<[link removed]>Friend,

Today I am grieving a letter released this week, signed by hundreds of rabbis and cantors from around the country, that attacks New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

I am mourning because these Jewish leaders are doing Trump and the MAGA movement’s work for them: dividing our pro-democracy movement at a time when we need to be united to beat back fascism.

This coming Monday is the seventh yahrtzeit of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, the deadliest act of antisemitic violence in American history. The shooter was motivated by antisemitic lies spread by the White House and MAGA movement which blamed Jews, Black and brown people, and immigrants for our country’s problems.

Today, there is only one candidate for New York City mayor that will stand up to Trump and challenge the antisemitic MAGA lies that killed our people, our neighbors, and continue to endanger all of us — Zohran Mamdani.

That’s why Zohran’s win in the mayoral primary (where he won the plurality of Jewish votes) rocked the entire Republican establishment. Trump and his billionaire bullies immediately began using every tool they had to try to break up the powerful multiracial, multifaith coalition that helped nominate Zohran.

In false accusations of antisemitism, they found a weapon that would tear apart our Jewish communities and splinter some of us from our progressive allies.

When explaining why we endorsed Zohran, we warned:

“The greatest threats to Jewish safety in the U.S. are Trump and the MAGA movement — and they want us to be divided from our allies. They’ve used every tactic to try to pull apart the progressive coalition behind Zohran, from smokescreen antisemitism to anti-Muslim bigotry and racism. As voters, we must see through these attempts and stay in coalition (even across disagreement) to win the future we dream of: safe, affordable and livable cities, led by those who fight fascism and protect our liberties.”

The rabbi and cantor letter attacking Zohran this week ignored these warnings, imperiling Jews and our neighbors and our only ability to defeat fascism — our multiracial, multifaith majority. Our Jewish communities must resist trading our freedom and the freedom of others for false promises of safety.

On the debate stage Wednesday, Zohran repeated his position, “I will be the mayor who doesn't just protect Jewish New Yorkers, but also celebrates and cherishes them.”

I believe him. He prayed with us in our pews at High Holiday services. He’s committed to fighting antisemitism with an 800% funding increase for combatting hate crimes. He has the endorsement of Jewish leaders and organizations across New York and the country — including Bend the Arc — as well as elected Jewish officials representing the largest Jewish communities in the nation.

In two weeks, I pray New Yorkers will turn out in historic numbers to elect its first Muslim mayor, a man committed to fighting fascism and reversing decades of policy that made the city increasingly unequal and unaffordable. I want this race to then become a model for how Jews and our neighbors can unite in cities across the U.S. to resist the Trump regime, protect immigrants, and fight antisemitism.

You can help us do that by joining our final phonebank for Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday, October 29 at 6 - 8pm ET. RSVP here. <[link removed]>

If you can’t make it, donate to fund our final canvasses and help us reach even more voters on the ground before Election Day. <[link removed]>

With enormous care and in solidarity,

Rachel Laforest
Chief Campaigns Officer, Bend the Arc

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