The Republican state Senate candidate says education and cultural funding must be matched by stronger protection and accountability for hate crimes.
Ron East | TheJ.ca | Oct 6, 2026
New York State Senate candidate Alina Bonsell has criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s antisemitism strategy, calling for stronger enforcement and greater security funding for Jewish institutions. Image via Youtube.
Republican state Senate candidate Alina Bonsell is challenging Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s strategy to combat antisemitism, arguing that its emphasis on prevention, education and cultural programs does not adequately address criminal enforcement or the security needs of Jewish institutions.
In a September 30 statement, Bonsell, the Republican nominee for District 28 who is also running on the independent Block Mamdani ballot line, said Jewish New Yorkers need clearer answers about how the city will respond when antisemitic threats become violence.
“This is not a serious enough plan to combat antisemitism,” she said. “You cannot credibly talk about combating antisemitism without talking about what happens when people actually commit antisemitic crimes.”
Bonsell pointed to the case of Yehia Amin as an example of what she considers insufficient accountability.
According to her statement, Amin followed a group of visibly Jewish men through Times Square, made antisemitic threats and punched a 23-year-old Israeli tourist in the head. She said he pleaded guilty to assault as a hate crime and was sentenced September 15 to 90 days in jail followed by five years of probation.
Bonsell questioned whether that sentence provided a meaningful consequence for the attack.
“Prevention and education are important, but they cannot substitute for enforcement of the law,” she said.
Her criticism also focused on the funding priorities outlined in the city’s strategy. Bonsell said the plan allocates $6.4 million to community organizations for hate-crime prevention and survivor support, but does not establish a comparable new criminal-enforcement component.
She acknowledged the value of those programs while asking what would change in the city’s response to people who commit antisemitic crimes.
In her view, the distinction is between helping prevent hatred and ensuring authorities respond effectively when an offense occurs. She argued that a comprehensive strategy needs to address both.
Bonsell also cited $2 million for the Queens Holocaust Memorial and $2.5 million for the Center for New Jewish Culture.
She said she supports teaching New Yorkers about Jewish history, the Holocaust, and antisemitism, and wants that education strengthened in public schools. Her objection was that cultural investment should be paired with practical protection against violence.
Synagogue security was another concern.
According to Bonsell’s statement, the strategy provides $1 million to strengthen physical security at synagogues and other houses of worship. She questioned whether that amount meets the needs of hundreds of Jewish institutions across the city’s five boroughs.
Her statement also called for the strategy to address the intersection between antisemitism and antizionist rhetoric.
Bonsell distinguished criticism of Israeli government policies from antisemitism. She argued, however, that antizionist rhetoric can cross that line or contribute to an atmosphere in which Jews are targeted because of their connection to Israel.
Leaving that issue unaddressed, she said, overlooks part of what Jewish New Yorkers are experiencing.
The statement did not include a response from Mamdani’s office. Bonsell’s central demand was for a strategy that combines education and support with adequate security funding and a clear commitment to enforcing the law.
“Jewish New Yorkers need more than prevention programs and cultural initiatives,” she said. “They need a city government that makes clear that antisemitic violence will be investigated, prosecuted, and met with meaningful consequences.”
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