A new survey released reveals the deep concern of Jewish voters in New York City over mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s record on Israel and antisemitism.
The data, part of JPPI’s Voice of the Jewish People July 2025 survey, reflects widespread anxiety among New York’s Jewish community about the implications of Mamdani’s rise. The survey was conducted from July 14–17 and included over 700 U.S. Jewish participants, with a representative subset from New York.
Key findings include:
• A clear majority of Jewish New Yorkers say Mamdani is “a bad candidate” and express strong concern about his past rhetoric.
• Most Jewish respondents nationwide (62%) believe Mamdani’s views are both anti-Israel and antisemitic.
• Among Jewish New Yorkers, one-third say he is anti-Israel but not antisemitic, indicating a nuanced internal debate.
• Only a small minority – about a quarter of Harris voters – say Mamdani is a good candidate and they would welcome his election.
Mamdani has previously used phrases like “globalize the intifada,” which many Jewish leaders interpret as promoting violence against Israel and its supporters. While he has since pledged to refrain from using that language, concerns persist.
“What we’re seeing here is not just political disagreement,” said Prof. Yedidia Stern, President of JPPI. “This is about trust, identity, and fear. When mainstream Jewish communities in the largest Jewish city in the world express this level of discomfort, it reflects a serious rupture.”
Even among liberal-leaning Jews, the reaction is striking. While stronger support for Mamdani exists among “strong liberals,” even in the “leaning liberal” cohort, a majority say they do not want him to become mayor.
The Voice of the Jewish People survey tracks evolving attitudes within global Jewry on key political, social, and identity issues. This edition also includes data on U.S. Jews’ perceptions of the wars in Gaza and Iran, views on U.S.-Israel relations, and trust in Jewish vs. general populations.