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By: Ilana Siyance
A Jewish voter group has been emboldened to target more “squad members” in 2025 New York elections. As reported by the NY Post, the group helped mobilized Jews to vote in droves to defeat New York’s anti-Israel “Squad” member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman. Now, the group hopes to do the same to boost Jewish turnout in NYC’s mayoral and council elections. “New York City has the largest Jewish population in the country. There are growing universal concerns about anti-Semitism and safety,” said Maury Litwack, head of the Teach NY Coalition. “We want people to turn out so our issues are not ignored. A bigger Jewish turnout could have a tremendous impact on New York City elections,” Litwack said.
The Teach NYC Coalition was actively involved in helping George Latimer’s bid for congress against lefty incumbent Jamaal Bowman in the Democratic primary. Latimer, the Westchester County executive, roundly defeated Bowman at the primary last Tuesday. “I’m proud of the Jewish community for turning out to vote in the 16th District. It was a proud moment for us,” said Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis. “This is a model, a roadmap for us going forward. The Jewish community can’t be taken for granted.”
Bowman, 48, took office in 2021 representing NY’s 16th district, which includes parts of the Bronx and half of Westchester County. In October, Bowman had infamously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for willfully setting off a false fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building.
The Teach NY Coalition has been working to counter liberals and in particular members of the Democratic Socialists of America, who are anti-Israel. The members have repeatedly been outspoken in their support for the Palestinian cause, notwithstanding Hamas’s brutal and bloody terror attack on Oct. 7. Group members of the squad or DSA also have supported the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against the Jewish state.
Per the Post, a Teach NY/Westchester Unites analysis claimed the turnout of Jewish voters in the Bowman- Latimer primary exceeded 60%, while non-Jewish voter turnout was just 27%. Jews also voted early — making up a whopping 52% of all early mail-in votes and 29% of all early in-person votes. The group worked closely with rabbis and congregants at dozens of synagogues. The targeted synagogues saw 73% to 89% of Democratic voters turnout for the primary, per the Post. The coalition’s effort had also included encouraging Jewish voters, who were registered as Republicans or independents, to re-enroll as Democrats, so they could vote at the Bowman-Latimer primary. About 2,010 voters re-enrolled as Democrats before the Feb. 14 deadline, per the Post.
Litwack said his group can do the same to increase Jewish voter turnout in other parts of New York and replicate the success in future elections. The year 2025 will be a big election year, with Mayor Eric Adams himself up for reelection. The mayoral Democratic primary is slated to include big name contenders including Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer and Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie.
