Words Matter Mr. Mayor Elect. Please tell my kids!
January 1st is upon us, and with it the swearing in of New York’s next mayor. Mamdani fever has gripped my three young adult children. As a result, they have drawn the proverbial line in the sand, this one generational, with their father and me on one side and the three of them on the other. I find this line being drawn often lately. I frequently hear from friends that they are experiencing the same dynamic. It’s a generational schism, where, after raising them with Jewish values, Jewish culture, and a hefty side of naches, parents find themselves at odds with their kids on what constitutes antisemitism in a world that is increasingly antisemitic.
On the one hand, I am proud that I raised free-thinking, politically aware children. I am also proud that they have adopted the Jewish values of Tikum Olam, and want to put politicians in office who they believe will address economic inequalities and social injustices. On the other hand, there is clearly a lesson I missed imparting, the one where Rabbi Hillel asks, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” No one is looking out for the Jewish people right now, and we are having a moment.
Mamdani’s political career is predicated on anti-Israel activism, and he has aligned himself with groups that take an aggressive approach to antizionism, like BDS and SJP. He makes deliberate decisions to bring his anti-Israel sentiments into spaces where they do not belong. He said this of the NYPD: “When the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF”. Rhetoric like this will embolden people to march down 5th avenue, spew their hatred, and normalize antisemitism. (If it hasn’t already).
This line of thinking certainly spurred people to protest outside the Park East Synagogue in November, shouting the inflammatory catch-phrases that we have become all too familiar with. Most of the outcry from the Jewish community focused on the Mayor-Elect’s comments about “sacred spaces not being used to promote activities in violation of international laws”—obviously an absurd notion. But equally concerning was the use of the word “discouraged” instead of “condemned” when referring to the protestors’ words.
Words matter. Connotations matter. Discourage is gentle. Condemn has conviction. If it is free speech he is concerned about, he should use his to CONDEMN the actions of the Pro-Palestinian protestors who aggressively intimidated the Jewish community outside Park East Synagogue.
Actions matter too. And he has shown us that he keeps company with such illustrious antisemites as Ms. Rachel, whom he has appointed to his inaugural committee. I can’t help feeling this is an intentional slight, alongside the appointment of Catherine Almonte Da Costa as Director of Appointments, who resigned after antisemitic posts were found on her social media. But Mamdani is shrouded in suspicion over his anti-Zionism, and one would think he would be actively working to dispel such beliefs by vetting his people more carefully. But he is not, so I am left to believe he doesn’t care (a problem) or that it is intentional (a bigger problem).
I understand that his policies appeal to a generation of young, idealistic people, and I also understand that one is supposed to be idealistic when one is young. But that idealism collapsed in the wake of October 7th for Jewish Americans. Many of us have had to rethink our political identity as we slide uncomfortably to the right to protect ourselves and the Jewish homeland.
My children do not see it this way. While they are proud Jews and Zionists, they were disillusioned by the length of the war and the death and destruction. I get it. But wars take many forms, and the one against antisemitism rages on. And while they expressed heartbreak over Sydney, their inability to recognize the danger posed by Mamdani is troubling. My older son fervently believes the mayor-elect is not an antisemite. It is enough for him that there are Jews on the transition team, and that he has vowed to protect everyone living in New York. My younger son was admittedly skeptical after the Park Avenue incident, but satisfied by Mamdani’s apology the following week. However, when I asked him how he reconciles Mamdani’s association with Ms. Rachel, he insists she advocates for all children. He grew silent when I pointed out that her advocacy heavily favors the Palestinian cause.
I am at a loss for how to get my children to recognize the threat that is Mamdani. Dinner conversation is often spent trying to connect the dots for our kids, who have decided that my husband and I have gone to the dark side- by shifting too far to the right of center. They blame “old” age. We blame social media and the woke culture on college campuses. I explain that while I’m not casting votes for a candidate who doesn’t support reproductive or LGBT rights, Israel and the safety of the Jewish people weigh heavily on my decisions. It is easy to point to incidents like Bondi Beach as blatantly anti-semitic. But antisemitism does not always result in cold-blooded murder. It is more nuanced when it involves spoken or unspoken words and actions.
The fundamental lesson many Jewish young adults are missing at this moment is that Jews can’t afford to be open-minded. Our existence depends on our ability to advocate for the state of Israel and call out Jew hatred on the Right and the Left. It insists that we use a particular lens with which to view the world- one that my own children might view as slightly paranoid, but that is essential to our survival. We need to examine what is not being said as much as what is. Silence in our case is far from golden. We need to hone our ability to identify a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In essence, we need to be able to identify a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And we need to teach our children to do the same.
