On January first, Zohran Mamdani, with his hand on a Quran, was sworn into office as the mayor of New York City. According to JPPI\u2019s Voice of the Jewish People Index for November, following Mamdani\u2019s victory in the election, a majority of American Jews expressed concern and the belief that with his election New York\u2019s Jewish population is less safe than it was before. In just the first few days of his mayorship, Mamdani has made several changes in New York in regards to Jewry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the mayor\u2019s first acts in office was to revoke and tweak executive orders made by his predecessor, Mayor Eric Adams. Some of these revoked executive orders had to do with Judaism, the State of Israel, or antisemitism. One such order by former Mayor Adams had New York City adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance\u2019s definition of Zionism: \u201cAntisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and\/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.\u201d Alongside the definition was a slew of examples of possible manifestations of antisemitism, including \u201ccalling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews,\u201d \u201cclaiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,\u201d and \u201cholding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.\u201d With the revoking of this executive order, there is currently no official definition of antisemitism in New York City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another executive order that Zohran Mamdani overturned was Executive Order 60, barring any \u201cagency heads, agency chief contracting officers, and any other Mayoral appointees with discretion over contracting\u201d from engaging with BDS against Israel, or the \u201ccalls to boycott, divest from, and sanction the State of Israel.\u201d This was done with \u201ceconomic and social ties\u201d in mind. As the executive order acknowledged, \u201cthe City of New York is home to the largest Jewish community outside of the State of Israel, maintaining deep-seated ties to Israel rooted in decades of economic and social cooperation.\u201d Executive Order 60 enabled disciplinary action against agency employees who engaged with BDS or discriminated against the State of Israel or Israelis. Mayor Zohran Mamdani rescinded this executive order, which aimed to protect Israeli people and a country with \u201cstrong economic and social ties with the City of New York.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, one major change by Mayor Eric Adams in regards to the Jewry of New York City was not removed by the new mayor. Specifically, Mamdani issued an executive order that maintained the Office to Combat Antisemitism that Adams had instituted in May. In Mamdani\u2019s Executive Order 02, section thirteen is titled, \u201cOffice to Combat Antisemitism,\u201d and outlines the office in the same way Adams\u2019s Executive Order 51 did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Mamdani\u2019s order has one significant difference from Adams\u2019s, specifically the omission of a crucial line in Adams\u2019s outlining of the office:<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Office will also monitor court cases and outcomes at all levels of the justice system, liaise with the New York City Law Department on appropriate cases to bring or join, and work across agencies to address incidents and ensure New Yorkers feel protected.\u201d The reasons behind this alteration of the office\u2019s mission has not been stated. In addition to this alteration, the original document outlining the office, Eric Adam\u2019s Executive Order 51, had a list of \u201cWHEREAS\u201d clauses, outlining the reasoning for and intention behind the order. In Mamdani\u2019s these reasons are absent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zohran Mamdani made a promise to the people of New York City. \u201cI will protect you,\u201d Mamdani said in his inaugural address. He painted an image of the city that he imagines, with his supporters who are incredibly diverse. He promises them all protection. Yet, with the revocation of Adam\u2019s executive orders aimed at protecting Jews, and the significant alteration of the Office to Combat Antisemitism, Mamdani shows a different picture. He tells a different story than the one he promised, where his supporters \u201cwill pray in mosques, at shul, at church, at Gurdwaras and Mandirs and temples.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n New York City is home to the largest population of Jews outside of the State of Israel. The decisions of Mayor Mamdani impact Jews in NYC and reflect broader trends of antisemitism, specifically trends to boycott and divest the only Jewish state. The reasons given for decisions are never given as clear cut as antisemitic beliefs. But eliminating a definition of antisemitism that highlights the key difference between the actions performed by the State of Israel and all Jews muddies that message. Does Zohran Mamdani believe that engaging with BDS against the State of Israel is not antisemitism because it’s not an attack on Jews but on a state? And if so, why did he remove the definition of Antisemitism that makes that clear? In addition, eliminating the clause in an executive order that allows the Office to Combat Antisemitism to monitor the judicial system to \u201caddress incidents and ensure New Yorkers feel protected\u201d shows another side. With a broad rise in Antisemetic sentiment, many Jews may wonder what the reasoning behind that decision was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere else could a Muslim kid like me grow up eating bagels and lox every Sunday?\u201d asked Zohran Mamdani during his inaugural address. He asked the question rhetorically to highlight New York City\u2019s diversity and inclusivity. To live up to his promise of a New York for all New Yorkers, Mamdani will need to protect the Jewish population despite his revocations and modifications of protective executive orders issued by former mayor Eric Adams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What does the mayorship of Zohran Mamdani mean for Jews? 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