Let’s stop dancing around the truth. The Jewish community in New York—particularly the frum community—faces a political crisis of historic proportions. This isn’t about whether Andrew Cuomo apologized or whether he was a perfect governor. This is about whether our children and grandchildren will be able to live as Torah Jews in New York a decade from now. We still feel the pain of the unfair red zones imposed by Cuomo in 2020, which targeted our communities and restricted our way of life with heavy-handed measures. That wound lingers, a reminder of how quickly our freedoms can be curtailed. Yet, despite this pain, we must look forward and consider our future as Jews in New York City, where new threats loom larger than past grievances. If Zoran Mamdani and the movement behind him succeed, we risk losing everything we’ve built. This isn’t a mere policy disagreement or politics as usual. Mamdani and his allies, backed by the DSA, have made their intentions clear: they aim to defund our yeshivas, strip our neighborhoods of police protection, and vilify support for Israel as a disqualifying offense. These aren’t empty threats. They’re drafting laws, redirecting budgets, and winning elections—all while projecting a facade of goodwill. After October 7th, while we were still mourning our dead, Mamdani signed a public statement blaming Israel entirely for the massacre. Not a word of condolence. Not a mention of the murdered children or the raped women. That wasn’t a misstep—it was a declaration of values. We must recognize this: if we allow people like Mamdani to gain power—if we stay home, shrug, and say “Cuomo’s not my favorite”—we’re not just surrendering influence, we’re forfeiting protection. Without a strong political defense, we cannot shield our mosdos from hostile regulations. We cannot keep our neighborhoods safe. We cannot speak out without fear of Retribution. The DSA movement has no regard for Torah, no room for Zionism, and no tolerance for Jews who don’t conform to their ideology. They view our schools as regressive, our values as threats, and our identity as an obstacle. Their goal isn’t inclusion—it’s erasure, from education, politics, and public life. If they win this round because we stayed home, who will stop them in the next? Cuomo is no tzaddik, and no one claims he is. But we’re not choosing a rebbe—we’re choosing a shield. If we don’t seize the shield before us, we’ll be left utterly defenseless. The reality is stark: in the voting booth, only two candidates can win—Andrew Cuomo or Zoran Mamdani. No one else is close. ( and Eric Adams is not running in the primary – he is on the November ballot) Choosing not to vote for Cuomo isn’t neutrality—it’s handing Mamdani a victory. That’s a risk our community cannot take. This moment demands action. If we fail to resist this radical, anti-Torah movement, we won’t be debating policies in ten years—we’ll be debating whether we can still live here at all. We cannot stay silent. We cannot stay home. Not now. Early voting in the Democratic Primary for Mayor begins on Sunday, June 15th This isn’t about Cuomo. It’s about us. Our families. Our yeshivas. Our future. Far Rockaway Jewish Alliance Elkana Adelman Richard Altabe Shalom Becker Bourch Ber Bender Zvi Bloom Jack Brach Mordechai Zvi Dicker Ruchie Dunn […]