Who’s afraid of Zohran Mamdani? How the mayoral race divided Jews in New York

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Nov 3, 2025

Jacob Kornbluh, Senior political correspondent for The Forward, discusses Zohran Mamdani's surprising rise in the New York City mayoral race, highlighting the divided opinions among Jewish voters. Dov Scheindlin, a Columbia University program coordinator, explains his decision to support Mamdani despite disagreements on Israel, citing the candidate's commitment to New York's Jewish community. The conversation explores fears of antisemitism, changing Democratic dynamics, and the broader implications of Mamdani's candidacy for Jewish-Muslim relations.

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INSIGHT

Unexpected Nominee Shifts The Race

Mamdani's primary win forced New Yorkers to rapidly reassess an unknown Democratic nominee's positions and electability.
His pledge to act "according to the law" tempers extreme fears about unilateral mayoral actions on Israel ties.

INSIGHT

Mayor's Limitations On Divestment

Mayoral power to implement BDS-style divestment is limited by other city officers and legal constraints.
Practical fiscal decisions often rest with the controller or comptroller, not the mayor alone.

INSIGHT

Jewish Vote Is Deeply Fragmented

New York's Jewish community splits into progressive, liberal Zionist, noncommittal Haredi, and MAGA-leaning blocs with diverging priorities.
This fragmentation helps Mamdani by preventing a unified anti-Mamdani Jewish vote.

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The prospect of a New York City mayor who “won’t march in the Israel Day Parade, will not travel to Israel, who will divest from Israel” with a history of pro-Palestinian advocacy has brought many Jews to a place of “caution and worry” as they choose the city’s next leader, New York political reporter Jacob Kornbluh said on the Haaretz Podcast.

At the same time, he stressed, despite the “fear campaign” that Jewish leaders and rabbis pursued against the 34-year-old Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, a large number of Jewish New Yorkers were casting their ballots for the man poised to make history as the city’s first Muslim mayor.

Leading up to Election Day, Kornbluh noted “a changing mood among Jewish voters who say they disagree with Mamdani” and were “worried” about his positions on Israel – but “since they hate [Independent candidate] Andrew Cuomo, since they are Democrats, and since they want to participate in this election, they will hold their nose and vote for Mamdani.”

University administrator Dov Scheindlin, who is voting for Mamdani, also spoke with host Allison Kaplan Sommer on the podcast and explained the reasons for his choice despite disagreeing with the candidate on issues related to Israel.

“On a personal level, I feel Mamdani’s demonstrated a tremendous commitment to the Jews of New York City,” Scheindlin said, attributing the candidate’s stated position as a reflection of his “sympathy with the Palestinians and a sense that the cause of Palestinian self-determination has been inhibited by the unfettered support for Israel the United States has offered.”

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