Crown Heights Jewish PAC Endorses Andrew Cuomo for Mayor

A political action committee representing leaders within the Crown Heights Jewish community has endorsed former Governor Andrew Cuomo for Mayor of NYC.

The endorsement by the Crown Heights United PAC comes as current mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race Saturday night amid low polling numbers, leaving the race split between communist anti-Israel Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, independent Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

In a statement released Monday, the group cited rising antisemitism and a city in “unprecedented crisis” as the primary motivators for their decision.

“The Crown Heights Jewish community has always led with courage and conviction—making the right choices for the future of New York City and demonstrating sound judgment, regardless of what the polls say,” the statement read. “While we acknowledge the long road ahead, we proudly endorse Andrew Cuomo for Mayor of New York City.”

The PAC, whose signatories include prominent community rabbis and activists, including Rabbi Lazer Avtzon, Yaacov Behrman, and Rabbi Shea Hecht. The PAC emphasized that the decision was made after broad consultation “with Jewish communities, Rabbonim, and Askonim across the city.”

When asked how voters apprehensive about Cuomo’s past conduct should view the endorsement, Rabbi Yaacov Behrman told Belaaz:

“When my father first came to Lubavitch, he once asked an Alter Chabad Chossid, someone who had survived the Gulag and suffered greatly before coming to America, to explain the immense joy and singing on Simchas Torah in Crown Heights.
The Chossid replied, ‘You either get it, or you don’t. It’s not something I have to explain.’

“So, I’m going to say the same to you: either you get it, or you don’t. And if I have to explain it to you, well, that’s on you.”

The PAC statement also made a point to acknowledge the current administration, adding a note of thanks to Mayor Eric Adams “for his years of friendship to the community and for his leadership in making difficult decisions in the best interests of New York.”

Photos by Itzik Roytman, taken during the primaries.