In a year marked by political upheaval and generational change, the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s first Muslim mayor has become a lightning rod for debate—not just in the city’s storied halls of power, but across kitchen tables and social media feeds nationwide. His victory, celebrated by many young progressives and eyed warily by older generations, is emblematic of a broader national trend: the rising influence of democratic socialism and a profound generational divide over issues like Israel, antisemitism, and the future of American politics.
According to a Rasmussen-Heartland Institute survey conducted between October 31 and November 2, 2025, 51% of Americans aged 18 to 39 said they would like to see a democratic socialist president in 2028. That figure jumps to a staggering 82% among young Democrats and remains significant even among independents. Women and the youngest adults, especially those aged 18 to 24, are particularly enthusiastic, the poll found. The survey, which included 1,496 likely voters and has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points, also highlighted that family, education, and online content—everything from teachers to podcasts—are shaping the political opinions of this generation more than ever before.
These shifting tides are not just theoretical. In November 2025, New Yorkers elected Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, as their mayor. Mamdani, who is of migrant background, ran on a platform promising economic justice, affordable housing, and efficient public transportation. His campaign drew strong support from young voters, including many young Jewish progressives. According to exit polls cited by Newsday, nearly one-third of Jewish voters—most of them young—cast their ballots for Mamdani. Among Jews aged 18 to 29, he secured 44% of the vote, and among those 30 to 44, he captured half. His support fell sharply among older Jews, with only 23% of those 45 to 59 and 20% of those over 60 backing him.
Adam Tzach, a 23-year-old Jewish resident of Hewlett, volunteered for Mamdani’s campaign. Tzach’s father was born in Israel, and Tzach himself was horrified by the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people. Yet he believes Israel’s response went too far, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and much of Gaza reduced to rubble. "The amount of people who are being killed, especially on one side, after Oct. 7 has just been, to me, almost insane," Tzach told Newsday. "We've just seen too much destruction." He appreciates that "Mamdani is not afraid" to take a stand on such controversial issues.
Mamdani’s election has exposed a generational divide in New York’s Jewish community and beyond. While many younger Jews are outraged by the scale of destruction in Gaza and support Mamdani’s criticism of Israel’s conduct, older Jews are unnerved by his positions and what his mayoralty might mean for their community. Sy Roth, a 78-year-old from Mount Sinai, voiced his concerns: "I fear for [my grandson]," he said. "I don't think he's going to be taking a great deal of interest in some criminal activity that might be directed specifically at Jewish people." Roth added, "He seems to be rather one-sided."
Since his election, Mamdani has repeatedly tried to reassure the Jewish community, pledging to fight antisemitism as mayor. Hours after his victory, when antisemitic graffiti appeared at a Brooklyn Jewish day school, he quickly condemned it, posting on X: "As Mayor, I will always stand steadfast with our Jewish neighbors to root the scourge of antisemitism out of our city." But his critics remain unconvinced, pointing to his support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, his refusal to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada," and his pledge to order the NYPD to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit New York—calling him a "war criminal." The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, but legal experts question whether a mayor could enforce such a warrant.
Mamdani has openly criticized Israel’s offensive in Gaza, calling it genocide—a conclusion echoed by a United Nations commission in September 2025, though Israel denies it. At least 69,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Widespread hunger from an Israeli blockade of food has also afflicted many in Gaza, according to international human rights groups and the U.N. Mamdani has called the October 7 attack a "horrific war crime" but refers to Israel as an apartheid state and supports economic and cultural boycotts of the country.
The city’s Jewish population, the largest outside Israel at roughly 960,000, has been shaken by these debates, especially amid a well-documented rise in antisemitic incidents. In 2024, New York City saw a record 976 antisemitic incidents, a trend that has continued into 2025, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The ADL recently launched a "Mamdani Monitor" to track the mayor’s appointments and policies for potential harm to the Jewish community, citing his "long, disturbing record on issues of deep concern." The group also set up a citywide tip line for reporting antisemitic incidents. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from Islamic and progressive Jewish groups, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations calling it "an act of hypocrisy and anti-Muslim bigotry, pure and simple." J Street, a progressive Jewish organization, warned that "the fear-mongering we have seen from some Jewish institutions and leaders surrounding Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is harmful, overblown, and risks needlessly deepening divisions in the city and in our community."
Some Jewish leaders, like Rabbi Susie Moskowitz of Temple Beth Torah in Melville, have tried to navigate the sensitive topic with care. "I think Israel as a Jewish state is essential for Jewish survival. But I also think Israel needs to be a moral beacon in the world," she said in an interview with Newsday. "I feel it is our obligation as supportive Jews to call out Israel when we think Israel's not doing the right thing. And we can still love Israel and be strong Zionists. That's part of Zionism." She also expressed concern that Mamdani’s anti-Zionist views "could be very dangerous" but believes it’s important to work with him for the good of the city.
For Tzach, Mamdani’s stance on Gaza was just one reason to support him. He was drawn to the new mayor’s promises to freeze rents, provide free public buses, and open government-run grocery stores. "I'm Jewish. I walk around the city. Nobody has a problem," Tzach said. But for others, like Roth, Mamdani’s election is a harbinger of more difficult days ahead. "Antisemitism is only going to get worse," Roth warned. "I think he will exacerbate it."
As New York City prepares for Mamdani’s inauguration on January 1, the city stands at a crossroads—caught between generational hopes for justice and economic reform, and deep-seated fears about security and identity. The debate is far from settled, but one thing is clear: the voices of America’s youth are reshaping the political landscape in ways that few could have predicted just a decade ago.
