The Commentary Magazine Podcast
Episode: Mamdani’s Evil
Date: November 21, 2025
Panel: Jon Podhoretz (host), John Podhoretz, Abe Greenwald, Christine Rosen, Eliana Johnson, Eli Lake
Episode Overview
This episode tackles the response of Zoran Mamdani, New York City's mayor-elect, to a recent anti-Israel, anti-Semitic protest at Park East Synagogue and explores the implications of his position for Jewish life in New York and American political culture. The panel expresses deep concern about Mamdani's conflation of Jewish immigration to Israel with violations of international law, which they see as a clear expression of anti-Semitism reminiscent of historical and modern persecutions. The discussion then expands to the broader dangers of radical political ideology and the necessity of fighting back—politically and communally—against rising antisemitism and chaos politics.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Background: The Park East Synagogue Protest
[01:26 – 03:14]
- Protesters, masked and “a foot from the door,” screamed intimidating, anti-Jewish chants at a synagogue meeting organized by Nefesh B’Nefesh (a group aiding Jewish immigration to Israel).
- The mayor-elect’s office issued a statement discouraging the protesters’ language but claiming the synagogue’s event "violated international law."
“He believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.” —Abe Greenwald quoting Mamdani's spokeswoman [03:24]
2. Denunciation of Mamdani’s Statement
[03:49 – 09:32]
- The panel sees Mamdani’s tepid criticism of the protest as “the mildest possible,” while equating Jewish immigration to Israel with illegality as “monstrous” and deeply antisemitic.
“This is anti-Semitism, pure and simple... There is no people on earth who are denied the right to move wherever it is they wish to move... The mayor of New York City's spokesman is describing the act of Jewish immigration to Israel as a violation of international law. He is a disgusting monster. This is monstrous behavior. This is Nazi behavior.” —Jon Podhoretz [06:53 – 09:32]
- Christine Rosen broadens the historical context: “It's not just Nazis. It goes back centuries... prescribed areas where Jews could live.” [09:32]
3. The Anti-Semitic Logic & Its Continuities
[10:19–12:24]
- The panel traces the notion of restricting Jewish movement (“ghetto,” “dhimmi status,” “Judenrein”) from medieval Europe and Islamic empires to today’s progressive anti-Zionist ideology.
- Rosen and J. Podhoretz emphasize that such logic is both ancient and tragically revived in current events.
4. Mamdani’s Record and DSA Ties
[12:24 – 16:28]
- Abe Greenwald recounts Mamdani’s unwavering anti-Israel activism from college (Students for Justice in Palestine) to DSA speeches and post-Oct 7th events.
“This is the through line of Mamdani's political career... He will not compromise on Israel and the Jews.” —Abe Greenwald [13:27]
- DSA’s celebration of the Oct 7 attacks led to resignations, but “guess who doesn’t leave? Zoran Mamdani.” —Christine Rosen [15:16]
5. Failure of Leadership, Legal Avenues, and Encouragement to Fight Back
[16:28 – 21:08]
- Jon Podhoretz laments the mayor-elect’s refusal to plainly condemn anti-Semitic intimidation and instead referencing “international law,” calling it “an insane thing to say.” He corrects himself noting federal law (FACE Act) is usable against interference at houses of worship.
“It was very important... not that he said that he discourages the language. It’s that he said the meeting inside the synagogue... violated international law.” —Jon Podhoretz [16:28]
- Eliana Johnson: “Litigation, prosecution is actually a tool that should be used a great deal more enthusiastically right now against these organized groups... uncovering their financing, some of which is probably foreign.” [20:02]
6. What Should New York Jews Do? Leave or Fight?
[23:03 – 27:03]
- Podhoretz argues forcefully that Jews must not flee New York: “No Jew should move out of New York... Every time he makes a move, we've got to open a mouth and scream and fight and yell... If Jews leave, they will make it easier for him to succeed.” [23:03]
- The notion of staying, making noise, and defending the community is presented as a moral necessity.
7. The Future of NYC Politics & DSA Radicalism
[27:03 – 31:07]
- Eliana Johnson likens Mamdani's two-faced approach to “the political equivalent of a mullet. All business up front, in the back he's partying with people who want to drive the Jews out of New York.” [27:32]
- Christine Rosen: DSA is “this close to domestic terrorism” and will hold Mamdani to maximal radical standards. Even his “wins” with the left inflame their appetite for purity.
8. Fringe Politics and Democratic Socialists of America
[31:07 – 34:27]
- J. Podhoretz puts DSA numbers in perspective (80,000 nationally) compared to Hadassah’s 300,000, framing Mamdani’s anti-Israel hard-left politics as still “fringe.”
“Mamdani's views remain fringe views. If the Democratic Party wants to go down this road... it is gonna run hard into what Trump is likely to do today.” —Jon Podhoretz [33:19]
9. Protest Culture, Chaos, and Mainstream Reaction
[34:27 – 36:44]
- Abe Greenwald: “There's an aspect of just chaos culture, and Trump campaigned against that. Momdani is the protesting campus lunatic... For the average New Yorker, it's do you like marauding bands of protesters in the streets?” [34:27]
10. Self-Defense and Community Resilience
[36:44 – 42:51]
- Christine Rosen advocates, half-seriously, for Jewish self-defense groups akin to the Guardian Angels and other communal organizations, to “meet intimidation with united resolve.” [36:44, 37:39]
- Podhoretz and others note that synagogues already have substantial security and self-defense groups, but a greater spirit of resolve and presence is needed.
11. Philanthropy and Jewish Giving
[42:01 – 42:44]
- Discussion of the role for increased Jewish giving in supporting community security—not just professional guards but member involvement.
12. Broader National & Right-Wing Culture Wars
[45:22 – 54:17]
- The conversation pivots to right-wing racism, Nick Fuentes, identity politics, public discourse, and Tucker Carlson’s reactionary influence.
“If you create identity politics, you are creating white identity politics.” —Jon Podhoretz [50:54]
13. Neglected Topics & Recommendations
[63:13 – End]
- Christine Rosen recommends “Midnight Time: A Novel and Ghost Stories” by Bora Chung.
- Eli Lake plugs his latest “Breaking History” podcast episodes.
- Jon Podhoretz commends Barton Swaim’s “Tucker Carlson’s Bible Study” in the Wall Street Journal.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Mamdani's Response:
“This is the through line of Mamdani's political career... he will not compromise on Israel and the Jews.” —Abe Greenwald [13:27]
-
On the Hallmark of Anti-Semitic Logic:
“The prescription of Jewish freedom of movement on the planet Earth 80 years after the Holocaust... This is monstrous behavior. This is Nazi behavior.” —Jon Podhoretz [09:32]
-
On Jewish Community’s Response:
“No Jew should move out of New York... Every time he makes a move, we've got to open a mouth and scream and fight and yell. And this is the defense [for staying].” —Jon Podhoretz [23:03]
-
On DSA Radicalism:
“They're this close to domestic terrorism. They're this close. They have the hammer and sickle in their social media. They love the intifada.” —Christine Rosen [28:03]
-
On Protest Chaos:
“…For the average New Yorker, it's do you like marauding bands of protesters in the streets… gross, dirty, masked, waving signs, loud, annoying, and obnoxious… People don't like that and we don't like our kids to see it.” —Abe Greenwald [35:00]
-
On the Fight for NYC:
“We shouldn't leave. We can't cede this. And the thing to do is to fight back. And the one way of fighting back is not to move to Florida... say, oh yeah, you think we're neurasthenic little munchkins? Don't think so fast.” —Jon Podhoretz [42:51]
-
On Fringe Political Influence:
“Mamdani's views remain fringe views. If the Democratic Party wants to go down this road... it is gonna run hard into what Trump is likely to do today.” —Jon Podhoretz [33:19]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:26 – 03:14]: Details of the Park East Synagogue protest and Mamdani’s spokesperson’s statement
- [06:53 – 09:32]: Jon Podhoretz’s denunciation of the anti-Semitic logic in Mamdani’s response
- [13:25 – 16:28]: Mamdani’s radical history and unmoved stance post–October 7th
- [20:02 – 21:08]: On the use of federal law (FACE Act) to prosecute anti-Semitic protestors
- [23:03 – 27:03]: Should Jews leave New York? Why standing and fighting is necessary
- [27:32]: "Political equivalent of a mullet" and Mamdani's two-faced strategy
- [34:27]: Protest culture, chaos, and its rejection by ordinary citizens
- [36:44]: Proposals for Jewish self-defense and community organization
- [42:01]: Philanthropy and supporting communal security
- [50:54]: Dangers of identity politics creating its own oppositional identity
- [63:13]: Book and podcast recommendations
Tone & Style
The panelists speak passionately, with a mix of exasperation, dark humor, and resolve. The language is urgent, sometimes polemical, with rhetorical flourishes and historical analogies. Familiarity with Jewish history and political debates is assumed, but arguments are presented forcefully and with clarifying examples.
Conclusion
This episode is a stark warning that rising antisemitism, when countenanced by political leaders, must be met with clarity, activism, and communal solidarity. The panel rejects resignation or flight in favor of determined resistance—both in civic life and political debate. They highlight the necessity of legal, philanthropic, and grassroots responses to both protect Jewish life and defend liberal norms from fringe radicalism. Ultimately, the message is one of engagement, courage, and the defense of communal and civic values.