New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled a $30 million strategy to combat antisemitism, a plan that includes a $6.4 million grant to Partners Against Hate (PATH). While the initiative aims to reduce persecution of the Jewish community, the funding structure has drawn attention because PATH partners with the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY), a group frequently critical of U.S. policy toward Israel.
The partnership between the city and AAANY is not new, having been established under the de Blasio administration in 2021. However, the allocation of significant funds to a coalition that includes AAANY comes as Mayor Mamdani faces scrutiny from some Jewish community leaders regarding the administration’s response to rising antisemitic incidents. The plan is framed by the mayor as a necessary step to ensure safety for Jewish residents amid a documented increase in hate crimes.
What the Left Is Saying
Supporters of the Mayor’s plan, including progressive advocates and groups like AAANY, argue that combating antisemitism requires a comprehensive, community-based approach that addresses hate in all its forms. AAANY Executive Director Marwa Janini stated that the organization’s work is rooted in humanitarian concerns and the protection of civil rights. Janini noted, "I visited Cairo to pack food aid for Gaza and support Palestinian refugees. Despite their resilience in the face of the unimaginable loss and hardships they are facing, it is evident that merely sending aid to Gaza is not enough. The NYC City Council must pass a ceasefire resolution to end this U.S.-funded genocide and bring hope and stability to Gaza."
Progressive voices emphasize that the partnership with AAANY reflects a broader commitment to addressing the concerns of Muslim and Arab communities, who also face rising hostility. The "Not On Our Dime" legislation, which Mayor Mamdani supported as a state legislator and which AAANY backed, sought to restrict New York nonprofit donations to Israeli settlement activity. Proponents of this view argue that opposing specific government policies in Israel is distinct from antisemitism and that funding groups like AAANY helps address the root causes of regional tensions that impact local communities.
What the Right Is Saying
Critics on the right, including some Jewish community organizations and conservative commentators, argue that funneling taxpayer money to AAANY undermines the goal of fighting antisemitism. They point to AAANY’s leadership history, specifically its former executive director Linda Sarsour, and the organization’s advocacy against the state of Israel. Critics contend that AAANY’s position that the war in Gaza constitutes genocide and its calls for U.S. distancing from Israel go beyond the scope of combating racial prejudice and instead delegitimize Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and other watchdog groups have previously expressed concern over AAANY’s alignment with movements like Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS). Conservative voices argue that the $6.4 million grant to PATH, which includes AAANY as a partner, effectively subsidizes an organization that has been linked to CAIR-NY, which itself faced scrutiny in the past for alleged ties to Hamas. These critics maintain that the Mayor’s administration has not done enough to adequately combat rising levels of antisemitism in New York City and that this funding structure sends a conflicting message.
What the Numbers Show
According to NYPD reporting, antisemitic acts constitute the largest category of tracked hate crimes in 2026, accounting for approximately 9% of the total. In the first eight months of 2026, the city recorded a 16% increase in hate crimes compared to the same period last year. Specific data indicates 181 recorded hate crimes against Jews, 131 of which were felony offenses. In comparison, hate crimes against Muslims totaled 21, and those against the LGBTQ+ community (categorized under "homosexual" in the source reporting) totaled 29.
The $30 million plan includes a $6.4 million grant to PATH. AAANY has reportedly provided over $223,000 to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York (CAIR-NY) since 2021. The national CAIR organization was named an unindicted co-conspirator by federal prosecutors in 2007 in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing case. The original 2021 grant to PATH under Mayor de Blasio was $3 million, distributed among six partner organizations, including AAANY.
The Bottom Line
The release of Mayor Mamdani’s $30 million antisemitism strategy highlights the complex intersection of domestic hate crime prevention and foreign policy advocacy in New York City. While the administration frames the partnership with AAANY as a necessary community-based approach to reducing all forms of hate, critics argue it creates a contradiction by funding a group actively opposed to key aspects of U.S.-Israel relations. The impact of the plan will likely be measured by whether the $30 million investment correlates with a reduction in the 16% year-over-year rise in hate crimes, while simultaneously navigating the political tensions between different community groups in the city.