The world was filled with HAMAS חמס, and God knew that it had to start over. The commentators argue about whether the hamas (word used in our parsha to describe the debasement of existence) was due to sexual crimes, theft, torture, fire being brandished as a weapon, or murder. In our day, we saw the terrorist organization Hamas use all of those methods to torture and terrorize Jews and the Jewish State and spark violence against Jewish people worldwide. We would expect the candidate to help remake the world after that would be as righteous as Noah – even just good enough for his time. But the frontrunner candidate in the New York mayoral election where so much is at stake must be condemned because through both action and word he provides cover for those who wish to endanger or attack Jews and who wish to dismantle the Jewish State as a member of the comity of nations.
This upcoming mayoral election represents a critical moment for the Jewish community of New York City and for all who value both security and pluralism in our diverse metropolis. After careful consideration and prayer, I feel compelled to share why I cannot support Zohran Mamdani for mayor—and why this race demands our urgent attention.
Mr. Mamdani’s candidacy poses genuine concerns for Jewish safety in New York. This isn’t about political disagreement—it’s about a pattern of rhetoric and associations that threaten to normalize violence against Jews and undermine the legitimate existence of the Jewish state.
Throughout his career, Mr. Mamdani has consistently refused to condemn Hamas, an organization designated as terrorist by the United States government. He has not denounced calls to “globalize the intifada”—language that has historically preceded violence against Jewish communities worldwide. When given opportunities to clarify his positions, he has offered only tactical retreats, learning which phrases to avoid while campaigning rather than genuinely reconsidering positions that endanger our community.
His absence from Holocaust Remembrance Day resolutions for four consecutive years—a standard observance for New York legislators given our large survivor population—speaks volumes about his priorities and sensitivities toward Jewish memory and trauma.
Let me be clear about an important distinction: There is a fundamental difference between criticizing Israeli policies and denying Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. Many Jews, myself included, engage in vigorous debate about Israeli government decisions, military actions, or judicial reforms. This is healthy democratic discourse.
Mr. Mamdani’s anti-Zionism is categorically different. As Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue recently articulated, Mamdani denies our existence as Jews when he rejects the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland. According to New York Times reporting, he attempted to pass legislation in the State Assembly singling out only one country for divestment: Israel. His college activism centered on organizing for Israel’s elimination as a Jewish state, refusing to work even with left-leaning Zionist groups seeking peace.
Beyond these existential concerns lies a practical question: Is Mr. Mamdani prepared to govern America’s largest city? He lacks any executive experience managing complex organizations, let alone a metropolis of eight million. His economic platform relies heavily on socialist policies that have failed in similar urban contexts—proposing massive spending without realistic funding mechanisms, rent control expansions that economists warn will worsen our housing crisis, and anti-business rhetoric that could drive away the tax base our social services depend upon.
New York needs leadership that can balance compassion with fiscal responsibility, not ideological experiments with our city’s future.
I don’t share this lightly: I lived through the Jerusalem terror wave of 1994-95, narrowly escaping the Line 18 bus bombing. I know firsthand how quickly rhetoric becomes violence, how calls for “resistance” transform into shattered glass and shattered lives. When we hear “globalize the intifada,” we remember not abstract politics but concrete losses—the restaurants, buses, and synagogues where our people have been murdered.
The American Jewish Committee has warned explicitly about how such language slides into justifications for violence, expressing alarm over what they describe as Mr. Mamdani’s “continued problematic rhetoric.” We cannot afford to ignore these warnings.
I am not alone in these concerns. Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch has raised parallel alarms to his congregation. Rabbi Cosgrove stated unequivocally that Mr. Mamdani “poses a danger to the security of the New York Jewish community.” This represents an unusual moment of unified rabbinical concern across denominational lines—a reflection of the genuine threat we perceive.
Traditionally, rabbis avoid partisan politics. In past High Holy Days sermons, I’ve begun with: “I am not going to tell you how to vote.” This moment demands a different response. While I won’t endorse a specific candidate, I must be clear: I am not voting for Zohran Mamdani, and I urge you to consider the implications of his candidacy for our community’s future.
As Hillel taught, “If not now, when?” And as Jeremiah instructed, we must “pray for the city in which we live.” Now is the time to act:
Now is the time to reject candidates who refuse to condemn organizations calling for Jewish annihilation.
Now is the time to demand leaders who will protect all New Yorkers from hate and violence, not excuse it with ideological justifications.
Now is the time to choose experienced leadership over untested ideology for our city’s recovery.
Now is the time to stand up for our community’s safety and our city’s future.
Early voting begins Saturday, October 25, with Election Day on Tuesday, November 4. I urge you to not only vote but to discuss these concerns with friends, family, and neighbors—Jewish and non-Jewish alike. Share this letter if it resonates. Verify your registration. Offer to accompany elderly neighbors to the polls.
Many in our city are trying to balance passionate commitments to justice with determination to keep our neighbors safe from bigotry. This is not a contradiction—true justice requires security for all communities, including our own.
May we choose a path of light and strength for New York, for our Jewish community, and for all who seek to build rather than tear down. May we always remain hopeful that God will help us find or become the tzaddikim, the righteous souls, of our generation who help our nation, our City and the State of Israel flourish as democracies should and must.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Bolton
For further reading, I encourage you to review the full statements from Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue and Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, as well as the American Jewish Committee’s analysis of concerning rhetoric in this campaign. Bret Stephens’ article in the NYT regarding his fears, as well. These voices together represent a broad consensus of concern across our community’s leadership.