By: Fern Sidman

In a move that has generated fierce debate across political, religious, and legal spheres, New York City mayoral primary winner Zohran Mamdani has reintroduced a legislative proposal that critics say directly targets Jewish charities and religious institutions. The bill—titled “Not on Our Dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act”—seeks to impose sweeping financial penalties on any New York-based not-for-profit corporation, including synagogues, that provides funds to organizations operating in or associated with Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, Gaza Strip, or East Jerusalem.

Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, and Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani all belonged to an anti-Semitic club when they drafted and presented a bill “not on our dime” in the Senate to demonize all Jewish not-for-profit organizations in NY. They even went as far as… pic.twitter.com/835zTZELEO

— Gus Lambropoulos (@GusLambropoulos) May 22, 2025

As reported on Tuesday in The Jerusalem Post, Mamdani’s proposal would amend New York’s not-for-profit corporation law to prohibit what it terms “unauthorized support of Israeli settlement activity.” The bill defines such activity broadly to include not only direct aid to Israeli civilians residing in “disputed” territories, but also support to organizations alleged to be affiliated with the Israeli armed forces or any actions involving the “appropriation” or “damage” of Palestinian property.

The irony of Zohran Mamdani’s “Not On Our Dime!” bill? A socialist telling synagogues they can’t support fellow Jews (with their own money), while simultaneously raising their taxes “on their dime.”

The bill says if your synagogue donates to ZAKA, Hatzalah, One Israel Fund, or…

— elexakoblentz (@elexakoblentz) June 27, 2025

If enacted, the legislation would empower the New York State Attorney General to dissolve any nonprofit found in violation. In addition, individuals—specifically Palestinians who claim to have been harmed by “settler violence” allegedly facilitated by such funding—would be granted standing to file civil suits against these entities. According to the report in The Jerusalem Post, violators would be subject to fines of no less than $1 million.

The bill’s language refers repeatedly to “occupied territory,” defining the term to include all areas of Judea, Samaria, Gaza, and East Jerusalem—terminology and scope that align closely with the most hardline interpretations of international law but diverge sharply from Israel’s own legal and historical claims to those territories.

While the original version of the bill, introduced by Mamdani in May 2023, failed to gain traction due to resistance from legislative leadership, The Jerusalem Post report confirmed that the measure was quietly revised and expanded throughout 2024 and formally reintroduced in February 2025. It is currently pending review by the Committee on Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions.

Mamdani’s Bill Targets NY Jewish Nonprofits Funding Israeli Groups

NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s “Not on Our Dime” bill, reintroduced in 2025, seeks to fine NY nonprofits $1M+ for supporting ZAKA, United Hatzalah, or groups linked to Israeli settlements. pic.twitter.com/lyUDbXY57V

— Eli Goldman | אלי גולדמן (@EliGoldmanx) July 2, 2025

Among the bill’s explicit targets are several well-known Jewish organizations with long histories of philanthropic work in Israel. Mamdani has named the Central Fund of Israel as a focal point of enforcement. Others named on the bill’s companion website, NotOnOurDime.org, include the One Israel Fund, United Hatzalah, ZAKA, and crowdfunding platforms such as JGives and Israel Gives—all of which, according to the site, have facilitated fundraising for equipment or services tied to Israeli defense or security efforts.

In particular, the website claims the One Israel Fund raised more than $2 million in the final months of 2023 alone, including funds for surveillance drones and thermal cameras allegedly provided to settlers in Judea and Samaria. The group also points to videos where recipients of such aid have been identified as individuals sanctioned by the Biden administration for violent conduct.

This weekend, @AOC campaigned with jihadi NYC Mayoral candidate @ZohranKMamdani.

Zohran Mamdani, a jihadist Muslim, once sponsored bill A06101 in the New York Legislature, which states, “Establishes the ‘Not on Our Dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act’… https://t.co/J5J2bHfrwU pic.twitter.com/iM90R4MJlk

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) June 9, 2025

The Jerusalem Post report warned that if enacted, it could establish a precedent in which American Jewish institutions are financially penalized or dismantled for supporting causes aligned with Israel’s defense or settlement activities—activities that, while controversial internationally, are often considered lawful and even moral by large segments of the Jewish community and Israeli public.

Critics of the bill argue that it constitutes a direct attack on Jewish religious freedom and philanthropic autonomy. “This legislation seeks to criminalize support for Israel under the guise of nonprofit regulation,” one legal expert told The Jerusalem Post, adding that the bill may violate constitutional protections regarding freedom of religion and association.

Proponents, however, frame the measure as a moral imperative. Mamdani and his allies claim the bill is designed to ensure New York does not indirectly subsidize what they characterize as violence and oppression. “It’s about accountability,” one supporter told The Jerusalem Post. “Tax-deductible status should not be a shield for supporting the violation of human rights.”

But Jewish leaders across New York see the bill as a disturbing escalation in efforts to stigmatize support for Israel, particularly in the wake of rising antisemitism following the October 7th Hamas massacre and the subsequent war in Gaza. “At a time when Jewish communities are feeling increasingly vulnerable, this bill chooses to isolate, accuse, and punish,” wrote one op-ed in The Jerusalem Post.

As the legislation awaits review, the broader question looms: Will New York set a precedent in regulating the political reach of charitable giving—or will it ignite a constitutional battle over the right of Jewish Americans to support Israel as they see fit? For now, the tension continues to build.