Everything You Need To Know About NYC's Mayoral Candidates And Where They Stand On Israel, Antisemitism
The Jewish community in New York is the largest outside of Israel, home to about one million Jews in NYC alone, who have been the targets of 62% of hate crimes in the first quarter of 2025.
Jews make up 16% of the primary electorate, according to The Forward, and while certainly not a monolith, the Jewish vote is undoubtedly one these candidates are courting.
I scoured the internet to find out everything I could about each candidate and where they stand on Israel, antisemitism, and years worth of their actions on the subjects.
There are links to articles, proposals, interviews and debates throughout so you can read every detail for yourself.
You can watch the mayoral candidate forum for the Jewish community below:
Now…onto the candidates. They’re listed in order of ranking according to recent polling.
ANDREW CUOMO
FORMER NEW YORK GOVERNOR
Cuomo brought up antisemitism upon launching his campaign.
“Nothing justifies racism and antisemitism…They helped build this city. It is their home and they must feel safe. Our New York City should not be tolerating any harassment or disparagement of our Jewish brothers and sisters and certainly not from our elected officials.”
Cuomo has said anti-Zionism is antisemitism and called it the most serious and “the most important issue” in the campaign.
Governor Cuomo
He visited in 2014 during another war with Hamas and has served as the grand marshal of the city’s Israel Day parade.
As governor, he signed an executive order banning the state from investing in companies that choose to boycott Israel. He also provided additional security funding for the Jewish community and its institutions. In 2016, he created a hate crimes unit for New York state police and in 2020, he proposed legislation that equates hate crimes including antisemitism to domestic terrorism.
Antisemitism
Cuomo gave a speech back in April, hitting on the current state of affairs.
A couple quotes:
“I am here to say that I am sorry. I am sorry for the pain and anguish you felt on October 7 and every day since. I’m sorry for any antisemitism you have experienced and the repugnant behavior of demonstrators masked as Hamas that you have endured. I’m sorry if you have not felt safe on the streets right here in your own hometown.”
“I’m sorry for my mistaken assumption that widespread antisemitism could never happen again in modern sophisticated, educated society, and certainly not in New York City.”
Wearing a hostage pin at the last debate, Cuomo said Israel would be his first trip abroad.
Cuomo has been criticized for being opportunistic in taking on this issue by his opponents, particularly Jewish candidates Brad Lander and Scott Stringer. More on that later.
October 7th Posts
Cuomo also was behind an ad campaign called Never Again, Now! ahead of the 2024 election hitting protestors and condemning Hamas.
Lawsuit
Cuomo has struggled with the Hasidic community from his time as governor, when he imposed blanket gathering restrictions, including at houses of worship. Agudath Israel of America sued him in federal court saying his pandemic restrictions were discriminatory.
Jewish Endorsements
Cuomo has been endorsed by parts of the Hasidic movement, the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance and the Sephardic Community Federation.
ZOHRAN MAMDANI
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
Mamdani is arguably the most controversial figure in the field when it comes to these issues.
In recent weeks, Mamdani has struggled to thread the needle on Israel. He’s the only candidate who said he wouldn’t visit the Jewish state, but instead intends to focus on New Yorkers. “I believe you need not travel to Israel to stand up for Jewish New Yorkers,” he said during the first debate, though every NYC mayor since Israel’s establishment has visited. When asked which country he’d visit first as mayor, he declined to name any nation.
In a recent interview on Good Day New York, and in one of the mayoral debates, Mamdani said he supports Israel’s right to exist, but not as a Jewish state. He mentioned he supports a state with equal rights, declining to acknowledge that Arab citizens of Israel have equal rights to Jews.
College
Though just 33 years old, Mamdani’s views on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict are well documented. He co-founded the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at Bowdoin College, where he attended.
He penned this article in the campus paper, stating, “This academic and cultural boycott aims to bring under scrutiny the actions of the Israeli government and to put pressure on Israeli institutions to end the oppressive occupation and racist policies within both Israel and occupied Palestine.”
Mamdani has identified as an anti-Zionist and continued his BDS support into adulthood.
NY Assembly
In 2023, he introduced legislation called the “Not On Our Dime Act,” which would have prohibited non-profits from using tax deductible donations to support organizations that support what he calls the “occupation of the Palestinian West Bank.”
Mamdani has dealt with A LOT of blowback for not signing onto a resolution commemorating the Holocaust, nor a separate resolution honoring Israel and condemning the Holocaust. He was one of five members of the 150-person body who didn’t sign on to the annual resolutions.
His team said his views were in line with the first resolution but that he hadn’t signed onto any resolutions that year. A quick search finds he did sign onto multiple resolutions this year including Women’s History Month, Black History Month and Lunar New Year. He didn’t sign onto the Holocaust resolution in 2023 or 2024 either, but did in 2021.
His campaign spokesman, Andrew Epstein, told Politico, “Mamdani opted against backing the Israel measure because it says the country “continues to strive for peace with security and dignity for itself, its neighbors and throughout the world. That is belied by the conduct of the right-wing government over the past 18 months.”
He did recognize International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Twitter.
Mamdani, clearly recognizing the damage this resolution situation caused, put out this video and says he’s committed the most amount of money of any candidate to fighting antisemitism.
October 7th Posts
Mamdani’s initial statement following October 7th criticized the declaration of war and called for “ending the occupation and dismantling apartheid.”
Mamdani is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, whose initial response to 10/7 was calling the massacre “a direct result of Israel’s apartheid regime.” It’s rally the very same weekend drew widespread criticism, including from Mamdani who criticized it according to a Politico article.
In an interview Tuesday with The Bulwark, he said the phrase “globalize the intifada,” is an expression of Palestinian rights. He also declined to criticize the phrase commonly chanted at protests, “From the river to the sea.” “I know people for whom those things mean very different things, and to me ultimately what I hear in so many is a desperate desire for equality…” he said about the phrases.
The apolitical Holocaust Museum responded to his comments — incredibly rare.
He acknowledges rising antisemitic violence and says more needs to be done to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe.
Endorsements
He’s earned endorsements “The Jewish Vote” and Jewish Voices for Peace. He’s also courted sects of the Orthodox community.
Also Noteworthy:
Mamdani sat down with Hasan Piker, telling him he believes Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza. Watch the clip linked, beginning at 57:52. Piker has been accused of amplifying antisemitism on Twitch. He’s called a Jewish man a “bloodthirsty pig dog,” and said the Orthodox Jews are “inbred.”
Mamdani’s father, a professor at Columbia University, has called for an end to Israel in its current state.
“For the longterm security of a Jewish homeland in historic Palestine requires the dismantling of the Jewish state,” he said in a speech.
He has also been endorsed by Linda Sarsour.
BRAD LANDER
NEW YORK CITY COMPTROLLER
Lander, who is Jewish, has a fairly thin record when it comes to Israel. He’s called himself a “liberal Zionist who fiercely opposes the occupation.”
Lander has attended Israeli-led protests calling for a ceasefire as early as November 2023, just before the first temporary ceasefire was put in place. He regularly attends rallies in Union Square calling for a ceasefire and release of hostages.
Lander co-founded “New York Jewish Agenda” in 2020 to amplify “the voice of Jewish community leaders whose shared values motivate them to promote social justice, combat antisemitism, and support a democratic vision of Israel” in 2020.
He put out this proposal in March relating to public safety, acknowledging most hate crimes are targeting Jews. “I take that very seriously as the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in city government, and will do everything I can to combat it as mayor,” he told the Times of Israel.
Here’s an excerpt from a piece in The Forward:
“I have tried to walk those words of Rabbi Hillel, Im ein ani li mi li, uch’sheani l’atsmi, ma’ani?” Lander said. The well-known phrase translates as “If I am not for myself, who am I, and if I am only for myself, what am I?”
“That’s why I’ve stood up proudly for the vision of a Jewish and democratic Israel, against those who would erase it,” Lander said. “That’s why I’ve met with dozens of hostage families, and keep them close to my heart.”
According to the article, he’s also called for a permanent ceasefire and “the ongoing apartheid of life in the West Bank.”
Criticism
Lander has remained supportive of some activists who oppose Israel, drawing specific criticism from Jews in his former district for support of City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif who has been critical of Israel and was arrested at a DSA rally just days after 10/7. She also participated in Columbia’s encampment. Years before, she retweeted a post calling to “Globalize the Intifada.” She eventually removed the post.
He endorsed her less than one month ago.
Lander and his fellow Jewish opponent Scott Stringer have been critical of Andrew Cuomo’s response to antisemitism, saying he’s weaponized it for political gain.
October 7th Posts
Endorsements
Lander has been endorsed by “The Jewish Vote” and Jews for Racial & Economic Justice.
ADRIENNE ADAMS
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER
Adams, too, doesn’t have a very deep portfolio relating to Israel or the Jewish community, but has participated in various forums over the years and has condemned antisemitic violence, even before October 7th.
In her time in public office, she’s commemorated dates on the Jewish calendar including the anniversary of Kristallnacht and has attended a Passover seder with Holocaust survivors.
She skipped a trip to Israel in 2022, but said she supported and was proud of her colleagues who did. Adams justified missing the trip, saying she needed to focus on the budget back home.
Adams has said Israel would be her first trip abroad as mayor.
Speakership
She caught flack from both sides after October 7th for banning signs or flags in the council chamber. Some members had hostage posters hung on their desks.
The NY Post first reported she drew up a resolution calling for a ceasefire.
Jewish Insider then reported the vote was delayed indefinitely, after numerous officials including House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reached out.
She spoke out after two Israeli embassy staffers were murdered in May.
October 7th Posts
Endorsements
Adams received a highly coveted endorsement from the Borough Park Hasidic community. She has defended orthodox yeshivas and their importance. There was an opening for this group to be courted by democratic candidates because Mayor Eric Adams is running as an independent. They helped him win the race in 2021.
SCOTT STRINGER
FORMER NYC COMPTROLLER
Stringer, who is Jewish, was difficult to track down on various stances.
He said Israel would be his first trip abroad. He went while serving as comptroller, saying in a statement at the time, “Our trip strengthened the longstanding ties of friendship and solidarity between New York City and Israel and helped us to forge closer links between our City’s Latino community and the Israeli people.”
“I am, in my heart, a Zionist,” he has said. “I believe that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state.”
Stringer says BDS is not only anti-Israel, but antisemitic. At one point, Stringer was supported by some officials affiliated with DSA, but now calls them “antisemitic idiots.”
“For the first time as a Jew, I realized that things would never be the same,” he said of watching the news of the attack, according to a report in Forward.
As mayor, Stringer says he plans to partner with the ADL to monitor social media posts during emergencies, particularly those which involve Israel or Jewish institutions.
October 7th Posts:
Stringer’s lone tweet comes in reaction to the DSA protest the day following the attack.
Endorsements:
Stringer has been endorsed by the West Side Democrats.
Also Noteworthy:
Stringer’s wife works at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
ZELLNOR MYRIE
NEW YORK STATE SENATOR
Myrie grew up in Crown Heights, a very heavily Jewish area of Brooklyn, and attributes his perspective to that upbringing. He has been quick to call out the rise in antisemitism in New York and across the country, and has advocated for increasing hate crime prevention funding.
October 7th Posts
He has condemned some of the pro-Palestinian protests, particularly the ones where Jews were attacked.
Endorsements:
Myrie has earned the endorsements of the Flatbush JCC, the Crown Heights Jewish Community, Williamsburg Hasidic Community, United Jewish Community of Staten Island, Belz Hasidic leaders in Borough Park.
Also Noteworthy:
Myrie has also discussed expanding New York state public education on Jewish history.
WHITNEY TILSON
BUSINESSMAN
Tilson, the only candidate who hasn’t held political office, has a relatively thin record on Israel and antisemitism in terms of public statements. He doesn’t appear to have had Twitter on October 7th.
Donning a yellow hostage pin at the debate, Tilson says he’d make Israel his first trip abroad as mayor. Tilson is married to a Jewish woman and participated in the Israel Day parade with her.
He was especially critical of university responses to antisemitism on campus, particularly at Harvard.
Tilson made this statement after two Israeli embassy staffers were murdered in Washington, D.C. last month.
He has gone after Mamdani specifically on this issue — especially for referring to Israel’s war with Hamas as a genocide and for “being out there even in the days after Oct. 7, before Israel had even responded, he was out there leading protests,” according to an interview with the New York Times.
Some other posts relating to Israel, and also to the recent war with Iran:
If you’ve made it this far, Mazel Tov — hope it was informative. If you appreciated the content, I’d appreciate you sharing and subscribing!
Photos of each candidate are from their Twitter accounts.