In the wave of post-election coverage, one number has received far too little attention: Pollsters estimate that nearly 20% of New York’s newly registered voters were Jewish. That’s not a statistic to take lightly; it heralds a civic awakening. After years of limited participation in local elections, Jewish New Yorkers registered in record numbers and showed up in force at the polls.
UJA played a significant role in achieving this result, partnering with Jewish Voters Unite and over 100 grassroots organizations to help drive a surge of new Jewish voters.
But we know our work has only just begun.
Mayor-elect Mamdani’s victory marks the beginning of a new political chapter for New York, one that many in our community view with enormous concern. His rhetoric on Israel and Zionism raises serious questions about whether Jewish New Yorkers will continue to feel seen and protected in the very city we indelibly helped build and grow.
As we noted in our statement following Tuesday’s election, our community must hold all elected officials, including the mayor-elect, accountable for ensuring that antisemitism is not given any oxygen in our neighborhoods. Words matter. Actions matter more.
To be clear: This election was not primarily a referendum on Israel or the Jewish community. It focused on affordability and quality of life. Yet the unease many Jewish New Yorkers feel is real — shaped by lived experience in a time when antisemitism is increasingly visible and alarmingly normalized.
As recently as 2017, most Jewish New Yorkers would not have listed antisemitism as a communal concern here in America. But beginning with the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh in 2018, followed by a series of violent assaults on visibly Jewish people in our own backyard, the ground beneath our feet has quickly shifted.
Across the country, rhetoric that targets Jews has become far too common — from the far left, where criticism of Israel often crosses the line into dangerous hostility directed at Jews, to the far right’s perpetuation of age-old conspiracy theories rebranded in modern terms. The language differs, but the threat is the same.
If ever there were a time for sustained civic engagement, it is now. Gone are the days when it was acceptable not to know the name of our local state senator or city council member. Decisions made in Albany, City Hall, the City Council, and local community boards dramatically affect daily life — education, public safety, social services, and responses to antisemitism.
National headlines draw our attention, but it’s local policy that most directly shapes our neighborhoods.
That’s why we must now focus on turning concern into action, propelled by our wave of newly energized voters. It’s also important to recognize that many strong pro-Israel leaders were elected this cycle, and we must work closely with those key allies. We will also engage directly with policymakers to advance community safety, strengthen social services, and ensure that Jewish experiences are taught accurately in New York schools. Our mandate now is to keep this new groundswell of Jewish voters informed and involved.
For a community that has been frequently fractured by internal differences, this is also our opportunity to draw closer to one another. Wherever we see ourselves on the political spectrum, we must recognize the more urgent shared challenges we need to confront together.
One of the core principles of Jewish learning is “Al tifrosh min ha-tzibur,” A person should never withdraw from the community. Words to live by, especially in this moment. Jewish New Yorkers have long been woven into the fabric of this city. We have no intention of walking away now.
A new administration begins, and with it must come an even stronger, more determined era of Jewish civic engagement. We will be visible and proud Jews, and active, committed citizens — for the sake of our Jewish community, for the sake of the city we love.
Shabbat shalom