Mamdani Unveils Plan to Combat Antisemitism; Jewish Groups Say It Falls Short on Israel

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled the city’s antisemitism strategic plan on September 29, 2026, according to one report, which describes the release as taking place on a Tuesday. The plan includes enhanced security at synagogues, new educational modules on Jewish history in public schools, and awareness campaigns about reporting antisemitic incidents. A second report adds that the plan also calls for increased grant funding for community organizations focused on hate crime prevention and survivor support, and for highlighting Jewish cultural and religious sites in municipal governance. The city will also work with public schools to address complaints of discrimination and launch public awareness campaigns about the city’s human rights law and reporting procedures.

Mamdani, who is New York City’s first Muslim mayor, presented the plan with a defense of its scope. At a press conference on September 30, 2026, he said that criticism of a prime minister or government policy is distinct from bigotry toward a people, and he described New York City as the most Jewish city in the United States. According to Mamdani, Jewish people make up about 12% of the city’s population but are the victims of about half of the reported hate crimes in New York. These figures are his own statements as reported, and the second report does not present independent verification of them.

Responses to the plan were divided. A joint statement from the UJA-Federation of New York, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the New York Board of Rabbis criticized the plan for falling short on Israel. The second report says that critics contend Mamdani’s consistent denunciations of Israel constitute antisemitism, a charge he denies. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, praised specific elements of the plan but urged Mamdani to moderate his rhetoric concerning Israel.

The reports also describe Mamdani’s past and present statements about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One report says that during his campaign, Mamdani pledged to arrest Netanyahu based on an International Criminal Court warrant, but later withdrew that promise, citing a lack of legal authority. The same report states that Mamdani continues to refer to Netanyahu as a “war criminal.” The supplied material does not say how the plan’s critics or supporters weighed these statements in relation to the antisemitism measures.

Support for the plan also came from Brad Lander, described as a Jewish ally and former city comptroller. He characterized the initiative as a thoughtful combination of education for tolerance and civil rights enforcement.