Why Zohran Mamdani's New Home Will Have a Mezuzah

In a symbolic nod to the city's layered history, incoming Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced Monday he'll relocate to Gracie Mansion after his January 1, 2026, inauguration, where he'll encounter a quiet Jewish tradition at the door: a mezuzah installed over 50 years ago by the city's first Jewish mayor, Abraham Beame.

Mamdani, 34, who grew up in a secular Muslim family and has been vocal on Palestinian rights (drawing criticism from Jewish groups for allegedly downplaying antisemitism post-October 7, 2023), confirmed the move in a statement: "My wife Rama [Duwaji, an illustrator] and I have made the decision to move into Gracie Mansion in January. This came down to our family's safety and dedicating all my focus to the affordability agenda New Yorkers voted for."

The couple will leave their modest 800 sq ft, $2,300/month rent-stabilized one-bedroom in Astoria, Queens, a campaign flashpoint where rivals like Andrew Cuomo accused him of "abusing" affordable housing despite his six-figure assemblyman salary.

Gracie Mansion, the 1799 Federal-style "Little White House" in Carl Schurz Park overlooking the East River, has housed most NYC mayors since Fiorello La Guardia's time in 1942. Valued at $100M, it boasts 11,000 sq ft, five bedrooms, a ballroom, chef's kitchen, apple/fig orchards, and a veggie garden (minus the rabbits).

Past residents like Eric Adams (who claimed it was "haunted" and rarely stayed) and Bill de Blasio's wife Chirlane McCray (who heard "ghostly whispers") add to its lore.

The mezuzah graces the mansion's yellow front door on the first floor, reserved for official events under preservation laws that bar alterations. Installed in the 1970s by Beame (mayor 1974–1977, the only Jewish one to date), it has survived Catholic, Protestant, and secular mayors.

Although Mamdani "probably never expected" it, per the viral X post, city rules ensure it will stay put.

His Jewish Astoria neighbors (home to a diverse Mizrahi/Sephardi/Ashkenazi community) have mixed feelings, a JTA op-ed from October 2025 recounted fears of rising antisemitism (e.g., "F**k Israel" signs, Hitler portraits), quoting Mamdani's alleged Brooklyn remark: "I'll be here when the mezuzah falls" (a phrase evoking expulsion, not literal falling).

Mamdani has denied bias, pledging inclusivity, but his pro-Palestine stance (e.g., BDS support) drew ADL condemnation.

"Astoria will always live inside me," he posted. The Mezuzah will always live on his door (as long as he is mayor).