🧵on NYC mayor debate 1/5

Mamdani says he wouldn’t travel to Israel, despite mayoral tradition and longstanding ties between NYC and Jewish state, because he rather “address New Yorkers across the five boroughs and focus on that.”

It’s contrary to what he said in 2020… ⬇️ 2/5 Following election to State Assembly, Mamdani said on a Zoom call that he joined the Democratic Socialists of America because they made boycotting Israel a local issue.

Watch clip — sum of his comments on the livestream why he thinks New Yorkers should care about Palestine

The leading NYC mayoral candidates, including Zohran Mamdani, just addressed Jewish voters at a town hall hosted by UJA and JCRC in Manhattan.

Follow this thread for some key highlights on Israel and antisemitism.

⬇️ Andrew Cuomo repeated his attacks on his rivals, whom he said either support the Democratic Socialists of America or support DSA-affiliated candidates.

He also said “applauds” Trump’s policy to counter antisemitism, but criticized administration’s approach to academic freedom.

This is NEW YORK

"New York State officials are starting to suggest synagogues consider closing Friday out of an abundance of caution and making Erev Shabbat services virtual." abc7ny.com/israel-hamas-w… .@NYCMayor in a virtual briefing with the Jewish community says the city is taking all threats seriously "and we're going to make sure that we mobilize all of our resources to ensure that you are safe during this crisis as it plays out."

👀👀 from the lawsuit:

“Giuliani said, ‘Jews want to go through their freaking Passover all the time,
man oh man. Get over the Passover. It was like 3,000 years ago. The red sea parted, big deal. It’s not the first time that happened.’” forward.com/fast-forward/5… Dunphy claimed Giuliani “made comments about ‘freakin Arabs’ and Jews,” and that in one instance, talking about Jewish men, “implied that their penises were inferior due to ‘natural selection.’” 🫢 forward.com/fast-forward/5…

This week’s protest of the Netanyahu government’s judicial overhaul at Washington Square Park features two American Jewish leaders: @URJPresident and @NKKaufman of the New York Jewish Agenda #MorhersDay Jacobs: “I'm here to say we're committed to Israel as a secure, Jewish, just and democratic state.”

👀 Santos on Feb. 28, 2022: “For a lot of people who are descendants of World War II refugees, or survivors of the Holocaust, a lot of names and paperwork were changed in the name of survival. So I don’t carry the family last name — that would’ve been Zabrovsky.“ 🤔 “The Zabrovsky family name was found in the USA in 1880.” ancestry.com/name-origin?su…

Scoop: I obtained George Santos' position paper shared with Jewish and pro-Israel leaders during the campaign.

In the two-page document, Santos called himself “a proud American Jew.”

forward.com/fast-forward/5…

cc: @nypmetro @ccampy @migold @gr_ashford @KFILE @matthewkassel Santos also claimed to “have been to Israel numerous times from educational, business, and leisurely trips.” A brief search of his social media accounts found no images or documentation of his alleged trips to Israel. forward.com/fast-forward/5…

Congressman-elect @Santos4Congress in an interview with @JCats2013 on WABC radio: "So my grandparents went to Brazil and my mother was born and raised in Brazil."

He says there are "a lot of people overstating their resumes or twist a little bit." 🎧Asked by former Rep. Anthony Weiner, a co-host, to respond to the Forward report that he falsely claimed that his maternal grandparents were refugees from the Nazis, Santos doubles down.

“I want to know where they're getting these reports from…” 1/2

In addition to widely-reported interview with Bari Weiss, Netanyahu is set to address the New York Times Dealbook summit soon about his return to power. Netanyahu hasn’t spoken in Hebrew to mainstream Israeli media outlets for months

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is set to address Trump’s meeting with Fuentes in a speech on the Senate floor momentarily.

“For a former President to sit and have dinner with a high profile antisemite is disgusting and dangerous,” Schumer is expected to say. “Even assuming the former president didn’t realize Mr. Fuentes was coming to Mar-a-Lago, for him to refuse to condemn Fuentes and his bigoted words is appalling and dangerous,” Schumer will say, according to the prepared remarks shared with me.

Former Amb. David Friedman tells me Trump called him after his tweet but declined to share what he told the former president and presently a presidential candidate, insisting the communication remains private. 2nd Jewish Trump admin official with a clear message: Carr, the former envoy on antisemitism, urging Trump to condemn Kanye and Fuentes 👇

https://twitter.com/elanscarr/status/1597282280862801920

At RJC, FL Gov. Ron DeSantis boasts: “We won the highest share of the Jewish vote for any Republican candidate in Florida history.”

He suggests “it’s not just Jewish issues. It's everything we've done.” DeSantis lists what he’s done as governor re: Israel:

“I will say if you look at our record on issues related to Israel and supporting the Jewish community, it is second to none.”

Nikki Haley at the RJC summit says the midterms should be “a wake up call” for Republicans.

“We have to stop losing and start winning,” she says, “and we have to choose candidates that can win not just a primary but also a general election.” But Haley says she disagrees with the assertion that the GOP loses were “due to one person.” (aka Trump)

Some 💎 from Trump at the Republican Jewish Coalition leadership summit — via satellite👇

• “Tragically, Joe Biden has betrayed Israel and the Jewish community… He sold out Israel security and began begging to reenter the Iran nuclear deal on even worse terms.” • Trump suggests the current relationship between Israel and the U.S. “is a very bad one”

And once again, he refers to the American Jewish crowd in the room as Israeli:

“They don't even listen to your leaders.”

Fact: Jews in disapora can’t vote in Israeli elections

Hundreds of Orthodox and Hasidic members on 13th Ave. for a first-time rally in the community for Lee Zeldin in Borough Park #NYGov Dov Hikind leads chant “bye bye Bragg.”

At @NYCJewishCaucus/@NYCCouncil Sukkot celebration— at the City Hall sukkah — chair @EricDinowitzNYC says he has “a little secret” to share: “I love being Jewish.” .@NYCSpeakerAdams tears up as Dinowitz introduces her and speaks about her leadership and support of Jewish causes.

New survey of 800 Jewish voters commissioned by Jewish Electorate Institute shows 82% disapprove of SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and 56% say it makes them more motivated to vote for Dem candidates.

Biden approval at 70% The poll slows shows that 68% of Jewish voters support the U.S. reentering the Iran nuclear deal.

On trail today, Mastriano suggests @JoshShapiroPA has "disdain" for ppl like him becuz he "grew up in a privileged neighborhood, attended one of the most privileged schools in the nation as a young man.. sending his four kids to the same privileged, exclusive, elite school." 1/2 2/2 Shapiro grew up in Elkins Park, went to the Forman Hebrew Day School and later to Akiba Hebrew Academy. forward.com/news/516167/jo…

#NY12 candidate forum on Jewish-related issues starting now at Temple Emanu-El.

Co-hosted by @jdforward, @NYJewishAgenda and @JCRCNY

Also streamed live on experienceemanuel.org

Follow thread for live updates 👇 .@CarolynBMaloney starts with saying, “I have repeatedly been rated first, second or third most effective member of Congress and getting things done by two different rating agencies.”

She adds: “you don’t have to be Jewish to love Israel.” #NY12

Gov. Kathy Hochul will sign the bill to monitor compliance with Holocaust education requirements into law this morning

Some background forward.com/news/504167/ne… Reps. Jerry Nadler and Carolyn Maloney are at the bill signing event — along with the bill sponsors

Primary night: Former President Donald Trump was dealt a blow in Georgia's gubernatorial primary as incumbent Gov Brian Kemp won decisively, trouncing former Sen. David Perdue, who had the money and backing of Trump and built his campaign on the false claim that 2020 was rigged. Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s secretary of state who was attacked by Trump, is holding onto a slight lead against U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, barely crossing the 50% threshold to avoid a runoff.