The Jewish community finds itself fearing antisemitism from both the left and now — the right.
In New York City, Jewish voters are divided over the front-runner in the mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani, who is a democratic socialist and Muslim, and whose outspoken criticism of Israel has drawn both fervent support and serious concern.
In recent weeks, some Jewish leaders have expressed skepticism toward Mamdani.
Nearly 1,100 rabbis from across the United States signed an open letter denouncing Mamdani’s rhetoric.
“We cannot remain silent in the face of rising anti-Zionism and its political normalization throughout our nation,” the petition reads. The signatories called on Americans to reject “this dangerous rhetoric and affirm the rights of Jews to live securely and with dignity.”
Rabbis of major New York City synagogues have spoken out against Mamdani. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue warned that Mamdani “poses a danger to the security of the New York Jewish community.”
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, who leads Central Synagogue, said she feared living in a country where “anti-Zionist rhetoric is normalized and contagious” and where Jewish children hesitate to wear symbols of their faith. She said Mamdani was contributing to some of the “most abhorrent antisemitism” in public life today, pointing to his 2023 comment that “when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF” (a reference to training exercises between the city’s police and the Israel Defense Forces, per Mamdani).
Buchdahl discouraged her congregants from voting for him.
Despite Mamdani’s overall popularity, most Jews still support Andrew Cuomo, according to polls. Mamdani has the support of about 32% of Jewish voters in New York City, according to a Marist poll, while 55% back Cuomo, the former governor and Democrat who is running as an independent. Jewish voters make up about 10% of the city’s electorate, a significant bloc in a close race. Recent polls show Mamdani leading over Cuomo by 16%, with Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa trailing behind.
Mamdani, who has faced anti-Muslim rhetoric, has recently said that “there is no room for antisemitism in this city and in this country” and vowed to increase security in New York’s synagogues. He had been reluctant to condemn phrases like “globalize intifada” and avoided the question about whether Hamas should give up power in Gaza.
While it’s been segments of the political left that have been criticized for rhetoric about Israel crossing into antisemitism, the antisemitic currents on the political right have been gaining attention.
This tension escalated last week, when conservative commentator Tucker Carlson hosted a two-hour interview with Nick Fuentes, known for his antisemitic and white supremacist views. He’s the guy who believes that the Holocaust is “exaggerated” and who “in some ways” admires Adolf Hitler.
During the conversation with Carlson, Fuentes invoked “organized Jewry” and described Jews as an obstacle to national unity. Fuentes, who said he is a Christian, denies accusations of being “antisemitic.”
Carlson offered only minimal pushback, critics on both sides of the aisle observed. He redirected blame toward “Christian Zionists” and described Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz supporting Israel as being “seized by brain virus.”
After the interview, Kevin Roberts, president of the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, issued a statement where he said that Christians can critique Israel without being antisemitic, and that while he personally “abhorred” Fuentes’ views, he would not “cancel” Carlson.
“The venomous coalition attacking (Carlson) is sowing division,” he said.
The backlash was swift. Prominent Republicans like Cruz and Mitch McConnell joined Jewish organizations in condemning Carlson for giving Fuentes a platform. They also criticized Heritage for defending Carlson rather than distancing itself.
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, a prominent defender of Israel, argued that the real issue wasn’t Carlson’s decision to interview Fuentes, but that he chose to “normalize and fluff” him, and that Roberts from Heritage stood by that.
This Carlson/Fuentes episode may have exposed a growing rift within the American right between an older, institutional conservatism that remains staunchly pro-Israel and a rising “America First” faction that’s questioning long-held positions on Israel and the meaning of Jewish identity.
As that national debate unfolded online, I was sitting in a beautiful synagogue on Saturday, attending a bat mitzvah for a family friend.
The room was full of childhood friends and family — many were Jewish, but there were Christians, too, maybe other faiths. No doubt, there were all sorts of political views in the room.
At one point, the grandmother, who was persecuted in the former Soviet Union, passed the Torah to her granddaughter, born in the Boston area. The act symbolizes the passing on of faith, tradition and values from one generation to the next. The service was a luminous celebration of lineage of women connected by stories of faith and resilience.
It was also a reminder that even as Jewish faith and culture are politicized and reduced to a debate topic, the lived tradition remains expansive and joyful, full of humanity and desire to do good.
Fresh off the press
- In response to a question at a recent Turning Point USA event, Vice President JD Vance defended his interfaith marriage with Usha Vance, who is Hindu. He clarified that she’s not planning to convert to Christianity, although he said he hoped she’d one day “see things as I do.”
- Is Joe Rogan religious? Wildly popular podcaster recently commented on going to church, his faith and why he’s fascinated by Christianity.
- Religious exemption from employment tax law is on the line for Catholic Charities — and other religious groups — in Wisconsin.
What I’m reading
- Rev. Gary Graf, a Catholic priest from Chicago, set out to walk from Illinois to New York to support immigrants’ rights. “I enjoy walking. When I walk is when I pray. I’ve done that for most of my life,” he said. — The Washington Post.
- A historic Japanese church in Utah opened a 101-year capsule. “In addition to the Bibles, the heavy trapezoidal box contained a hand-stitched Japanese flag and what appears to be an off-the-shelf 48-star American flag; copies of the Japanese-language Rocky Mountain Times and Utah Nippo newspapers, both dated Nov. 1, 1924, and the English-language Salt Lake Tribune dated Nov. 2, 1924; a sheet of silver glitter-trimmed paper with the names of four Sunday School teachers; the church’s articles of incorporation and a brief history of the church, noting the estimated building cost at $30,000.” — Deseret News.
- A 12-year-old Ukrainian boy named Artem lost his father, his friends and his home in the war. Then he came to a camp in the Ukrainian mountains. “Just a glance at their drawings showed that they had all been through something traumatic. There were no rainbows, no stick-figure families holding hands in front of boxy houses. Mostly the children drew fires and bombs.” — The New York Times.
End notes
One of the jewels stolen in the Louvre heist had some personal religious significance to its owner. The so-called “reliquary” brooch belonged to Empress Eugénie, originally a Spanish countess and later wife of Napoleon III.
She was the first owner of this diamond-studded brooch, which was specially created for her in 1855 by jeweler Paul-Alfred Bapst, according to the Louvre’s website.
Originally a Spanish countess, Eugénie served as empress of the French from 1853 to 1870 and was widely regarded as one of the most stylish women of her era. But she was also known for her piety, faith and charity.
A reliquary brooch was designed to hold a sacred relic, reflecting Eugénie’s devotion to her Catholic faith (although this brooch did not hold the relic).
The jewelry piece has 94 diamonds, including two known as Mazarin 17th and 18th. They were part of the set of gems bequeathed to Louis XIV by Cardinal Jules Mazarin in 1661.
Eugénie prayed daily and supervised imperial donations to hospitals, parishes and other charities, per CNA. Her faith was also recognized by Pope Pius IX with a Golden Rose, viewed as the highest papal award for piety and service to the church.