Nadler’s Endorsement of Mamdani Sparks Outcry in Pro-Israel Circles

By: Fern Sidman

By all accounts, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the longtime dean of New York’s congressional delegation, remains one of the most prominent Jewish voices in American politics. Yet as The Jewish Insider (JI) has reported on Tuesday, Nadler is now at the center of a political storm within his own community, following his surprising decision to endorse Zohran Mamdani — a candidate whose record of hostility toward Israel has alarmed many Jewish leaders.

As The Jewish Insider report revealed, Nadler has been working behind the scenes to promote Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, despite Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the incendiary call to “globalize the intifada.” The phrase — which many view as a thinly veiled endorsement of antisemitic violence — remains a glaring flashpoint in Mamdani’s fraught relationship with the Jewish community. That Nadler, co-chair of the House Jewish Caucus and a longtime critic of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, would lend his support to Mamdani has left many stunned.

The Jewish Insider reported that Nadler even arranged a meeting between Mamdani and Jewish elected officials this week — a gathering that several leaders boycotted over Mamdani’s inflammatory positions. The outreach, according to sources quoted by The Jewish Insider, has done little to quell concerns. Rather, it has fueled speculation that Nadler’s endorsement is politically motivated, aimed at warding off a potential left-wing primary challenger amid talk of his possible retirement.

The backlash from Jewish community leaders has been swift and sharp. As The Jewish Insider report detailed, Assemblyman Kalman Yeger — an Orthodox lawmaker from Brooklyn — voiced dismay at Nadler’s move, questioning the congressman’s judgment and commitment to safeguarding Jewish New Yorkers. Yeger, who has branded Mamdani “one of the most vile antisemites in public office,” told The Jewish Insider, “It’s certainly fair to question [Nadler’s] judgment and commitment to standing up for the safety of Jewish New Yorkers.”

What makes Nadler’s stance even more perplexing, as The Jewish Insider report observed, is his previous denunciation of BDS as a manifestation of “pernicious antisemitism.” Yet Mamdani, as The Jewish Insider has chronicled, remains an unapologetic supporter of BDS and has conspicuously avoided denouncing the call to “globalize the intifada.” Mamdani’s continued equivocation on these matters has been a dealbreaker for several top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — both of whom have withheld their endorsement.

Despite Nadler’s insistence that he is working with Mamdani to “inform him about concerns within the Jewish community,” critics argue that the congressman’s early and unqualified endorsement has effectively legitimized a candidate whose rhetoric borders on antisemitism. One anonymous Jewish leader, quoted in The Jewish Insider report, accused Nadler of having “thrown the Jewish community under the bus” — a harsh indictment from a community that has long regarded him as a stalwart ally.

Jeff Leb, a political consultant active in Jewish affairs, echoed those concerns in comments to The Jewish Insider, asserting that Nadler had “sold out” the community to protect his political flank. According to Leb, Nadler’s fear of a progressive challenger backed by Mamdani’s network has driven him to make a short-sighted political calculation.

Yet Nadler’s office, in remarks to The Jewish Insider, flatly denied any such motive, claiming the congressman remains unconcerned about a primary challenge. Nonetheless, The Jewish Insider report noted that Nadler’s district — encompassing Manhattan’s affluent Upper East and West Sides — voted heavily for Mamdani and for progressive comptroller Brad Lander, who cross-endorsed Mamdani during the Democratic primary.

The Jewish community’s frustration with Mamdani runs deeper than partisan politics. As The Jewish Insider report highlighted, Mamdani’s refusal to disavow the slogan “globalize the intifada” — a rallying cry historically associated with violence against Jews — has fueled suspicions that his activism veers into dangerous territory. His BDS advocacy, coupled with his past statements on Israel, have been viewed by many Jewish leaders as clear evidence of an agenda hostile to Israel and, by extension, to Jewish communal interests in New York.

This sentiment has left Mamdani isolated from much of the mainstream Democratic establishment. His relationship with key figures such as Schumer, Jeffries, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand remains strained — with none of them endorsing him since his primary victory.

As The Jewish Insider emphasized, even Nadler himself, has maintained a conspicuous silence on Mamdani’s refusal to support Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. Though his office insists he has “reiterated” to Mamdani that he is “a strong Zionist,” Nadler has offered no public rebuke of Mamdani’s hardline positions — a fact not lost on the community leaders quoted in The Jewish Insider report.

As Mamdani faces a crowded general election field that includes both Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams — both running as independents — the controversy over Nadler’s endorsement could complicate Democratic efforts to present a unified front in New York’s critical mayoral race.

For now, Nadler’s gamble on Mamdani remains one of the most puzzling political maneuvers in New York’s recent history. As The Jewish Insider report indicated, it is a gamble that risks alienating a core constituency that once considered Nadler an unshakable ally. Whether this move reflects a calculated political strategy or a profound misreading of the moment, Nadler’s alliance with Mamdani has shaken the confidence of many Jewish leaders who expected more principled leadership from one of their most prominent representatives on Capitol Hill.