Divided Jewish leaders react with warnings and hope as New York elects its first Muslim mayor

New York City has elected its first Muslim mayor, a development that has elicited a divided reaction from Jewish leaders. Some, like the Anti-Defamation League and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, expressed deep concern, citing the mayor-elect's past criticisms of Israel and associations with individuals accused of antisemitism. They vowed to monitor his administration closely to protect Jewish residents amidst a rise in antisemitic incidents. Conversely, other Jewish organizations, such as J Street, Bend The Arc: Jewish Action, and IfNotNow, welcomed the election and criticized the warnings as fearmongering. They believe in engaging constructively with the new mayor and emphasized the importance of a strong democracy for Jewish safety, arguing that political rhetoric had weaponized antisemitism. The Israel-Hamas war was a significant issue during the campaign, with the mayor-elect consistently criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza. Despite this, he also denounced the October 7th Hamas attack and denied accusations of being insufficiently opposed to antisemitism, vowing to combat it and increase funding for hate crime prevention. Jewish voters were divided, with a majority supporting the mayor-elect's rival, while a significant... download the app to read more