Outgoing NYC Mayor Eric Adams Warns in Israel: “If I Were a Jewish New Yorker, I’d Be Worried About My Children”

Outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned on Sunday that Jewish New Yorkers face a rising tide of hostility, and should be “concerned” about their safety following the election of his successor, Zohran Mamdani.

Speaking at a Tel Aviv event hosted by the Combat Antisemitism organization, Adams said: “If I were a Jewish New Yorker I would be concerned about my children. We need to be honest about the moment and cannot sugarcoat it.”

The mayor’s message comes amid record spikes in antisemitic incidents in New York and deep anxieties over Mamdani’s unapologetically hardline positions during the campaign, including his refusal to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada.”

Adams, a longtime ally of Israel, said antisemitism has become fashionable among certain activist circles both globally and within New York City, home to the world’s largest Jewish population outside Israel.

“It has now become cool and hip to be antisemitic,” he said, arguing that an entire generation has been “raised on lies” spread through social media.

He pointed to what he called the absurdity and moral confusion behind some of the city’s protest culture.

“You have people walking around the country with signs saying ‘Queers for Palestine.’ And that is queer when the only place you can walk around in the Middle East being queer is Israel,” Adams said to applause. “They’ve hijacked the conversation.”

Reflecting on the aftermath of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, Adams argued that supporters of Israel failed to grasp the messaging war and lost the mainstream American public as a result.

“The story was never really told about Oct. 7,” Adams said. “You heard about it but you never knew what really happened.”

He said Israel’s opponents filled the vacuum with visceral, emotional images from Gaza that overwhelmed public discourse.

“The Zohrans of the world shoved the images of every baby killed in Gaza… and became a symbol of what people were angry about,” he said.

Adams said Mamdani’s victory — despite refusing to denounce the “globalize the intifada” chant — was itself proof that radical ideas were entering the mainstream.

“People are comfortable with being antisemitic,” he warned. “Abnormal became normal.”

Exit polls show roughly one-third of New York’s Jewish voters cast ballots for Mamdani, underscoring widening ideological divides between American Jewish progressives and Israel-focused voters.

Adams told the crowd in Tel Aviv that Jewish New Yorkers cannot afford complacency as Mamdani prepares to take office on January 1.

“The New York Jewish community must prepare themselves,” he urged. “This is a period where you need to be conscious about the level of global hostility towards the Jewish community. If you say everything is fine, you are setting yourself up for failure.”

Despite his impending departure from office, Adams vowed to continue standing with the Jewish community.

“I’m not just your mayor,” he said. “I’m your brother.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Adams, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Mayor Adams for his great support of Israel and for being a true friend of the Jewish people. Also taking part in the meeting was Consul General of Israel in New York, Ofir Akunis.

Adams also met with President Isaac Herzog.