The 3 profound Jewish lessons of Mamdani’s astonishing victory

Forward: Jewish. Independent. Nonprofit. ^ | Nov 5, 2025 | Rob Eshman

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Pro-Palestinian positions may have fueled Mamdani’s politics and established his early volunteer base, but they didn’t win him the election. The New Yorkers who voted for him “overwhelmingly” said cost of living is their top issue, reported CNN.

For most New Yorkers who hit the polls, questions about Mamdani’s attitude toward Israel — and even concerns about antisemitism — paled in importance beside affordability.

Yet one tone-deaf Jewish leader after another pleaded with voters to reject Mamdani because of his highly critical attitude toward Israel. That stance, they said, could lead to attacks on Jewish New Yorkers.

Exactly why should economically besieged New Yorkers care?

Second, I suspect we will find out that a good portion of the Jewish voters who did opt for Mamdani did so not despite his stance on Israel, but because of it.

Most American Jews say Israel has committed war crimes against Palestinians. Some 68% are unhappy with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Most can’t vote against Netanyahu, but they can vote for Mamdani, or their local equivalent.

The Jewish vote for Mamdani was a rebuke to the mainstream Jewish leadership that organized against the mayor-elect. That leadership didn’t speak for these Jews. Mamdani did.

Above all, that “being overly controversial on Israel is not in his self-interest,” said Peter Dreier, a professor of politics at Occidental College in Los Angeles. “He needs to bring people together. He needs to focus laser-like on running the city and his affordability agenda.”

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Idiot, what he was. You don’t counter haters with dire warnings. It’s what the British did with Mosley (besides imprisoning him at the start of the war). You make fun of them. Jewish “leaders”. Hah.