Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, said he would discontinue the city's use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism if elected, a move that would undo an executive order signed by Mayor Eric Adams in June and alarm some Jewish rights advocates.
A campaign spokesperson, Dora Pekec, said a Mamdani administration would "approach antisemitism in line with the Biden Administration’s National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism, a strategy that emphasizes education, community engagement, and accountability to reverse the normalization of antisemitism and promote open dialogue." The campaign has framed the policy shift as a change in emphasis from legal definitions to community-focused responses.
Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Israeli government policies, calling Israel an apartheid state and expressing support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, or BDS, which calls for nonviolent pressure on Israel. The IHRA definition includes examples that describe some rhetoric about Israel and Zionism as antisemitic, and Mamdani has told reporters he opposes the IHRA language because it "conflates criticism of Israel and Zionism with antisemitism." He reiterated to Bloomberg News that he would stop using the IHRA definition.
Critics said Mamdani’s stance was consistent with his prior statements and positions. Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, called BDS "a form of antisemitism" and questioned what standards Mamdani would apply. "I’m afraid to hear what definition he will use…In his world, what does it take to be an antisemite? If you can’t condemn Hamas, what is the definition of antisemitism?" Potasnik said.
Rory Lancman, senior counsel at the Brandeis Center for Human Rights, said defining antisemitism is a necessary first step in combating it. "The IHRA definition is embraced by almost all of America’s and the world’s Jewish community institutions and leaders — especially those of us in the business of combating anti-Semitism on the front lines every day — because it best captures the reality of modern anti-Semitism," Lancman said. "A government that disavows IHRA isn’t serious about defeating anti-Semitism, but rather allowing it."
The Anti-Defamation League has argued that the founding goals of the BDS movement would lead to "the eradication of the world’s only Jewish state" and described such aims as antisemitic. Eric Adams’ campaign spokesman Todd Shapiro called Mamdani’s rejection of IHRA "reckless," "shameful, dangerous, and deeply out of touch with the values of New Yorkers," noting that the definition has been adopted by the White House and governments abroad and was recently used by Mayor Adams as part of efforts to protect Jewish New Yorkers amid a rise in reported antisemitic incidents.
Mamdani’s critics have also pointed to past appearances and statements, including a 2021 protest video that showed him speaking in front of a sign with a phrase some view as a rallying cry for violence. Mamdani has said he would discourage use of the phrase "globalize the intifada" and would not use it himself. He has also stated his support for nonviolent measures such as BDS while rejecting what he says is a conflation between criticism of Israel’s policies and hatred of Jews.
The IHRA working definition states antisemitism is "a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews," and offers examples that include rhetorical and physical manifestations directed at Jewish individuals, institutions and property. Supporters of IHRA say its examples help authorities identify modern forms of antisemitism; opponents argue some examples can be used to suppress legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy.
The debate arrives as New York City heads into a mayoral contest in which public safety, community relations and responses to hate crimes figure prominently. Mayor Adams' June executive order adopting the IHRA language was framed by his administration as a tool to combat a surge in antisemitic incidents. Mamdani’s announcement draws a clear distinction between his proposed approach and the policies of the current administration, setting up a policy flashpoint that both candidates and community leaders are using to argue for competing visions of how the city should respond to antisemitism and to political speech about Israel.
Mamdani’s campaign emphasized education and community engagement as central components of its plan to counter antisemitism, mirroring elements of the Biden administration’s national strategy. Opponents have urged voters and officials to scrutinize how any alternative definition or policy would be applied by city agencies, including the police, in enforcement and hate-crime response.
As the mayoral campaign continues, the debate over the IHRA definition is likely to remain a focal point for Jewish organizations, civil-rights groups and elected officials weighing the balance between protecting communities from hate and safeguarding political expression on international issues.
