Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism officially launched New York City’s first municipal Strategy which aims to address antisemitic incidents affecting Jewish New Yorkers. The plan is expected to strengthen Jewish institutions and communities across the city.
In a video released alongside the plan, Mamdani said that Jewish New Yorkers “should feel cherished and celebrated in the most Jewish city in America.” He emphasized that the city government has a responsibility to protect Jewish citizens.
The plan includes $6.4 million allocated for hate crime prevention and survivor support, $4.5 million for Jewish cultural institutions and $1 million for synagogue and Hebrew school security, along with expanded education on Jewish history. This includes field trips for eighth graders to the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
There is already $2 million allocated specifically to complete construction of the Queens Holocaust Memorial and another $2.5 million invested for the Center for New Jewish Culture in Central Brooklyn.
The launch of this plan comes at a time when the mayor faces heavy backlash for his stance on Israel and statements accusing the Israeli government of committing genocide in Gaza. Despite this, he said, “Antisemitism is real, and it is growing.”
In 2025, the NYPD reported that 57% of documented hate crimes were comprised of antisemitic incidents.
What has yet to be specified is an operationalized definition of antisemitism.
“I think the absence of a definition undercuts the report tremendously,” Scott Richman of the Anti-Defamation League said. “It’s very difficult to fight something where you can’t define what it is.”
In the past, Mamdani struck down an executive order issued by former Mayor Eric Adams that declared the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which associates forms of anti-Israel criticisms with antisemitism, the standard in NYC.
However, many Jewish organizations are in favor of the plan and have praised the strategy as an important step forward. It is intended to serve long-term and promote safety and awareness across NYC.