdani’s views on Israel.

    Beth Miller, political director of Jewish Voice for Peace Action, an anti-Zionist, progressive group that worked on Mamdani’s behalf, said Mamdani “was actually pretty popular among a lot of Jewish voters.”

    “That is not in spite of his support for Palestinian rights. That is because of his support for Palestinian rights,” she said. “There has been a massive rupture within the Jewish community and more and more Jews of all generations, but especially younger generations,” she said, now refuse to be tied to what they see as a rogue government committing atrocities against civilians.

    Polls show support for Israel has declined since the war began. Overall, a slight majority of Americans now express a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable opinion of Israel, according to a March Pew Research Center poll, compared with 42% in 2022. Democrats’ views are particularly negative, with nearly 70% holding an unfavorable opinion versus less than 40% of Republicans.

    Beyond the mayoral race

    Mamdani’s wasn’t the only race where Israel was on voters’ minds.

    In Brooklyn, City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif, who represents Park Slope and surrounding areas, drew criticism for her Palestinian advocacy. Some said she had failed to respond forcefully to antisemitic incidents in the district.

    Yet Hanif, the first Muslim woman elected to the City Council, easily beat her top challenger, Maya Kornberg, who is Jewish, despite an influx of money from wealthy, pro-Israel groups and donors.

    That outcome dismayed Ramon Maislen, a developer who launched Brooklyn BridgeBuilders to oppose Hanif’s reelection and said antisemitism did not seem to resonate with voters.

    “We were very disappointed with our neighbors’ response,” he said.

    While campaigning against Hanif, he said he was routinely screamed at by residents and accused of supporting genocide.

    “I think that those of us in the Jewish community that are attuned to that are cognizant that there’s been some kind of cultural sea change that’s occurring,” he said. “What we’re seeing is a legitimatization of hatred that isn’t happening in any other liberal or progressive space.”

    Mamdani’s record and rhetoric

    Mamdani has repeatedly pledged to fight antisemitism, including during an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” where he was grilled on his stance. He was joined on the show by city comptroller and fellow candidate Brad Lander, the city’s highest-ranking Jewish official, who had cross-endorsed him. He has also said he would increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%.

    But many of his comments have angered Jewish groups and officials, most notably his refusal to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which has been used as a slogan in recent protests. Many Jews see it as a call to violence against Israeli civilians. In a podcast interview, Mamdani said the phrase captured a “a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.”

    Mamdani also supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to pressure governments, schools and other institutions to boycott Israeli products, divest from companies that support the country, and impose sanctions. The Anti-Defamation League calls it antisemitic and part of a broader campaign to “delegitimize and isolate the State of Israel.”

    Mamdani has also said that, as mayor, he would arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader tried to enter the city.

    The ADL in a statement Thursday warned candidates and their supporters not to use “language playing into dangerous antisemitic canards that time and time again have been used to incite hatred and violence against Jews.”

    In his victory speech, Mamdani alluded to the criticism he’d received and said he would not abandon his beliefs. But he also said he would “reach further to understand the perspectives of those with whom I disagree and to wrestle deeply with those disagreements.”

    ___ Associated Press writer Jake Offenhartz contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Share this @internewscast.com
    FacebookXRedditPinterest
    You May Also Like
    Dozens dead from Texas floods as campers remain unaccounted for
    • Local news

    Several Fatalities Reported in Texas Floods; Campers Still Missing

    IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Paxton's 41st annual Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration
    • Local news

    Paxton’s 41st Annual Traditional Fourth of July Celebration

    More than 700 attendees gathered at Pells Park in Paxton to celebrate…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    Julian McMahon, star of 'Nip/Tuck' and 'Fantastic Four,' dies at 56
    • Local news

    Julian McMahon, Known for ‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘Fantastic Four,’ Passes Away at Age 56

    Julian McMahon, recognized for his role as Dr. Doom in the “Fantastic…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    Ukraine says it struck a Russian air base as Russia sent hundreds of drones into Ukraine
    • Local news

    Ukraine Reports Striking Russian Air Base Amidst Wave of Drone Attacks

    Ukraine reported a successful strike on a Russian air base on Saturday,…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    Drone video shows deadly flooding in Kerrville, Texas
    • Local news

    Aerial Footage Captures Severe Flooding in Kerrville, Texas

    IE 11 is no longer supported. For the best experience, please visit…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    Sights and sounds from Champaign County's annual Freedom Celebration
    • Local news

    Scenes and Sounds from Champaign County’s Annual Freedom Celebration

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — For yet another year, it was all about…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Champaign Library hosts forum to combat youth violence
    • Local news

    Champaign Library Holds Discussion on Reducing Youth Violence

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — In Champaign, the community came together Thursday night…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    Tucker Carlson interviews Iranian president amid MAGA rift over Iran-Israel conflict
    • Local news

    Tucker Carlson Speaks with Iranian President as MAGA Supporters Divided Over Iran-Israel Tensions

    Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson said Saturday he would soon air…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    A look at some of the deadliest floods in the US in the last 25 years
    • Local news

    Examining the Most Devastating U.S. Floods of the Past 25 Years

    Flooding has consistently been a leading cause of death related to weather…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    AT&T agrees to $177M settlement over data breaches: What to know
    • Local news

    AT&T Reaches $177M Settlement Over Data Breaches: Key Information You Need to Know

    If you were affected by two significant data breaches involving AT&T customers,…
    • Internewscast
    • July 5, 2025
    Mahomet-Seymour's Campion wraps up SEC throwing career
    • Local news

    Mahomet-Seymour’s Campion Concludes SEC Throwing Career

    MAHOMET, Ill. (WCIA) — When Costen Campion arrived in Oxford, Mississippi, his…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Heat exhaustion or heat stroke: Identifying the symptoms
    • Local news

    Recognizing the Signs of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

    SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Staying cool might be easy if you work…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Should you buy gold coins from the Royal Mint to beat tax? HELEN KIRRANE visits its home in Wales
    • Business

    Is Investing in Royal Mint Gold Coins a Smart Tax Move? Helen Kirrane Explores Their Welsh Origins

    In a small town near Cardiff more than 7,000 coins fly off the…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Tropical Storm Chantal strengthens slightly as it nears landfall in South Carolina
    • Local news

    Tropical Storm Chantal Gains Strength Approaching South Carolina Landfall

    MIAMI – Tropical Storm Chantal intensified as it neared the southeastern coast…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    More than 100 NHS doctors warn Wes Streeting to honour promise to roll out screening clinics for osteoporosis - or risk thousands of ­preventable deaths
    • Health

    Over 100 NHS Doctors Urge Wes Streeting to Fulfill Promise on Osteoporosis Screening Clinics to Prevent Thousands of Avoidable Deaths

    More than 100 leading NHS doctors have warned Health Secretary Wes Streeting…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Are you susceptible to a 'social engineering' attack?
    • Local news

    Could You Be Vulnerable to a Social Engineering Attack?

    (NEXSTAR) – The Federal Bureau of Investigations issued a warning on Friday…
    • Internewscast
    • July 6, 2025
    Internewscast Journal
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Guest Post
    • Support Our Cause
    Copyright 2023. All Right Reserverd.