Mamdani Releases Anti-Semitism, Hate Crime Plan in New York City

Zohran Mamdani in New York City on 12 May 2026. (Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

Pandering to Israel partisans above the needs of other New Yorkers, NY mayor increases security funding for synagogues, will focus on folding Jewish history into public school education, and pledges to highlight Jewish cultural and religious sites in the mayor’s day-to-day governance of the city

Israel partisans have been accusing Mamdani of antisemitism over his opposition to Israel’s genocidal violence
American taxpayers provide millions of dollars to synagogues, Jewish schools, and community centers around the U.S.

Reposted from The Guardian, September 29, 2026

Zohran Mamdani debuted a sweeping plan Tuesday to combat antisemitism and hate crimes against Jewish people in New York City, moving to assuage concerns from critics who see his steadfast denunciations of Israel as antisemitic. [Editors note: Mamdani is among the millions of Americans opposed to Israel’s mass slaughter of Palestinian men, women, and children]

The strategy includes increased security funding for synagogues, [editor’s note: American taxpayers pay millions of dollars for security at synagogues, Jewish community centers, etc, many of which fly Is raeli flags and advocate for Israel despite its oppression of Palestinians and harm to Americans] an increased focus on folding Jewish history into public school education, and a pledge to highlight important Jewish cultural and religious sites in the mayor’s day-to-day governance of the city.

Mamdani said the overarching goal of the initiative was to “confront the scourge of antisemitism now and in the future”, noting that Jewish people make up only 12% of the city’s population but are the victims of around half the city’s reported hate crimes.

[Editor’s note: The ADL and other Israel partisans consistently list support for Palestinian rights and opposition to Israeli crimes as ” anti-semitism.” As mainstream Jewish organizations consistently conflate Israeli crimes with Jews in general, an increasing number of Americans fall prey to that unfair depiction.]

“This is not only unacceptable, it’s something we all have an obligation to change. And city hall will lead the way,” he said in a video.

Mamdani, a Democrat and the city’s first Muslim mayor, has long been a vocal supporter of Palestinian civil rights and has accused the Israeli government of committing a genocide in Gaza. [Editor’s note: Numerous scholars and human rights organizations have termed Israeli actions as genocide.] He has said his criticism of Israel does not amount to antisemitism, though his opponents have argued his heated rhetoric around the conflict has made Jewish people feel unsafe in the city.

The plan announced Tuesday amounts to the mayor’s most forceful attempt to address concerns over antisemitism, with Mamdani promising to “build a city where Jewish New Yorkers are not only safe but celebrated”.

City hall will increase grant funding to community organizations that focus on hate crime prevention and survivor support. It will also work with public schools to address complaints of discrimination and launch public awareness campaigns on the city’s human rights law and how to report suspected discrimination.

Ofir Akunis, Israel’s consul general in New York, said the mayor’s position on Israel had endangered Jewish New Yorkers.

“Until you recognize that your language against the Jewish State, which you don’t recognize as the homeland of the Jewish people, is the fundamental reason for the rise of antisemitism in New York City, it will continue to increase,” Akunis wrote on X.

[Editor’s note: In reality, two former prime ministers, former heads of all the Israeli security services, former judges, a Nobel laureate and the country’s most revered living novelist are among those who point out that Israeli actions are fueling antisemitism.]

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, praised elements of the mayor’s plan but called on Mamdani to lower the temperature on his rhetoric about Israel.

“For this effort to be effective, Mayor Mamdani must also commit to stopping his harsh anti-Israel rhetoric that makes Jewish New Yorkers vulnerable as there are clearly times when antisemitic attacks are fueled by anti-Zionism,” Jacobs said.

Mamdani faced a barrage of criticism during his campaign last year after he declined to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada”, a slogan some see as a call to violence against Jews, though he did not use the phrase and later said he would discourage others from saying it.

He has also faced questions over a decision in June to skip an annual parade honoring Israel, which has long been a must-attend event for politicians in the city.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, dedicated a portion of an address at the United Nations last week to assailing Mamdani, accusing him of spreading lies about Israel and calling him “the antisemitic mayor of New York”.

Mamdani has repeatedly called for Netanyahu to be arrested under a warrant from the international criminal court alleging war crimes in Gaza.

Flashback: $500 million for Jewish security

Excerpted from Billions more of Americans’ tax money to go to Israel (2022)

The Times of Israel reports that also included in the legislation is “substantially increased funding for nonprofit security, a key request by major Jewish groups over the last year” – up from $180 million to $250 million. TOI states that the Orthodox Union, the Jewish Federations of North America, and Agudath Israel of America “are all longtime backers of the program.” (All these groups advocate for Israel, as do the groups receiving the funding.)

The Jewish Federations of North America, representing hundreds of groups, took credit for the increase in funding, stating it was “the culmination of months long advocacy efforts that we led.”

TOI reports that additional House bills propose even more funding:

“At least two proposed laws are seeking further increases: Reps. Benny Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi and the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, along with John Katko, a Republican from New York, last week got the committee to approve a bill that would increase funding for the security grants portion of the security increase to $500 million.”

In the Senate, Ted Cruz (R-TX) says he plans to introduce a bill to increase the funding to $540 million.

While the security grants also go to other religious groups, there is a reason that Jewish institutions were responsible for the legislation: most of the money goes to synagogues, schools, and lavish Jewish community centers around the country – despite the fact that only 2.4 per cent of the population is Jewish, reportedly the wealthiest religious group in the country.

Most of these institutions fly the Israeli flag, and virtually all sponsor pro-Israel programs.

The Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington will receive a $16,000 security grant from American taxpayers.

Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, MD will receive a $13,600 grant. Every four years the entire upper school goes to Israel for a ten-day long trip. The website says that the program “is imbued with Zionist values, our students gain a love of Israel, which becomes a central part of their Jewish identities.”

Chabad institutions in Montgomery County, Maryland, will receive over $100,000 of security grants. Chabad features the teachings of The Rebbe, who called for providing arms to Israel and enunciated some supremacist views.