A major national organization focused on combating antisemitism sharply criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s handling of Jewish community concerns during his first 100 days in office, pointing to what it described as troubling policy decisions and insufficient action, the NY Post reports.
The Anti-Defamation League said that while Mamdani has spoken about opposing antisemitism, his actions early in his administration raise significant red flags.
“Mayor Mamdani wants credit for fighting antisemitism, but the policies, programs, and personnel that he has put in place in his first 100 days give us serious cause for concern,” Scott Richman, the NY-NJ regional director for the ADL told The Post.
“He has both neglected to proactively protect Jews and rescinded key antisemitism protections while calling himself a mayor committed to the Jewish community,” Richman said.
Soon after assuming office, Mamdani rolled back several executive orders enacted by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including measures that prohibited city agencies from participating in boycotts or divestment efforts targeting Israel.
Another policy reversal involved scrapping an order that adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which Adams had said was intended to prevent “demonizing Israel and holding it to double standards as forms of contemporary antisemitism.”
Mamdani, a vocal critic of Israel, supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians. He has also appeared alongside activists viewed by critics as promoting antisemitic rhetoric, including Hasan Piker.
The ADL has long maintained that the BDS movement constitutes antisemitism because it seeks to undermine Israel’s legitimacy and economy.
“ADL believes that many of the founding goals of the BDS movement, which effectively reject or ignore the Jewish people’s right of self-determination, or that, if implemented, would result in the eradication of the world’s only Jewish state, are antisemitic,” the group says on its website.
Richman suggested that Mamdani could begin repairing relations with the Jewish community by approving legislation passed by the City Council that would authorize the NYPD to establish buffer zones preventing protests near entrances to synagogues and other houses of worship.
The proposal followed a violent confrontation outside the Park East Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side last November.
“ADL will continue to hold Mayor Mamdani accountable for his promises to be a mayor for all New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers. He can start by signing the buffer zone bills passed by the New York City Council,” he said.
Additional concerns among Jewish leaders have centered on statements and actions attributed to Mamdani’s wife, first lady Rama Duwaji, which have fueled unease within the community.
Duwaji, a professional illustrator, created artwork for the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America as part of a campaign titled “PalestineOnTheBallot.com.”
Past social media activity linked to Duwaji has also drawn attention, including interactions with posts that praised Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, supported Palestinian militants, and criticized the U.S. military.
She has also contributed illustrations to the work of an author accused of making antisemitic remarks, including referring to Jewish people as “vampires.”
Some elected officials have urged Mamdani to moderate his rhetoric on Israel, warning that it risks inflaming antisemitic sentiment.
“His opinions on Israel are unconscionable. Some of the comments unintentionally contributed to antisemitism,” said Councilman Simcha Felder, who represents heavily orthodox Jewish neighborhoods in southern Brooklyn, including Borough Park, Flatbush, Gravesend, Mapleton, and Midwood.
Felder argued that many people see Judaism and Israel as closely linked, meaning accusations against Israel can have broader repercussions for Jews.
“The concept that there is a distinction between the two doesn’t hold water,” Felder said.
When asked what Mamdani should do differently, Felder offered blunt advice.
“Stop acting as if you are the US ambassador to the United Nations,” he said.
Polling has also reflected dissatisfaction among Jewish voters. A recent Marist College survey found that only 38% of Jewish respondents viewed Mamdani favorably, while 55% held an unfavorable opinion—making them the only religious group in the city to rate him negatively.
Brooklyn Assemblyman Kalman Yeger echoed those concerns, giving the mayor a failing grade on issues related to antisemitism and relations with the Jewish community.
“He continues to platform antisemites, gaslight the Jewish community, has appointed renowned Jew haters to positions of authority, and endorsed Jew aters for public office. I don’t think he’s even trying for a good grade,” Yeger said.
At the same time, some voices within the Jewish community have called for engagement rather than confrontation.
Michael Nussbaum, a longtime member of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said, “The Jewish community is still trying to find a way to work with the mayor. The mayor needs to open a dialogue with the larger Jewish community, not just one faction.”
Nussbaum also credited Mamdani with certain efforts, including cooperation with law enforcement leadership and involvement in plans for a Holocaust memorial in Queens.
“It’s a story still to be written,” he said of Mamdani and the Jewish community.
City Hall pushed back on the criticism, defending the mayor’s record and emphasizing ongoing outreach efforts to Jewish residents.
“Since taking office, Mayor Mamdani has made it a priority to consistently show up for and build relationships across New York City’s Jewish communities — listening deeply, celebrating holidays together, and engaging with the full richness of Jewish life across neighborhoods and traditions,” said Phylisa Wisdom, executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism. “Every day, his administration is working to protect and support Jewish New Yorkers, because that work is inseparable from our broader mission: building a safer, more affordable, and truly inclusive city for all.”
