NYC rabbis warn voters about mayoral candidate Mamdani’s Israel positions

As New York City approaches the election of a socialist candidate Zahran Mamdani As the city’s next mayor, Fox News Digital spoke to two of the city’s prominent rabbis who are publicly warning voters about the potential repercussions his positions and statements will have on Israel.

Rabbi Emil Hirsch, chief rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, told Fox News Digital that I posted a video Last week, he rejected Mamdani’s Israeli stance after seeing the evolving campaign “consistently express views” calling for “the dismantling of the Jewish state.”

“The idea that the mayor of New York, where there is such a large Jewish community, would take such positions is unprecedented in New York, and it poses a danger because this kind of vocal opposition to the existence of Israel, we’re not talking about policy differences, which is completely legitimate of course, but opposition to the very existence of Israel exacerbates and intensifies anti-Semitism, and puts an end to anti-Semitism. “The Jewish community is in danger,” Hirsch said.

“So I felt like there wasn’t enough focus on that and I thought it was important as an American Jewish leader and a Jewish leader in New York to talk about that.”

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Rabbi Emil Hirsch, left, spoke to Fox News Digital about why he’s concerned about New York City Democratic candidate Zahran Mamdani’s positions on Israel with less than two weeks until Election Day. (Shahar Azran, Fox News Digital)

Hersh told Fox News Digital that he felt his voice was useful in this conversation because in the fight against “people who want to destroy Israel,” he feels he represents “the vast majority of the American Jewish community and the American Jewish community.”

Mamdani has been widely criticized for the diversity of his statements and positions toward Israel, including his support for sanctions on Israel, his reluctance to categorically condemn the term “globalization of the uprising,” and his stance. – Not condemning Hamas In interviews. This pattern goes back to his undergraduate days at Bowdoin College, where he founded the Students for Justice Palestine chapter.

““Anyone who has paid attention over the past two years knows that such rhetoric has sparked a rise in anti-Semitism and violence against Jews,” Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson, chief rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, told Fox News Digital.

Hirsch and Davidson both More than 650 rabbis joined him This week in signing the “Rabbinical Call to Action: Defending the Jewish Future,” which declares their position that Jewish Americans “cannot remain silent” about discrimination against Jewish people.

“It’s a matter of deep concern because it’s always been a truism throughout the 20th century, and that’s true now as well,” Hersh told Fox News Digital about Mamdani’s position on Israel. “Inevitably, this kind of ideologically motivated anti-Zionism, this rejection of Israel’s right to exist, inevitably leads, in every case, to increased anti-Semitism.”

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Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zahran Mamdani speaks during an interview on Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum” on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in New York City. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

“And it does it in our country, too. To normalize that at the highest levels of government is extremely dangerous, deeply troubling, and un-American.”

During Wednesday night’s mayoral debate, Saliwa said New York’s Jews view Mamdani as “an arsonist who fanned the flames of anti-Semitism” and accused him of supporting “global jihad.” New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand issued a resolution Apology earlier this year On charges of “mischaracterizing Mamdani’s record” when she made the same motion.

“I have never, not once, spoken about supporting global jihad,” Mamdani said. “That’s not what I said and it’s still being attributed to me. And frankly, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I’m the first Muslim candidate that’s about to win this election.”

When asked if Mamdani had any regrets about his “long-standing” anti-Israel views, the Democratic socialist reiterated his commitment to protecting Jewish New Yorkers.

Speaking with Fox News Digital, Davidson addressed the suggestion Mamdani made during the debate that his Islamic faith was the driving force behind the criticism directed at him.

New York City rabbis warn that the social Democratic candidate for mayor of New York poses a danger to Jews in New York

The Empire State Building in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

““This is not at all about Islamophobia, it’s about legitimate alarm about Assemblyman Mamdani’s positions, and I think it’s important to clarify that distinction,” Davidson said. “New York is the most culturally diverse city in the world, and we take pride in that diversity.” And as I wroteI think it would be an extraordinary achievement for New York to elect a Muslim mayor. But Mr. Mamdani causes me great concern, and has caused great fear for many in the Jewish community.“

Fox News Digital asked Hersh what he would say to Mamdani if ​​he could spend a few minutes with him, and he said he would address two main points.

“First, I would like to convey, as best I can in the short time we have together, the history of the Jewish people, why the State of Israel was created in the first place, what function it serves, and how Jews relate to the State of Israel,” Hirsch said. “And then I will try to explain to him the relationship between these anti-Zionist positions and the views and actions he took and the impact on anti-Semitism.”

Meanwhile, Davidson said such a meeting with Mamdani would be necessary to ensure he does so Protecting New York’s Jewish residents If he is elected. He said New York City’s rabbis “will have to work with him” to help Mamdani understand why so many Jewish New Yorkers are concerned.

“He will have to, now, acknowledge that the language he used to condemn Israel as genocidal, declaring that Israel should not be a Jewish state, and not answer unequivocally when it comes to disarming Hamas. He will have to admit that all of that was inappropriate and wrong and harmful to the Jewish community. At this point, I don’t know if he’s willing to do that, because I think those are the things that he actually wants.” “He thinks,” Davidson said.

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New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zahran Mamdani answers reporters’ questions after the final mayoral debate on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, before Election Day. (Fox News Digital/Deirdre Heavy)

On Wednesday, Mamdani I issued a call to Jewish voters in the form of a message in Yiddish in which he explained: “I had the honor of meeting members of the Orthodox Jewish community.”

“I still have a lot to learn, but this was a great introduction to an important and valuable part of what makes New York so amazing.”

the Latest Fox News pollThe election, held from October 10 to 14, ahead of the first general election debate last week, revealed that Mamdani had made a significant lead in the race.

According to the poll, Mamdani leads by 21 points among the candidates New York City Registered voters, with 49% of voters supporting Mamdani, while 28% voted for Cuomo and 13% voted for Sliwa. Mamdani also rose above the 50% threshold among likely voters, receiving 52% support, while Cuomo got 28% and Sliwa got just 14%.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.