New York City’s new Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, revoked major executive orders that protected Jewish New Yorkers from rising antisemitism.
The decision took place during the administration’s first day in office and effectively dismantled several policies established by former Mayor Eric Adams.
Junior Alma Adiel said, “Mamdani is an anti-Zionist who holds Israel to standards not expected of any other democratic nation. On his first day in office, he already began fostering an unsafe and discriminatory environment against Jews.”
One of the repealed orders required the city to officially adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
The definition of antisemitism included denying the Jewish people’s right to self-determination, calling Israel a racist endeavor, and applying double standards to Israel that are not applied to other countries. This definition is used by the U.S. State Department, the European parliament and over 1,000 institutions worldwide.
Mamdani argued that the definition was too broad and hindered free speech, but he insisted that his goals were rooted in safety.
“My administration will also be marked by a city government that will be relentless in its efforts to combat hate and division,” Mamdani said during a news conference.
Later in his speech, he said he would fight “the scourge of antisemitism” by funding hate crime prevention and “practicing a politics of universality.”
Junior Caleb Lebeau said, “Mamdani contradicts himself by claiming a commitment to combating antisemitism while simultaneously eliminating a definition that helps to clearly address it.”
Supporters of the original definition criticize Mamdani’s repeal, anticipating more antisemitism.
Ambassador Ofir Akunis, consul general of Israel in New York, said this is “an immediate threat to the safety of Jewish communities in New York City and could lead to an increase in violent antisemitic attacks throughout the city.”
On the other side, others support the reversal, claiming the initial definition limited free speech.
This decision also allows city officials and agencies to participate in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
This anti-BDS order, known as Executive Order 60, had previously prevented city agencies from doing business with companies that boycott Israel.
Freshman Tamar Ashkenazi said, “It is very upsetting to see how Mamdani is legitimizing the BDS movement. He should be showing commitment to confronting antisemitism and promoting unity, not to advance divisive efforts such as BDS.”
Furthermore, the city can now choose to pull pension money out of Israeli bonds, and city agencies are allowed to work with companies that support boycotting Israel.
Senior Marley Fischer said, “Singling out the world’s only Jewish state for economic punishment is inherently discriminatory. When no other country is treated this way, it shows clear bias against Israel.”
Mamdani also removed Executive Order 61, which had directed the NYPD to look into creating buffer zones to help protect synagogues and other houses of worship from aggressive protests.
The buffer zone was originally proposed to keep protesters between 15 and 60 feet away from the entrances of religious buildings, thereby preventing harassment of congregants.
Mamdani confirmed he will keep the Office to Combat Antisemitism open, but its future leadership and specific strategy remain unclear. This office currently serves as the primary liaison between City Hall and Jewish community leaders regarding safety and public education.
Jewish groups like the UJA-Federation of New York, Anti-Defamation League of New York and Jewish Community Relations Council of New York issued a joint statement saying that the Jewish community “will be looking for clear and sustained leadership that demonstrates a serious commitment to confronting antisemitism.”
Sophomore Remy Friedberg said, “With how he’s been treating Jews before being elected and the new policies, I am worried that he won’t set aside his biases and discriminate against Jews on a larger scale.”
Many Jewish New Yorkers and Jews around the world are watching Mamdani closely to see if he follows through on his promise to protect their safety.
