Israel has become a divisive issue splitting Diaspora Jews from one another, particularly in Western cities. New York City's Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently broadcast a video containing statements portraying Israelis negatively. Angela Buchdahl, the Reform rabbi of Manhattan's Central Synagogue, responded with an open letter stating that he had used "rhetoric that demonizes Jews and the Jewish state" And had therefore put "a bullseye on our backs."
Mamdani appointed an 18-member advisory committee on the judiciary without a single Jewish attorney, former judge, or legal professional - notable in a city where Jews comprise approximately half of all lawyers. The move signals an exclusion of Jewish civic participation.
Over 30% of the city's Jews voted for Mamdani, though many others recognized his hostility to Israel from the outset. Some liberal Jews attribute rising antisemitism to Israeli government policies and the Israeli prime minister's coalition. British Jews similarly blame Israel for increases in antisemitism in their country.
However, progressive Jews face a particular conflict following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. Many now find themselves pressured to renounce Israel and Zionism for acceptance. Buchdahl stated that Mamdani was dividing "Jews into those whose politics you deem acceptable and Zionists whom you cast beyond the pale."
Some progressive Jews see no inherent connection between Zionism and Judaism. Jonathan Jacoby, national director of the Nexus Project, called the conflation of Jews and Israel "one of the most serious challenges that we face."
An open letter was sent this week to President Donald Trump by Matan Vilnai, an Israeli politician and former deputy chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, on behalf of Commanders for Israel's Security. The letter claimed that "escalating violence in the West Bank" By "Jewish terrorists" Was poised to "ignite the region." New York Times columnist Bret Stephens responded by criticizing what he called "anti-Palestinian settler terrorism."
These attacks, while acknowledged as problematic, represent a small fraction of the Jewish population in the areas. Arab attacks against Jews in these regions have increased significantly since October 7 and threaten broader conflict. Israeli figures like Vilnai have considerable influence in the West and provide material used against Israel by its critics.