Mamdani's history scaring some Jews, parks entry, student loans

Mamdani's history scaring some Jews

The article “Generational split in Jews revealed by Mamdani win” [News, Dec.  1] gives the impression that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani only recently became an anti-Israel advocate after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre. Nothing could be further than the truth. Long before that day, Mamdani was among the most vocal anti-Zionist elected officials in New York.

As a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he had embraced the organization’s platform, which labels Israel an apartheid state, endorses the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, and calls for ending U.S. military aid to Israel. Mamdani regularly used this language in speeches, social media posts, and rallies, long before 2023.

In 2021, he accused Israel of “ethnic cleansing,” and urged the United States to cut military support. His collaborations with Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine, organizations that explicitly oppose Zionism, further underscored his position. His legislative efforts reflected a consistent ideology: sponsoring anti-Israel legislation in the state Assembly.

During his rap career, he sang about supporting the Holy Land Five, individuals found guilty of financially supporting Hamas.

Whatever one thinks of his views, Mamdani’s anti-Zionism long predates Oct. 7.

 — Todd Richman, Old Westbury

Zohran Mamdani has made numerous statements, past and present, declaring his opposition to Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.

He has called for boycotts of Israel. Most recently he criticized a synagogue for hosting a program assisting Jewish immigration to Israel.

He makes false accusations of genocide and apartheid against the Jewish state, ignoring the fact that Israel is a multicultural nation where non-Jewish citizens serve on the Supreme Court, graduate from medical schools, and serve as speakers in its parliament, the Knesset. In fact, Israel is home to the Arabs and Muslims with arguably the most freedom and opportunities in the Middle East.

Since a core part of Jewish identity is a connection to Israel, many believe Mamdani’s anti-Zionist views inherently target Jews and are a form of antisemitism. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) recognizes anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism even though Mamdani does not. Antisemitism ultimately leads to violence against Jews, so Mamdani’s cynical vows to protect Jewish New Yorkers ring hollow.

 — Sam Leibowitz, Plainview

The article suggests that Zohran Mamdani is anti-Israel or at least is perceived that way by some Jewish New Yorkers because he believes Israel should provide equal rights to all its inhabitants. Not only is that position not anti-Israel, it is entirely consistent with the promise made by Israel’s own founders in the country’s Declaration of Independence — to give “full and equal citizenship” to all, Jews and Arabs alike.

Israel has long prided itself on being a member of the community of democracies. But it has not upheld the vows of its founding vision. Mamdani is merely calling on Israel to implement in practice what the essence of democracy requires of it.

 — Ron Skolnik, Huntington

No free entry to parks on 2 holidays is racist

The change to eliminate free admission to national parks on the only two federal holidays that celebrate Black people is undisguised racism and does not belong in this country [“Free-entry changes for National Parks,” News, Dec. 7].

Every American should consider boycotting the parks until the free entry for all national holidays is reinstated. These are days off for many people, some of the best days to get to a park.

These are deserved national holidays. Have you ever read what the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said? Or what happened on Juneteenth?

On an extended visit to the South, I took a public bus to go home from school. As I usually did traveling to and from school on Long Island, I went to the back of the bus. In the South, though, people seated in the back told me I could not sit there. Why not? I was told, “Because you are white.” That was when I understood that discrimination against anyone eventually would result in discrimination against me.

The change in free entry to national parks affects all Americans, so all of us should consider doing something such as boycotting the national parks.

 — M. Kathryn Meng, Westbury

Use gov't college fees to help student loans

So, Northwestern University is giving $75 million in fees to the government to end investigations and restore federal research funding [“Northwestern to pay gov’t $75M,” News, Nov. 30]. Other universities have also paid large fees to the federal government.

Instead of the money going to federal government general funds, it could be used to help current students pay back their student loans.

Many people objected to their taxes being used to pay back student loans because they had paid off their own student loans or never had any loans. These fees negotiated with the universities are not taxpayer money, so people shouldn’t object.

Redirecting these university fees wouldn’t cover all student loan debt, of course, but even defraying some debt could lift a big burden off many young adults.

 — Mary Connor, South Setauket