New York is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. Outside of Israel, no city has played a more important role in modern Jewish life. Jewish New Yorkers have helped build the city’s neighborhoods, schools, universities, hospitals, businesses, charities, and cultural institutions. For generations, New York has been a place where Jews could practice their faith openly, participate fully in civic life, and contribute to the success of the city they call home.

That legacy should never be taken for granted.

Today, Jewish communities across the United States are experiencing a surge in antisemitism unlike anything seen in decades. Synagogues have increased security. Jewish students report feeling isolated on college campuses. Jewish institutions face threats, harassment, vandalism, and, in some cases, violence. What was once dismissed as a fringe problem has become impossible to ignore.

The numbers are staggering.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, 2024 saw 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States, the highest annual total ever recorded by the organization. That represents a 344 percent increase over the past five years. New York recorded 1,437 incidents, more than any other state in the country. Antisemitic assaults in New York increased 52 percent in a single year and more than 500 percent over five years. These are not merely statistics. They represent real people being threatened, harassed, assaulted, and targeted because they are Jewish.

In this environment, public officials have a special responsibility. Their words matter. Their priorities matter. Their willingness to recognize the fears of vulnerable communities matters.

Many Jewish New Yorkers increasingly worry that some political leaders are failing that test.

Among those generating concern is Zohran Mamdani, one of the most prominent voices on the American left and a figure who has built much of his public profile around activism related to Israel and the Palestinian cause. His supporters view him as a principled advocate speaking out against injustice. His critics see something different: a politician whose rhetoric, they believe, minimizes Jewish concerns while amplifying narratives that contribute to social division and hostility.

Reasonable people can disagree about Israeli government policies. They can disagree about military operations, diplomacy, negotiations, or the future of the region. Those debates are legitimate and necessary in a democratic society.

The issue is not whether criticism of Israel should be permitted.

The issue is whether political leaders recognize the broader environment in which those discussions are taking place.

For many Jewish New Yorkers, that answer is increasingly unclear.

Since the October 7 massacre and the war that followed, public discourse surrounding Israel has become more polarized than at any time in recent memory. Political activists,........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)