|
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.
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.
With enormous care and in solidarity,
|
