Zohran Mamdani is courting Hasidic voters — in Yiddish
Mamdani is going head-to-head with Andrew Cuomo in working to win votes
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on Oct. 17. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
By Jacob Kornbluh October 22, 2025
Zohran Mamdani is making a direct appeal to Brooklyn’s Hasidic community, targeting an influential constituency that often votes based on rabbinical guidance.
In an open letter written in Hasidic Yiddish and published in Yiddish-language newspapers on Wednesday, Mamdani, the Democratic candidate to be New York City’s mayor, wrote, “You have probably heard a lot about me, and some of it may be a distorted picture of who I am. Therefore, it is important for me to address you directly on important issues and to set the record straight.”
The letter, which comes as some prominent Jewish leaders and rabbis have mobilized behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral campaign, outlines Mamdani’s plan to combat antisemitism, which includes the creation of a department of community safety and a commitment to increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%. It also details his proposals to expand affordable housing and establish universal childcare — measures that would ease housing and education strains in growing Hasidic neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, Borough Park and Crown Heights.
“I have had the honor myself to meet with members of the Orthodox Jewish community,” Mamdani wrote in the letter. “I still have a lot to learn, but this was a wonderful introduction to an important and valued part of what makes New York so amazing.”
During the Democratic primary, Mamdani gave an interview to a Yiddish-language Hasidic newspaper as part of his efforts to engage Orthodox voters, even though they lean conservative on social issues and trend right-wing on Israel. Every Hasidic sect endorsed Cuomo as their first choice.
Since his surprise victory in June, Mamdani redoubled his outreach efforts to Orthodox communities, as polls show he faces hurdles with the Jewish electorate. Earlier this month, he received a warm welcome from leaders of the two Satmar factions while celebrating the holiday of Sukkot.
“It would be the honor of a lifetime to serve as your next mayor,” Mamdani concludes. “I hope you will consider casting your vote for me in November. Together, we can build a city that works for all of us.”
Cuomo, who is trailing Mamdani by double digits, is still backed by many Orthodox voting blocs and has courted rabbis and leaders. On Wednesday, a group of some 650 rabbis from across the country signed an open letter, titled “A Rabbinic Call to Action: Defending the Jewish Future,” highlighting Mamdani’s criticism of Israel and urging Jewish voters to back “candidates who reject antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric, and who affirm Israel’s right to exist in peace and security.”
