We are NYC rabbis who support Zohran Mamdani – Here’s why

My co-authors (listed below) and I are among many New York City rabbis who voted for and proudly support Zohran Mamdani in the race for New York City mayor. Our religious tradition calls us to pursue justice and invokes our responsibility to bring it into the world. For many of us, the campaigns of Mamdani and mensch co-endorser Brad Lander marked the first time in a long while that we witnessed the Jewish call for justice clearly reflected in the platforms and character of mayoral candidates. We are confident that Zohran will carry those values forward – we hope, all the way to Gracie Mansion.

Supporting Zohran and Brad was, for us, an explicitly Jewish act, and we’re kvelling over our contribution as Jewish New Yorkers to Mamdani’s historic victory.

The diasporic Jewish life that has always thrived in New York City shows up in multiracial, interfaith coalitions. We are part of a proud Jewish progressive tradition that has shaped this city for generations. From Jewish garment workers and labor organizers to generations of socialists and civil rights activists, this legacy continues in our support for candidates like Mamdani.

Polling shows that most Jewish Americans feel a fierce commitment to equality and democracy. That is why issues like abortion access, public education, and civil, immigrant, and workers’ rights are core to our politics. These are Jewish issues because they reflect values passed down through generations: care for the vulnerable and a deep belief in human dignity that goes hand in hand with the aforementioned call to justice.

As we are enraged by Islamophobic rhetoric and false accusations of antisemitism lobbed at Mamdani by figures like Andrew Cuomo and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, it has been incredibly meaningful to watch Lander embody our Judaism through his support for immigrants, his defense of democratic norms, and his clear, unwavering alliance with Mamdani. Lander’s repeated insistence that Jewish and Muslim New Yorkers refuse to be divided set an example that we hope to see more politicians – Jewish and non-Jewish alike – follow. We are also excited by and grateful that Rep. Jerry Nadler – the ‘Dean of the Congressional Jewish Caucus’ – swiftly endorsed Mamdani as the Democratic nominee, and affirmed that Mamdani is committed to protecting Jewish safety in NYC.

Most media coverage of this mayoral race has focused on disagreement. But, for the many New Yorkers who knocked on doors together, organized events, and built relationships during this campaign, the areas of agreement are substantial and meaningful. These past weeks have offered a glimpse into what politics can be: respectful, mutual, grounded in relationships, and even joyful.

We believe that rent is too high, buses are too slow, and New York should be a welcoming, safe home for everyone – no matter where we came from or how long we’ve been here. Like Mamdani, we believe corrupt leaders like Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams have no business holding public office. And, as Mamdani has also asserted, we believe that the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank is horrific and cannot be ignored. These convictions reflect a shared political ethic – not identical political beliefs – and they are strong enough to support both real coalition and real community.

The blatant smear tactics we see used against Mamdani are frequently deployed against Muslim elected officials and leaders of color who dare to criticize Israel. These accusations are not about protecting Jews. They are about shutting down necessary reckoning with our city and country’s complicity in Israel’s occupation.

We also reject the bad-faith attacks on Mamdani over the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a phrase he has never used himself. When asked about it, after stating that it is not language he himself uses, he added that it means different things to different people, the same explanation Jewish writers have made in The Forward. While the phrase conjures up fear and concerns of violence for many Jews, for many Palestinians, it literally refers to a shaking off of occupation. New York City is a big, complicated city, made up of large blocs of people who hold these widely diverging associations with the phrase. It is fundamentally important that our next mayor listens to and understands both associations and resists the flattening of people’s histories into soundbites.

We believe that Jewish safety will not be secured by demanding unconditional support for Israel or imposing litmus tests on public officials around language. It will be secured through effective policy, education, solidarity, and shared struggle. That is what Mamdani offers. His platform explicitly names and condemns anti-Jewish hate violence as the most commonly reported bias crime in New York City, and lays out a clear plan to address it. That is what real protection looks like.

This election is a pivotal moment. Being part of this movement and this win matters. It reminds us what it feels like to be in the majority and to embrace a politics of joy, camaraderie, and possibility.

So come canvass with us. Come share a Shabbat dinner. Come be part of what we are building together. We would love to have you with us when we make history in November.

This piece was co-authored by Rabbi Andy Kahn, Rabbi Abby Stein, Rabbi Barat Ellman, PhD, Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Rabbi Nancy H. Wiener, and Rabbi Miriam Grossman.