NEW YORK (RNS) — Over the past few weeks, virtually every poll predicted Zohran Mamdani would become New York City’s next mayor. Even so, some Jewish New Yorkers who voted for Andrew Cuomo said they felt shell-shocked when Mamdani won Tuesday (Nov. 4).
According to a CNN exit poll, 64% of Jews surveyed said they voted for Cuomo, 32% for Mamdani and 3% for Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. The results expose a deepening divide in the Jewish community pitting Jews who support Israeli policies against those who are critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and actions in Gaza.
Mamdani, who will become New York’s first Muslim mayor, made affordability a cornerstone of his campaign but did not shy away from his anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian views. He accused Israel of genocide and has said he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a warrant from the International Criminal Court should he visit New York, where the United Nations is located.
While Mamdani has rejected accusations of antisemitism and in his victory speech said he would build an administration that “does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism,” some Jews — particularly those who consider support for Israel core to their Jewish identity — believe his worldview could pose a threat to their already vulnerable communities at a time when antisemitic incidents have risen after Oct. 7, 2023.
Rabbi Mayer Waxman, executive director of the Queens Jewish Com …