New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed the Zionist leader of a liberal Jewish community group to lead his Office to Combat Antisemitism.
Phylisa Wisdom, who will be leading City Hall’s fight against Jew-hatred, has led the New York Jewish Agenda since 2023.
NYJA is a liberal Zionist organisation that supports Israel’s right to exist but is opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
It’s website states: “For too long, decision-makers in New York who seek the input of the Jewish community have listened to a small number of voices that don’t actually represent the interests of mainstream Jewish New Yorkers.
"While most New York Jews are supportive of movements for equality and justice in America and believe in democracy and peace in Israel, many powerful organisations that claim to speak on our behalf are either opposed to or don’t actively promote this agenda and vision.”
The group also opposed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, an anti-Israel initiative Mamdani has previously expressed his support for.
Wisdom’s Sephardic grandmother from the Bronx instilled in her a “deep appreciation for New York City”, and the diversity of Jewish communities there, according to her profile on the site.
"Since she was a little girl, she has understood our community to be diverse, pluralistic, and dedicated to the pursuit of social justice,” it continues.
The group been instrumental in calling out antisemitism over the years. Last month, after a protest outside a synagogue saw activists chant “we support Hamas”, NYJA condemned it as “unambiguous and unacceptable antisemitism”.
The protest was also condemned by Mamdani, who said that “chants in support of a terrorist organisation have no place in our city,” but did not mention antisemitism, according to the Times of Israel.
Prior to her tenure at NYJA, Wisdom was a senior official at Yaffed, a group formed by yeshiva alumni that advocates for reform of the yeshiva system, arguing that existing institutions do not provide a sufficiently comprehensive education.
Charedi leaders in New York have previously criticised Yaffed, claiming that it is smearing the Jewish education system to the outside world.
Mamdani himself vowed not to interfere with the yeshiva system, telling Jewish media outlets prior to his election: “The issue of your education is something I will listen to your leaders [about].”
Wisdom is yet to comment publicly on her new role, but her appointment has been confirmed by City Hall.
Her predecessor as leader of the Office to Combat Antisemitism was Rabbi Moshe Davis, who was at the helm since the post’s creation by former mayor Eric Adams last May.
Davis left the role when Mamdani was inaugurated on January 1.
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