NEW YORK — Ron Dov, an American-Israeli, watched his progressive LGBTQ community in New York City embrace anti-Israel politics following the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of Israel and ensuing war in Gaza.

A chat group he had been in for years, focused on event tickets for the gay community, became a forum for anti-Zionism and accusations of genocide in Gaza. Any view that did not align with that consensus was immediately dismissed, Dov said, adding that the group had never before discussed politics.

Anti-Zionist activism came to the fore in community events such as NYC Pride and the Dyke March, and in queer art spaces and LGBTQ college clubs.

Prior to October 7, Dov said he had not experienced any similar issues in the LGBTQ community.

“I was like, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’” said Dov, a 39-year-old with dual American-Israeli citizenship. “The LGBTQ community is probably the most anti-Israel and anti-Zionist community, and they’re the community that’s supposed to be the most welcoming, most understanding, and it’s become the exact opposite.”

Dov began preparing a move to Israel due to the antisemitism and hatred toward Israel he witnessed in the LGBTQ community. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s rise last year sealed the deal for his decision to leave, Dov said. He made aliyah, or immigrated to Israel, in December 2025, weeks after Mamdani won the general election.

Mamdani’s win spurred discourse among Jewish New Yorkers about leaving the city, some of whom have followed through, decamping to Israel or nearby US states. Those who left pointed to multiple factors, including antisemitism on the streets and in schools, anti-Israel protests and the political climate.

The New York City primary election wins last month by Mamdani-backed anti-Israel candidates have solidified the decision for those who moved or are in the process of relocating.

Asked this month if he had any regrets about leaving, Dov said, “Zero. Oh my God, 0.000%.”

Dov is not the only Jewish New Yorker who has left due to politics and antisemitism.

Robin Reiter, a single parent to a teenage son, moved from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to Jersey City, New Jersey, on June 26, three days after the primary elections. She cited antisemitism, concerns with the city’s public schools and politics as motivating her decision to leave.

“I was very sure as soon as [Mamdani] got elected that I was done,” Reiter said.

Mamdani, who identifies as an anti-Zionist, has made anti-Israel activism central to his politics. His ascendancy marked a sea change in New York City, where support for Israel in City Hall had been a given for generations. The recent Democratic Party primary wins by a trio of Israel critics indicated his victory was not a one-off.

The political transformation came after “thousands” of anti-Israel protests on city streets, antisemitic incidents in city schools and a spike in anti-Jewish hate crimes in the city, where Jews are targeted........

© The Times of Israel