As New York City enters 2026, Jewish communities across all five boroughs are approaching the new year with heightened concern and unease.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose past remarks questioning Israel’s legitimacy and statements widely perceived as antisemitic have drawn sharp criticism, remains a deeply controversial figure within the Jewish community. This unease is compounded by a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents and attacks throughout the city, leaving many Jewish residents anxious about the protection of their safety and rights.
Families, educators, and community leaders are particularly apprehensive about the security of Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centers. Questions persist over whether city leadership will take decisive action to address these threats or whether past rhetoric may signal a diminished prioritization of Jewish safety or even risk exacerbating tensions.
As New Yorkers brace for the year ahead, a pervasive sense of uncertainty looms over how policies under Mamdani’s administration will affect the city’s Jewish population.
Why New York Jews feel unsafe
This uncertainty isn’t just abstract; it is rooted in specific statements and positions taken by Mamdani during his campaign that Jewish leaders and residents found deeply troubling. One example is during Mamdani's campaign, Mamdani explicitly indicated that he would not maintain the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, a framework adopted internationally to help identify and combat modern forms of anti-Jewish hatred. Jewish advocacy groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, warned that discarding the IHRA standard could hinder law enforcement and municipal agencies from tracking antisemitic incidents effectively, potentially leaving communities more vulnerable. As one leader put it, “The IHRA definition is not just semantics; it is a tool that protects lives and communities. Rejecting it sends a concerning signal.”
Adding to the alarm was Mamdani’s response to the campaign slogan “globalize the intifada.” While he stated that he personally did not use the phrase, he initially refused to condemn it outright, arguing that “banning words is not the mayor’s role.” Critics including Jewish leaders and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum highlighted that the slogan has historically been tied to rhetoric advocating violence against Jews, not merely political protest, and that a failure to repudiate it outright risked legitimizing extremist language. For many Jewish New Yorkers, this hesitation was interpreted as a tacit dismissal of their fears, reinforcing the perception that their safety may not be prioritized. These are only 2 of the concerning remarks Mamdani has said throughout his campaign.
Following Mayor Mamdani’s controversial campaign, marked by remarks widely perceived as antisemitic and a reluctance to condemn extremist rhetoric, New York has experienced a sharp rise in antisemitic attacks and hate crimes. In December 2025 alone, a menorah outside Tomchei Shabbos of Queens was vandalized, and the following day, a Jewish resident was stabbed while the assailant reportedly shouted Holocaust-denying threats.
Earlier in the year, multiple assaults targeted visibly Jewish New Yorkers within just 24 hours in public spaces, from subway stations to Crown Heights, highlighting a troubling escalation in everyday threats. Advocacy organizations reported that antisemitic incidents comprised a larger share of hate crimes in 2025 compared with 2024, leading to the establishment of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism. For many in the Jewish community, the timing of this surge is particularly alarming: the rise in attacks coinciding with Mamdani’s campaign has reinforced their fears.
Across the city, Jewish New Yorkers describe a growing sense of fear that feels inescapable in daily life. One Jewish mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “As a Jew in New York City and, more importantly, as a mother whose most important responsibility is keeping my children safe, I am terrified about what will happen under Mayor Mamdani’s leadership. Antisemitism has only grown, and I worry every day about the world my children are walking into.”
That anxiety is mirrored among younger New Yorkers as well. A Stern University student, also speaking anonymously, explained that while she feels secure on campus, “I found myself asking my parents for pepper spray or some means of self-defense. The city is already unsafe as it is, and I hate to think what could happen around me the second I step out of my campus’s security range.”
Even in the city’s commercial centers, the same concern surfaces.
A Jewish man working daily in the Diamond District said, “In the Diamond District, our safety depends on the NYPD not just against petty crime, but because this is a largely Jewish industry. I’m afraid Mayor Mamdani won’t stand behind the police in protecting us.”
For Jewish New Yorkers, the start of 2026 brings more uncertainty than celebration. Rising antisemitic attacks, coupled with Mayor Mamdani’s controversial campaign remarks and hesitation to condemn extremist rhetoric, have left many questioning whether their safety will be a priority. Community leaders and families are calling for clear action from city officials, warning that words and policies have real consequences. As the city moves into the new year, the Jewish community faces not just the usual challenges of daily life in New York, but the urgent need for reassurance that their rights and security will be protected.