Mamdani's Secret Jewish Cabal: The Three Progressive that Engineered His NYC Takeover

Zohran Mamdani, clinched New York City's mayoral race Tuesday with 51% of the vote, edging out Andrew Cuomo's 39.7% and Curtis Sliwa's 8%. For many of the city's 1.1 million Jews, the world's largest diaspora community outside Israel, this triumph amid soaring antisemitism sparks unease. Yet Mamdani's ascent owed much to progressive Jews, strategists, and activists who brokered him, championed him as an anti-fascist bulwark, and often glossed over his "globalize the intifada" chants and anti-Israel extremism.

As Mamdani noted, "I’m lucky that... so much of my campaign is being run by Jewish New Yorkers."

Brad Lander: Zionist Comptroller's Risky Bet

Leading the charge was Brad Lander, the outgoing Jewish comptroller. A Zionist tied to Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ), Lander cross-endorsed Mamdani late in the June primary, forging a "progressive bromance" that flipped ranked-choice dynamics against Cuomo. Their Late Show duet hammered Cuomo's scandals: "We both agree that corrupt, abusive Andrew Cuomo should not be allowed anywhere near City Hall," Lander said.

Lander pitched the alliance as interfaith magic: "You had a Muslim New Yorker and a Jewish New Yorker campaigning together. You could tell that it touched something in people," he told The Forward. On Mamdani's BDS support and Holocaust resolution skips, Lander vouched: "He is absolutely committed to keeping all New Yorkers safe, including Jewish New Yorkers, who, like me, are Zionists."

He framed it as anti-MAGA: "This multifaith, multiracial coalition is the antidote to MAGA hate."

Yet only half his Jewish primary supporters shifted to Mamdani. Lander prioritized rent freezes over geopolitics, even as Mamdani reaffirmed BDS.

Andrew Epstein: Digital Wizard with Yiddish Roots

Quietly pivotal was Andrew Epstein, 38, Mamdani's communications director. A Yale grad from West Side Yiddish School, Epstein honed skills on Bernie Sanders, Julia Salazar, and AOC campaigns, crafting videos that humanized Mamdani as a Ugandan dictatorship escapee. His feeds racked up millions of views, prepping Mamdani for Israel-skeptic debates.

Epstein's Hasidic ties aided Orthodox messaging, softening Mamdani's edges on intifada slogans he would never fully renounce.

Morris Katz: Tribeca Strategist Sold on Authenticity

Morris Katz, 28, Tribeca-born son of playwright David Bar Katz, joined after a pivotal chat. Dubious at Mamdani's 1% polling, Katz flipped: "In two minutes I thought, this guy can be the next mayor... I was totally taken with his energy and his authenticity."

As senior adviser and ad buyer, he pushed affordability spots, invoking Bloomberg's livability: "Every single neighborhood should be like [Tribeca]... This is a battle for a city that everyone can afford."

Katz raved: "Zohran is one of the greatest human beings I have ever met. His thoughtfulness... mix[es] with the joy with which he interacts." A Beacon High alum like Mamdani, he jabbed local Cuomo fans: "Tribeca could use more Zohran voters." His social blitz mobilized young Jewish progressives.