In a politically charged evening in Kew Gardens Hills, the Queens Jewish Alliance hosted former Governor and mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo on Monday night for a powerful address to community leaders and activists. The event, held in the home of Shimmy and Sorolle Idels, reflected both deep concern and high hopes from the Jewish community regarding the city’s future.
The evening began with a closed-door gathering of local community leaders, where former Governor Cuomo issued a heartfelt apology for the COVID-19 restrictions that had disproportionately impacted the Orthodox Jewish community. He clarified that many of the policies were designed by New York City health officials and categorized through the state’s Department of Health, yet he acknowledged the pain and confusion they caused.
Sorolle Idels, chairperson of the Alliance, introduced Cuomo and delivered impassioned remarks that underscored the urgency of the upcoming election.
“We vote Democrat because we know in this city it’s going to be a Democrat,” Sorolle declared. “But we need the best Democrat for us—the one who recognizes us as Jews. The one who will allow us to live here as Jews—in this city that we have helped establish, where our children go to yeshivahs, where we go to shuls, where we shop, and where we walk proudly with our Israeli flags.”
Sorolle shared a personal account of fear and self-censorship. “I have my Israeli flag inside my house because someone told me, ‘Don’t be stupid. You can’t put your Israeli flag outside.’ But I’m ready to put my Israeli flag outside. And I want you—Governor Cuomo—to help make that possible.”
She expressed deep concern about Cuomo’s leading opponent: “The number one person behind him will not let me put my flag outside—and it gets much worse than that. He wants to stop our way of life. He does not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.” She urged, “We may have to hold our nose, but you are the only one who can beat that momzer—and for those who don’t know what that means, just know he is not a good person.”
Cuomo candidly explained what drew him back into politics after decades of public service.
“I was not going to run for mayor,” he said. “I had done eight years in the Clinton administration, four as Attorney General, eleven as Governor. I was enjoying life. But then I saw what was happening in New York City—how Mayor Adams was getting into trouble, and I saw the alternatives. I got afraid.”
Cuomo stressed that the root of many of the city’s issues—lack of affordable housing, slow responses to crises, chaos with e-bikes—stems from poor management.
“The mayor is like the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the world: 300,000 employees, $115 billion budget. This is an operations job, not a policy one. And we haven’t had a manager in twelve years. Not since Bloomberg.”
He then pivoted to what he sees as the deeper crisis: ideological extremism.
“There’s a schism in the Democratic Party. The far left has gotten stronger and stronger. They now call themselves Democratic Socialists. I said it when I was governor—there’s no such thing. You can be a Democrat or a Socialist, but not both.”
He identified two events that accelerated their rise: the defund-the-police movement in 2020 and the current pro-Palestinian fervor.
“That movement has bled into real anti-Semitism,” Cuomo emphasized. “I don’t mean policy disagreement. I mean true hate. New York City now has more anti-Semitic incidents than any city in America. That’s a disgrace.”
He added, “If Benjamin Netanyahu comes to New York, Zorhan Mamdani said he would have him arrested. I’m on the ICC defense team for Bibi with Alan Dershowitz. That tells you where they stand.”
Cuomo recalled how, under his administration, New York became the first state to adopt a policy divesting from companies that boycotted Israel.
“We had more trade missions with Israel than ever before. This is personal to me. Two of my brothers-in-law are Jewish. My son-in-law is Jewish. Mishpachah—literally.”
“This election is a litmus test. If the Democratic Socialists with their BDS and anti-Semitism can win in the city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel—they can win anywhere. And they know it.”
He warned that the DSA-aligned candidates—endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—intend to use New York City as a national trophy.
“They want to take this and go to L.A., Chicago, everywhere. And the number one motivation they are using? Pro-Palestinian activism turned into anti-Semitism.”
He concluded with a rallying cry to the community:
“They’re banking on low turnout. On the 24-year-olds and the social media hype. But if anti-Semitism is on the ballot, then everyone needs to vote. That’s why I’m running. That’s why I’m breaking my tochus. And that’s why everyone in this room needs to break theirs too—because this matters more than anything.”
As the evening concluded, Cuomo moved through the room, speaking directly with attendees. The event, coordinated by the Queens Jewish Alliance leadership and Cuomo’s campaign staff, was widely praised as a meaningful moment of clarity—where political courage, Jewish pride, and community resolve aligned in one living room.
By Shabsie Saphirstein
