NY congressman-elect’s new aide is a communist who denies Israel’s right to exist

New York Congressman-elect Brad Lander’s new communications director is a self-described communist who decried what he called “banal Zionism.”

By World Israel News Staff | World Israel News | Nov 15, 2026

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New York Democratic Congressman-elect Brad Lander has appointed a self-described communist who has questioned Israel’s right to exist and made controversial statements about American Jews as his communications director, drawing criticism from Republicans and Jewish media outlets.

Jesse Myerson, a longtime left-wing activist and writer who previously worked with organizations affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, is expected to assume the senior congressional position when Lander takes office in January.

His appointment was first reported last Tuesday by Politico, while a subsequent investigation published Thursday by Jewish Insider uncovered a series of past statements in which Myerson attacked Zionism, questioned the legitimacy of nation-states and criticized Jewish religious traditions.

In a November 2023 Facebook post, published shortly after the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel, Myerson declared that Israel did not exist as a legitimate political entity.

However, he extended that argument to other countries, including the United States, China and Russia, contending that national identities were artificial constructs maintained by ruling elites to divide the international working class.

Myerson subsequently shared an excerpt of the post on Bluesky in 2025, arguing that while Jews were entitled to security and freedom, Israel did not have the right to maintain a political system that he characterized as giving Jews superior status over other inhabitants.

His opposition to Zionism dates back more than a decade.

In a since-deleted Twitter post from 2014, Myerson attacked wealthy Jewish supporters of Zionism who portrayed themselves as members of a vulnerable minority.

“Wealthy, powerful, well-connected Jews depicting themselves as part of a huddling, vulnerable minority make me sick,” he wrote.

Myerson also defended the controversial anti-Israel slogan “globalize the intifada” in June 2025, comparing it to the Hebrew expression “Am Yisrael Chai,” meaning “the people of Israel live.”

He acknowledged that many Jewish New Yorkers interpreted the former slogan as threatening, but suggested that Palestinian Americans might have similar feelings about expressions of Jewish national solidarity.

The phrase “globalize the intifada” has drawn widespread criticism from Jewish organizations, which argue that it invokes campaigns of terrorist violence against Israelis during previous Palestinian uprisings.

Myerson has also criticized traditional Jewish commemorations.

In a 2017 essay published by Jewish Currents, he questioned celebrations of Hanukkah, criticized the Maccabees for practicing circumcision and expressed discomfort with Jewish traditions commemorating military victories.

He described Jewish religious law as “backward” and criticized the Zionist movement while expressing admiration for certain periods of Jewish history when Jews lived under foreign rule.

Myerson’s political ideology is also reflected in his published writings on economics and national borders.

In a September 2014 article for Salon, he referred to himself as “a publicly self-identified communist” while defending his support for collective ownership of property.

He had previously advocated eliminating national borders in a 2013 article for the socialist magazine Jacobin, arguing that international working-class solidarity required dismantling restrictions on immigration and national divisions.

Despite the controversy, Lander defended his decision to appoint Myerson, insisting that the two could work together despite their differences over Israel.

“I have confidence in him to communicate my liberal Zionist views,” Lander told Jewish Insider.

The congressman-elect said he was comfortable employing a senior staff member who rejected Zionism and described Myerson as a proud Jewish New Yorker who respected the humanity of people with differing opinions.

He also accused Jewish Insider of removing important context from Myerson’s previous statements.

Lander, who identifies as a progressive Zionist, has himself been an outspoken critic of Israeli government policies, including military operations in Gaza against the Hamas terror organization.

However, he has maintained his support for Israel’s existence and broke with the Democratic Socialists of America in late 2023 over the organization’s response to the October 7 attacks.

The incoming congressman defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman in the June primary with the backing of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, before winning the November 3 general election.

The appointment drew an angry response from the New York Republican State Committee, which accused Lander of elevating antisemitic voices within the Democratic Party.

In a statement Thursday, state Republican communications director David Laska condemned Myerson’s past remarks and demanded that House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer publicly denounce the appointment.

“Will any New York Democrats take a stand for decency and the safety of Jewish New Yorkers?” Laska asked.

The controversy also follows an earlier dispute involving a Lander campaign consultant who had circulated conspiracy theories accusing Israel of involvement in the September 11 terrorist attacks and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Lander’s campaign severed ties with that consultant after the statements were publicized in February.

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