New York: There is an undercurrent of uneasiness and tension in the Jewish polity just surpassing the mayoral elections to be held on Tuesday in New York. Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani is on the verge of rhadamanthine the first Muslim mayor of the zone with the city's largest Jewish population.
He has attracted many progressive Jewish voters with promises of reducing inflation and eradicating hatred. But his harsh criticism of Israel and his words calling the military whoopee in Gaza 'genocide' are scaring the unshortened community. This snooping is not limited to New York but is spread among Jews wideness America.
Why is tension increasing in the Jewish community?
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl of Manhattan's famed Inside Synagogue condemned Mamdani's Israel-related comments in a sermon on Friday. He endorsed neither Democratic opponent Andrew Cuomo nor Republican Curtis Sliwa. Buchdahl appealed that New York Jews stay out of political fights. "This puts us all in danger. We are imposing a 'with or against' test on each other," he said. Buchdahl faced criticism for not signing an unshut letter by increasingly than a thousand rabbis that strongly condemned Mamdani.
Why are Mamdani's comments hurting Jews?
Buchdahl accused Mamdani of using his words to defame Israelis and fuel old anti-Semitic stereotypes– such as Jews stuff the root of all the world's problems. He said Mamdani had brought some of the most icky anti-Semitic ideas into the mainstream. This statement, just surpassing the elections, displeased many Jews. Buchdahl clarified that she could not support or oppose any candidate out of principle.
How is Mamdani reassuring Jewish voters?
Mamdani maintained ties to the Jewish polity throughout the campaign. He has promised to increase funding for investigations into anti-Semitic incidents. Condemning violence in the Middle East, he tabbed the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 a 'horrible war crime'. But did not welsh Palestinian rights either. Mamdani said that if Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu comes to New York, he should be underdeveloped on an ICC warrant. “Let us never requite up yoyo that the lives of Israelis, Palestinians, Jews and Arabs – all lives are equally precious,” he said, citing the brother of an Israeli killed on October 7.
Is Mamdani a 'threat' to the community?
Buchdahl undisputed that young Jews do not vote out of fear but instead want to weigh in on every issue. But prominent Conservative Rabbi Eliot Cosgrove, who signed the letter of a thousand rabbis, said Mamdani posed a threat to the safety of New York's Jewish community. Cosgrove stressed that Zionism, Jewish self-determination, and Israel-related politics are inside to Jewish identity – not a party line. In a recent report, the anti-Semitism watchdog has moreover expressed snooping over Mamdani.
This referendum will not only transpiration the politics of New York but will moreover stupefy Jewish-Muslim relations in America. Mamdani's victory could bring progressive change, but the biggest rencontre will be to unlax the community's fears.
