How the law will protect Jewish New Yorkers, even under a Mamdani administration

Peloni:  This is a very important article.   The article linked below was brought to my attention, and I suggest that a careful digestion of what is depicted there is in order.

Rabbi Goldfeder, who is founder and director of National Jewish Advocacy Center and a professor at Touro Law School, explains that despite concerns surrounding NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s response to antisemitic incidents in NYC, the NY City’s Jewish community has strong legal protections in place to deal with this concern.

Goldfeder notes that  the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC) has outlined several powerful legal tools which will support the Jewish community if needed. Among these, the FACE Act provides legal protections for religious worship from physical obstruction and intimidation. Also, Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 allows citizens the ability to sue government officials who violate constitutional rights through discriminatory enforcement or deliberate indifference. Additionally, Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 provides for equal protection and addresses bias-motivated attacks, as demonstrated in cases where anti-Zionist violence has been recognized as antisemitism under federal law.

Goldfeder also highlights the fact that mayors are unable to rewrite hate-crime laws, and officials can leave themselves exposed to facing defamation lawsuits when they take actions which are beyond their official duties. NJAC has constructed legal infrastructures which include a national litigation coordination system and the first Antisemitism Law Clinic which can be deployed to strategically support these protections as or if needed.

The message pronounced by Rabbi Goldfeder in this article is very clear.  While Mamdani’s positions remain a concern for the Jewish community, the Jewish community retains comprehensive legal tools  and the expertise to use them effectively.  

By  Rabbi Mark Goldfeder | EJP | November 24, 2025

How the law will protect Jewish New Yorkers, even under a Mamdani administration