NY mayoral frontrunner's rise sparks concern among Jewish democrats

Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old State Assembly member and rising Democratic US politician, surged to victory in June’s New York mayoral primary after engaging voters across all of the megapolis' five boroughs. His success now puts him on track to potentially lead the city with the world’s largest Jewish population outside of Israel—raising concerns among pro-Israel Jewish progressives due to his controversial positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mamdani, born in Uganda to a Gujarati Muslim father and Punjabi Hindu mother, has voiced support for the boycott of Israel and drew criticism for downplaying concerns over the term “globalize the intifada,” a phrase he previously defended during a podcast appearance before his election.

In an article dedicated to his ascend the political ladder, the Times of Israel point out how his victory has sparked calls from Jewish Democratic activists who say it's time for a direct conversation with him.

Jewish political organizers emphasize that while Mamdani’s win isn’t the existential crisis some Republicans claim it to be, it’s still troubling for the century-long Jewish-Democratic alliance.

“If he’s going to be the mayor of New York, which has the largest Jewish population in any city [outside of Israel] in the world,” said Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, “he needs to understand that his defence of the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ isn’t just concerning—it’s unacceptable.”

Mamdani’s Israel-critical rhetoric is also fuelling unease among pro-Israel Democrats who fear that more progressive candidates may adopt similar positions. A congressional Democratic staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mamdani’s rise complicates efforts to reassure the Jewish community about their place in the party. “It’s not the end of the world,” the staffer said, “but it makes that task harder.”

While many in the pro-Israel American political left accept criticism of Israeli leadership—especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition in light of the devastating humanitarian toll the war in Gaza has taken—Mamdani’s embrace of language viewed as inflammatory crosses a line for some.

“There’s a broad consensus in the Democratic Party that ‘globalizing the intifada’ is offensive,” Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street and a liberal Jewish advocacy group supporting a two-state solution is cited in the report. “Mamdani should acknowledge that.”

According to the article, Mamdani does have Jewish allies, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who cross-endorsed with him in the primary. Lander, a self-identified Zionist, believes cooperation is possible. “We are not going to let anyone divide Muslim and Jewish New Yorkers,” he said on election night. “Our futures are tied together.”

Still, Mamdani’s win is seen by some pro-Israel Democratic donors as context-specific. His opponent in the mayoral primary elections for the Democrats, former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, was dogged by a sexual conduct scandal, and Mamdani’s brand of democratic socialism has limited reach beyond major urban centers like New York.

By Nazrin Sadigova