In a different era in New York, mayoral candidates focused on what was known as “The Three I’s“: Italy, Ireland and Israel.

Fast forward to 2025, where in this year’s primary, the candidates all seem to be dealing with just one big “I”: Israel.

What You Need To Know

  • Middle East politics have come to the forefront on the campaign trail, following the Oct. 7 attacks, the war in Gaza and a rise in antisemitism

  • Candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo must have been taking notes. So far, locking down endorsements from prominent Jewish New Yorkers, politicians and several Orthodox Jewish sects, like the influential Satmars from Williamsburg, Brooklyn

  • Two mayoral candidates are Jewish: former City Comptroller Scott Stringer and current City Comptroller Brad Lander. But a recent Marist poll shows Cuomo captures 26% of the Jewish vote, Lander gets 17% and Queens state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has 14%

Middle East politics have come to the forefront on the campaign trail, following the Oct. 7 attacks, the war in Gaza and a rise in antisemitism.

Home to the largest group of Jews outside the state of Israel, New York’s over 1 million Jewish New Yorkers will play a role in determining the winner.

As candidates jockey for support, experts told NY1 there’s no single strategy to attract the large and diverse Jewish electorate.

“Probably the last few decades going back to Ed Koch, but extremely important because in the last election cycle given that we are a rank choice contest, Eric Adams came in, in the last round of rank choice by 7,000 plus votes and it was thanks to him mobilizing Orthodox voting blocs,” Jacob Kornbluh, senior reporter at The Forward, said.

Candidate and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo must have been taking notes.

So far, locking down endorsements from prominent Jewish New Yorkers, politicians and several Orthodox Jewish sects, like the influential Satmars from Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

“Hasidic voting blocs, who vote based on recommendations and mobilize voter turnout, you have the second, which is independent Jews who are either secular or unaffiliated who tend to be liberal and progressive,” Kornbluh said.

“Then, you have this middle ground Jewish voter who became extremely disturbed with the rise in antisemitic incidents since October 7,” he continued.

Since the attacks, protests erupted on city streets and across college campuses, prompting responses from the NYPD, Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislature. More than 54% of hate crimes reported to the NYPD were against Jewish New Yorkers last year.

“We care deeply about public safety, our community’s safety and I think that’s why you see so many candidates speak to that issue,” Queens Democratic state Assemblywoman Nily Rozic said.

“It’s not just talking about antisemitism as the lightning rod, but an ongoing effort to protect our institutions, our schools and our safety,” she added.

Two mayoral candidates are Jewish: former City Comptroller Scott Stringer and current City Comptroller Brad Lander.

But a recent Marist poll shows Cuomo captures 26% of the Jewish vote, Lander gets 17% and Queens state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani has 14%. 

The Democratic Socialist believes in Israel’s right to exist, but Mamdani has been criticized for his stance on international politics and joining pro-Palestinian ceasefire protests after Oct. 7.

He refused to say that Israel should be a Jewish state. It’s come up on the campaign trail.

“You’re gonna lose the election because you don’t support Israel enough,” one woman told Mamdani earlier this week, during a campaign stop in Harlem. 

"You want to see your candidate support and stand by the state of Israel, there’s no gray area around that and at all levels of government, particularly the mayor who has a huge platform the Jewish community is looking for someone who will stand up for us vocally, all parts of the year,” Rozic said.

But Jews are not aligned with a single view of Israel. Divided on a one or two-state solution, the United States’ military support or even the nation’s leadership.

“There’s a really concerted effort right now to try to exploit Jewish fear and suffering and use that against progressive candidates,” Sophie Ellman-Golan said at the progressive Jews for Racial and Economic Justice.

The group ranks Mamdani and Lander first, arguing they’re not looking at international politics but rather those in the Big Apple.

“Affordability, of safety, questions of how can we afford to raise our familiars in the city that we love and call home? I think that in many ways there’s an outsized focus on assuming that the only Jewish issues that exist are issues that relate to Israel-Palestine or antisemitism,” Ellman-Golan said.

In recent New York elections, voter advocacy groups began re-enrolling Jewish voters to boost turnout in Democratic primaries. Particularly in the recent congressional election of Westchester Democrat George Latimer, also a Jewish New Yorker.