NYC BUSINESS GIANT BLASTS MAYOR-ELECT: ROWAN CALLS MAMDANI “ENEMY OF JEWS,” WARNS OF “DARK TIMES” AHEAD

Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan issued a searing public rebuke of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Monday night, accusing the incoming leader of “normalizing antisemitism” and declaring him an outright “enemy” of the Jewish people. The extraordinary warning came during a packed UJA-Federation Wall Street dinner at the Marriott Marquis, where nearly 2,000 attendees raised $57 million for pro-Israel causes.

“Someone who uses antisemitism in their campaign and normalizes antisemitism, he is our enemy,” Rowan told the crowd, drawing immediate attention across the political and financial world. Rowan, who chairs UJA-Federation of New York’s board, urged the Jewish community to confront Mamdani directly and unapologetically. “We should make no mistake, we face challenges at home… We need to be the ones to call him out. We need to say it.”

Mamdani, a Muslim and self-described democratic socialist, takes office Jan. 1. He has spent years making incendiary statements regarding Israel, describing its policies as “genocide” and “apartheid,” and declining to condemn the rallying cry “Globalize the intifada,” a chant widely understood by Jewish groups as an endorsement of violence against Jews. Those remarks have put him at odds with major Jewish institutions, including the American Jewish Committee and numerous communal leaders.

Rowan’s broadside reflects mounting anxiety within New York’s Jewish and business communities, many of whom have bristled at Mamdani’s rhetoric and are wary of his far-left governing philosophy. Hedge fund billionaire Cliff Asness voiced that unease bluntly last month, remarking: “Come for the communism, stay for the globalizing of the intifada. Shrewd, New York City.”

At the UJA dinner, Rowan—who has become one of the nation’s most prominent voices against antisemitism since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 massacre—warned that the Jewish community must remain unified, vigilant, and unflinching in naming threats. “Make no mistake, these could potentially be dark times,” he said, cautioning that dangers emanate from both extremes of the political spectrum.

Rowan urged communal leaders to “show up,” build alliances, and acknowledge the personal risks many Jewish figures are taking as antisemitism intensifies across cultural, academic, and political institutions. His own activism has been forceful: he led the campaign demanding University of Pennsylvania remove its leadership after the school refused to condemn the Hamas attacks, an effort that eventually contributed to the resignations of President Liz Magill and board chair Scott Bok.

While some business leaders have signaled cautious openness toward cooperating with the incoming mayor, Rowan did not offer the same olive branch. Instead, he emphasized that Jewish New Yorkers were entering a period of uncertainty. “We give, we show up, we have cohesion. We now need to lead,” he said.

Asked about Rowan’s comments, UJA-Federation stood by its earlier position: “UJA-Federation will hold all elected officials, including Mayor-elect Mamdani, fully accountable for ensuring that New York remains a place where Jewish life and support for Israel are protected and can thrive, and loudly call out rhetoric and actions that delegitimize Israel or excuse antisemitism.”

With Mamdani set to assume office in weeks, Rowan’s sharp denunciation underscores a growing confrontation between the city’s rising socialist movement and one of its most influential communities—and hints at a turbulent chapter ahead for New York’s political landscape.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)