New York

Why Jewish peoplehood does not fit Mamdani’s universalism - opinion

Zohran Mamdani appears willing to accept imperfection almost everywhere except Israel. That becomes the “exception” in the universalism he promises.

Zohran Mamdani looks on at Old City Hall Staion on the day he is sworn in as mayor of New York City, New York, US, Thursday, Jan 1st 2026.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hold a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025.

From Hillel and Shamai to Trump and Netanyahu: Polarized, divided Jewry is dangerous - opinion

 Pro-Palestinian supporters attempt to gain entry to Grand Central Terminal as they protest against City University of New York (CUNY) college allowing the filming of an FBI: Most Wanted episode fictionalising a Gaza Solidarity Encampment in New York City, US, July 22, 2024.

CUNY purged Jews from leadership in 'deliberate plan, ' new report claims

GUY HOCHMAN poses with the Israeli flag next to a crowd of pro-Palestine protesters in New York City, January 20, 2026.

Israeli comedian Guy Hochman barred from LA venue for not condemning Israel


Mamdani's first act as mayor made a turning point become reality for NYC Jews - editorial

For decades, the mayor of the world’s largest Jewish city outside Israel made a point of standing with its Jewish community. Mamdani’s first day did something else entirely.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji stand onstage during his inauguration ceremony in New York City, U.S., January 1, 2026.

As Mamdani enters City Hall, perhaps he could learn a few things from Israel - opinion

From housing to tech to child care, Israel has made social programs work, lessons New York’s next mayor could learn.

Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor, at the start of 2026. The new mayor could learn a lot from Israel on how to implement his goals in City Hall, the writer says.

Michele Weiss and Justin Brasch mark milestones as first Orthodox Jewish mayors in their cities

The inaugurations of Michele Weiss in University Heights, Ohio, and Justin Brasch in White Plains, New York, this week marked a milestone for Orthodox representation in local politics.

Michele Weiss, the mayor of University Heights, Ohio, (L) and Justin Brasch, the mayor of White Plains, New York (R).

Irving Berlin’s 1926 interfaith marriage sparked a Jewish debate that still hasn’t gone - opinion

For more than a century, interfaith marriage has functioned as a kind of Rorschach test within American Jewish life, alternately framed as an existential threat or a potential avenue for renewal.

Irving Berlin and his wife Ellin Mackay appear in a photograph in the late 1920s. The 1926 marriage between the wildly popular Jewish songwriter and a Catholic heiress was a media sensation.

Mamdani's choice to cancel IHRA antisemitism definition must alarm New York Jews - comment

Jews should start watching the exits when institutions start treating their safety as optional. And especially after the biggest Jewish city outside of Israel made protecting Jews a political matter.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife Rama Duwaji smile as confetti falls after his ceremonial inauguration as mayor at City Hall Thursday in New York, NY. Mamdani has added a “block party” to the official inauguration events to allow thousands of New Yorkers to take part.

A new era at City Hall: What’s in store for New York’s Jews under Mayor Mamdani? - analysis

Two-thirds of NYC’s Jews did not vote for Mamdani, and many have expressed explicit concern about the new mayor’s actions.

Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as mayor of New York City, flanked by his wife Rama Duwaji and New York Attorney General Letitia James, at Old City Hall Station, New York, US, Thursday, Jan 1st 2026.

New year, new mayor: New York rings in 2026 with Zohran Mamadani's inauguration

Mamdani was a trailblazing candidate and is expected by many in his city of 8 million - some with hope, some with trepidation - to be a disruptive mayor.

Zohran Mamdani looks on at Old City Hall Staion on the day he is sworn in as mayor of New York City, New York, US, Thursday, Jan 1st 2026.

Orthodox rabbi Julius Berman, who influenced secular and observant Jewish institutions, dies at 90

His extensive leadership at some of the largest Jewish communal organizations in the United States defined his broader legacy.

Prominent Jewish communal leader Rabbi Julius Berman dies at 90.

The Islamification of Western democracies: The great, dangerous silent takeover - opinion

Europe and America face a quiet yet powerful transformation, reshaping societies through demographics and ideology.

A man holds Irish and Palestinian flags as people protest calling for governments around the world to stop arming Israel during a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Dublin, Ireland, June 15, 2024

Israel’s Somaliland recognition shows the real purpose of the Abraham Accords - opinion

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland reflects the Abraham Accords’ focus on survival, stability, and strategic cooperation, not sentiment.

Shmuel Legesse at his wedding at The Sephardic Temple of Cedarhurst in Cedarhurst, NY, June 8, 2014.