New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani fired back Wednesday at the Anti-Defamation League’s announcement that it would closely monitor his administration, dismissing the move while insisting that combating antisemitism remains a top priority for his incoming government.
Speaking to reporters one day after his election victory, Mamdani said he had not met with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt but rejected suggestions that he is indifferent to Jewish concerns. “I take the issue of antisemitism incredibly seriously,” he said, emphasizing that his commitment to fighting hate was clearly stated in his post-election remarks.
“In my victory speech,” he noted, “I spoke about how my City Hall will stand steadfast with Jewish New Yorkers in fighting antisemitism across the city and making that clear in the actions that we deliver on January 1st.”
The mayor-elect went on to stress that his approach will be rooted in partnership with the city’s Jewish community. “I look forward to working with Jewish leaders across this city, whether they’re elected officials, rabbis, or community leaders, to deliver on the promise of not just protecting Jewish New Yorkers, but celebrating and cherishing them in the same city,” Mamdani said.
Asked about the ADL’s new monitoring project, Mamdani said the organization was free to review his policies, but questioned its fairness. “Anyone is free to catalogue my administration’s actions,” he remarked, “but I have doubts in Jonathan’s ability to do so honestly, given that he previously said that I had not visited any synagogues, only to have to correct himself.”
The ADL, meanwhile, defended its initiative as a necessary measure amid a sharp rise in antisemitic activity across New York. “Mayor-Elect Mamdani has promoted antisemitic narratives, associated with individuals who have a history of antisemitism, and demonstrated intense animosity toward the Jewish state,” Greenblatt said in a statement. “We are deeply concerned that those individuals and principles will influence his administration.”
As part of its campaign, the ADL announced a new citywide hotline for reporting antisemitic incidents, expanded research to identify municipal policies that may endanger Jewish communities, and the launch of a “Mamdani Monitor” to track City Hall’s actions. The group pointed to data showing 976 antisemitic incidents in New York City in 2024—the highest number nationwide—and warned that more than half of all hate crimes that year targeted Jews.
Greenblatt underscored that the effort was about transparency and vigilance, saying the ADL “will hold the Mamdani Administration accountable to this basic standard.”
{Matzav.com}
Chaos broke out in the Knesset on Wednesday when Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Yakov Margi erupted in anger after MK Samir Bin Said of the Ta’al party used his time at the podium to express support for Zohran Mamdani, the newly elected mayor of New York City known for his anti-Israel views.
Margi immediately intervened, demanding that Bin Said leave the stage. “Get off the podium, you insolent man,” Margi shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber as members of both sides shouted over one another.
He condemned Bin Said’s remarks, calling it disgraceful for a member of the Israeli parliament to endorse someone who has openly stood with Israel’s enemies. “A member of the Israeli Knesset stands here and congratulates an antisemitic terror supporter who can’t even bring himself to condemn the massacre and the murder of infants,” Margi fumed.
{Matzav.com}
Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday dismissed what he called “idiotic” overreactions within the Republican Party following a series of Democratic victories in high-profile races across the country, including the New York City mayoral race and gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia.
In a post on X, Vance urged Republicans to keep perspective, arguing that the results in traditionally blue states should not spark panic. “I think it’s idiotic to overreact to a couple of elections in blue states,” he wrote, before outlining several takeaways for the GOP moving forward.
“Scot Pressler, TPUSA, and a bunch of others have been working hard to register voters,” Vance noted. “I said it in 2022, and I’ve said it repeatedly since: our coalition is ‘lower propensity,’ and that means we have to do better at turning out voters than we have in the past.”
Vance emphasized the administration’s economic progress, saying Republicans must stay focused on “the home front.” “The president has done a lot that has already paid off in lower interest rates and lower inflation,” he wrote. “But we inherited a disaster from Joe Biden and Rome wasn’t built in a day. We’re going to keep on working to make a decent life affordable in this country, and that’s the metric by which we’ll ultimately be judged in 2026 and beyond.”
The vice president also cautioned against party infighting, calling it “stupid” and counterproductive. “I care about my fellow citizens—particularly young Americans—being able to afford a decent life, I care about immigration and our sovereignty, and I care about establishing peace overseas so our resources can be focused at home,” Vance said. “If you care about those things too, let’s work together.”
{Matzav.com}
Dear Friends,
It’s the day after.
The day after an election that brought forth passion, emotion, heart…and worry.
It also spawned tefillah, achdus, and achrayus.
And as Yidden, we know exactly how to behave on a day after. Three words, in this week’s parshah, tell us: V’Avraham shav limkomo, And Avraham went back to his place (Bereishis 18:33).
Avraham launched the campaign of campaigns, advocating, petitioning, negotiating and pleading for the people of S’dom. He did serious hishtadlus. And then he lost.
And the next day, he went back to his place.
Nothing had changed.
Avraham thought that one way was best, and so his job was to do the maximum hishtadlus possible, but ultimately, decisions are made not by humans, but by their Borei, and He thought differently.
Today, we dust ourselves off, and we remind ourselves of the advice in R’ Yisrael Salanter’s famous letter to askanim: not to grow tired, not to become angry, and nisht vellen oisfeeren, not to have a need to “win.”
Campaigns come with wins and losses, ups and down, and the need to instantly triumph can break a person.
Now, we hold on to the tremendous acquisitions we made: every tefillah is a gift that will serve as well. The achdus and cooperation between organizations, communities and individuals is a wall of protection that surrounds us. The extraordinary numbers of people that went out, both in New York and in New Jersey, sent a resounding message about our community, their loyalty and their values. The askanim, including those from Agudath Israel, who drove the “get out of the vote” campaign, the schools and kehillos that urged registration – they have created a force to be reckoned with, and that is a more significant win than getting one candidate or another in office.
And finally, we have to hold on to the emunah- the conviction that we don’t know what is ultimately best for us, and that our projections and forecasts mean nothing.
The askanim, those who represent our interests in the halls of power, will, b’siyyata dishmaya, figure out how to work with this administration as well, just as they always have, and if it is with a bit more reserve and humility – remembering that we are, after all, in galus- then we are only stronger as a result.
Avraham did accomplish with his seemingly unsuccessful campaign. Lot was saved. From Lot, came Dovid Hamelech, whose music plays for us through this long galus, from whose offspring will come Mashiach.
Dovid Hamelech wrote Sefer Tehillim, the greatest source of comfort to Yidden!
Ki tov Hashem, le’olam chasdo. The Chidushei Harim says that the world is called an “olam” because the truth is “ne’alam”, hidden: we see so little, but we know it’s all chassadim, and so we sing on.
May we always have reasons to give thanks!
Shloime Werdiger
Chairman of the Board, Agudath Israel of America
The voters have spoken, and Agudath Israel of America congratulates those elected this election cycle.
Amongst the stories in this election is the remarkable turnout of the Orthodox Jewish community in New York City. Hundreds of thousands participated — including many first-time registrants and voters. Community organizations in Flatbush, Queens, Borough Park, Far Rockaway, and throughout the city galvanized, with Agudath Israel, in a proactive, multi-pronged get-out-the-vote effort. This significant level of engagement, which even exceeded the already higher turnout in the general population, reflects a deep sense of responsibility. It demonstrates a firm understanding that our community’s voice, expressed at the ballot box, is both meaningful and necessary.
These hundreds of thousands of voters were driven by profound concerns. They were animated by rising antisemitism, and the safety and security of their families, their institutions, and their neighborhoods. Their robust participation was an emphatic statement that these issues must not be ignored.
In his victory speech last night, Mayor-elect Mamdani vowed to “build a City Hall that stands steadfast alongside Jewish New Yorkers and does not waver in the fight against the scourge of antisemitism.” Agudath Israel — representing the concerns of hundreds of thousands of community members — will work with the administration to ensure that this commitment is fully honored. We will engage with the incoming administration constructively, as we continue our decades-long advocacy on behalf of our families, our schools, and our way of life.
At the same time, while we must do our part and participate fully in civic life and perform our hishtadlus as we did, as Torah Jews we place our ultimate trust in the Creator. We recognize that, even as we act responsibly, our future remains fully in His hands.
{Matzav.com}
Robert Tucker, New York City’s Jewish fire commissioner, submitted his resignation Wednesday morning—less than 24 hours after anti-Israel Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani secured his win, according to The New York Post.
Tucker, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, informed city officials that he will officially leave his post on December 19, concluding a little over a year of service. Sources indicated that he intends to return to his previous role overseeing his private security company, T&M, which he founded and led prior to joining Mayor Eric Adams’ administration.
The timing of his resignation drew attention, coming just hours before Tucker was scheduled to depart for Israel to meet with a senior fire commissioner there. His decision to step down so suddenly sparked questions, though The Post reported that his reasons remain unclear. Efforts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful.
Appointed as the FDNY’s 35th commissioner in August 2024, Tucker succeeded Laura Kavanagh, whose leadership was marked by controversy and internal turbulence within the department.
Mayor Adams praised Tucker when he assumed the role, saying, “Commissioner Tucker brings decades of experience in protecting public safety to this role, as well as strong personal ties to the FDNY.”
Before entering public service, Tucker built his reputation in both law enforcement and business. He launched T&M in 1999 after serving as a special assistant in the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Beyond his professional career, Tucker has been deeply active in philanthropy, notably as secretary of the FDNY Foundation. He has been recognized by the New York Board of Rabbis and Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City for his communal and charitable contributions.
{Matzav.com}
