A major internal battle has erupted in the Satmar faction led by Rav Aharon Teitelbaum shlitโa of Kiryas Joel, after some of its askanim – led by Rabbi Moshe Indig – decided to endorse Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist candidate for mayor of New York City. Mamdani โ known for his criticism of Israel, borderline antisemitism, and alignment with radical, far-left causes โ continues to struggle for trust among much of the cityโs Jewish electorate.
The endorsement by Indig [who is doing this totally for power and control], made official at an event in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon, represents a significant political development. The Ahronim bloc, numbering tens of thousands of voters, has backed the winning mayoral candidate in each of the past two elections โ Bill de Blasio in 2013 and Eric Adams in 2021. With Mamdani leading in the latest polls, their latest move appears to follow the same trend.
Meanwhile, a letter signed by (Aharonim) Cheskel Berkowitz, Avrum Brach, and Shulem Jacobowitz and undersigned by “Satmar Williamsburg” has endorsed Cuomo.
Additionally, sources tell YWN that an official endorsement by Satmar for Cuomo is imminent.
Yet within and beyond the chassidishe community, questions are being raised about the cost of such political pragmatism. In fact, a number of askanim within the community have already spoken out against the endorsement, making clear that they are not supportive of it.
Mamdaniโs outspoken record has long caused discomfort among Orthodox voters. A self-described democratic socialist, he has publicly supported and expressed sympathy for activists hostile to Jewish interests.
That history makes the endorsement particularly jarring to many because when a communityโs political alliances shift without principle โ when itโs all about being with the winner โ it sends the message that our word doesnโt mean much anymore.
Other major Orthodox groups โ including the Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, Bobov, and Belz โ have declined to support Mamdani, instead backing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who continues to lead comfortably among Jewish voters, according to multiple polls.
By contrast, the Ahronim blocโs decision to endorse Mamdani appears to be driven more by political calculus than ideological comfort, a pattern that has raised broader concerns.
Power built on predictability is lasting. But when a group develops a reputation for shifting with the political winds, their influence becomes performative. Candidates may seek their endorsement, but they stop taking their values seriously. They know that as long as they are leading with other groups, the Chasidim will fall in line behind them – no matter what.
In recent months, while other chassidishe groups publicly debated how to engage with candidates whose records conflicted with Torah values, the Ahronimโs outreach appeared focused primarily on who was likely to win โ not on who was most aligned with the communityโs priorities.
The Ahronimโs latest move echoes earlier cycles. In 2013, they endorsed de Blasio, whose policies later drew criticism for restricting yeshivos.ย Now, they are embracing a candidate whose positions โ on Israel, policing, and religious education โ remain deeply at odds with much of the frum communityโs worldview.
For decades, the Satmar communityโs disciplined voting strength earned it the respect of city officials and the attention of policymakers. But as the political expression goes, โInfluence is only as strong as the principles behind it.”
Once your support becomes predictable โ not based on values, but on convenience โ it stops being feared and starts being taken for granted.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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18 Responses
Increased SNAP for everyone!!
1. If Mamdani promises that he will prevent violence against the non-zionist hasidim, it would make sense.
2. Hasidim tend to have many non-affluent people who might benefit from liberal welfare policies, and in general they don’t seek employment in the sorts of job that DEI covers.
3. Cuomo does have a history of antagonism towards frum Jews, especially hasidim.
Deal with the Devil? Playing kiss up? I don’t get what you expect to gain by going against all your fellow Jews. Daas torah once again kicked to the gutter
Not such a bad move considering heโs the leading candidate. Itโs ok for Anti zionists to know not to take out their hatred on โotherโ Jews. A yid is expected to undertake with pride the ืฉื ืื that we get because of ืกืื ื . A yid is not responsible to accept the ืฉื ืื we get because of the state of Israel. Even if at times the โhatredsโ overlap.
The actual Satmar voters won’t vote for Mamdani regardless of this endorsement.
The idea of the “endorsement” is to build bridges to the person who will likely be the next mayor, so they can influence his decisions as mayos, as those decisions will have heavy impacts of the Jewish community.
So it’s not ok to sing ืจืืืื ื ืฉื ืขืืื by a chuppah but it’s ok to vote for a terrorist.
This Mamdani is a sick Anti-Semite, aligned with the most left wing agendas in the USA. Yet these fools still think of endorsing him?! Mind boggling. They think he is just anti Israel so he aligns with their views. No – he is an Anti-Semite and his backers are vile Anti-Semites. We will regret this bitterly if he wins.
Stay away from whatever Satmar/Naturei Karta says to do.
And I thought Neturai Karta was a radical “offshoot” of Satmar. I see I was wrong.
The anti Zionist chassidim for the anti Zionist mayor. We shall see how those all ends
With the same logic, they would vote for Hitler in Germany.
Stunning? It’s like voting for Arafat for mayor of NYC.
This is dangerous, if the entire orthodox Jewish community endorsed the looser, the winner can choliloh take note of that. Yidden should keep low profile in politics
The endorsement of an Islamic terrorist by any “frum” Jews is an obscene desecration of God’s name.
Using a fake banner of “anti-Zionism”, no Jew has the right to aid and abet an Islamic terrorist who is an enemy of God, the Torah, and the Jewish nation.
If certain radical Satmars are publicly rejecting the first Rashi in the Torah, and rejecting any mitzvah of “yishuv Eretz Yisrael”, and rejecting any mitzvah of “lo saamod al dam reichah”, and allying themselves with Islamic terrorists, then those Satmars should declare themselves officially a separate religion from Judaism and no longer part of the Jewish nation.
The Gemarah in Megila tells us that Achashverosh came to Hachamim and asked them what to do with Vashti. The Hachamim came up with an excuse and referred him to another nation and told him from the time that the beis Hamikdash was destroyed Ruach Hachoma was taken away from us. They feared if Vashti stays alive and make trouble for the King, he will blame them. If she kills her, then one day he will change his mind and will blame them. The conclusion of Poskim is that the Yidden shall not be mearev with the memshalah, especially in the land of Esav. The yidden focus on Mitzvos and Mizvos ONLY!
End the Askanos! NOW!
RightJew:
Let’s fix that for you.
The endorsement of Antiochus by any โfrumโ Jews is an obscene desecration of Godโs name.
Using an idolatrous banner of Zionism, no Jew has the right to aid and abet an Antiochus who has already proven himself to be an enemy of God, the Torah, and the Jewish people.
If certain radical idolaters are publicly rejecting large parts of the Torah and upholding the imperatives of the three oaths, and rejecting any mitzvah of โlo saamod al dam reichahโ, and allying themselves with Antiochus, then those idolaters should declare themselves officially a separate religion from Judaism and no longer part of the Jewish nation.
See, that is more accurate than your post, because, in part, the first Rashi has zero to do with the Zionist invasion of the holy land and their subsequent declaration of their “State” in parts of that land.
Rebbitzen Goldenpickanicerscreenname:
No, that’s what their opponents are doing in supporting Antiochus who arbitrarily red-zoned Jewish neighborhoods and shut down all the shuls and schools and on and on and on.