Mamdani Is Making Overtures to Jewish Leaders. Some Are Listening.
Mr. Mamdani, who would be New York’s first Muslim mayor, tried to reassure attendees of his commitment to protecting and celebrating the Jewish community, and said that views on Israel would not amount to a litmus test to serve in his administration.
“I am not a Zionist, and I’m also not looking to create a City Hall or city in my image,” he told the 380 members who attended the hourlong gathering, some of whom greeted him with cheers and applause. “I do not want any Jewish New Yorker to think that their safety, their belonging, their identity as a New Yorker, is dependent upon what they think about Zionism.”
The event marked Mr. Mamdani’s latest effort to accelerate his Jewish outreach, as he holds private meetings with rabbis and other leaders across New York City in an effort to engage a community that has been fiercely divided over his bid.
His meetings have spanned a diverse swath of religious life, including gatherings with leaders from the Hasidic communities in Brooklyn, reform rabbis from Manhattan and progressive “God-optional” congregations.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/nyregion/mandani-jews-israel-palestine.html