NEW YORK — Former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind is warning that antisemitism in New York City has reached a critical point, citing recent political decisions, increasing violence, and what he describes as a growing leadership vacuum.

Hikind, who represented Brooklyn for more than 30 years, highlighted early actions by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office just over a month ago and quickly nullified an executive order adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism for city agencies. The definition has been widely used internationally to identify contemporary antisemitism, including expressions tied to hostility toward Israel.

Within weeks of that decision, reported anti-Jewish incidents surged. NYPD data show antisemitic hate crimes jumped 182 percent in January, with Jews accounting for more than half of all hate-crime victims citywide. The rise included a car-ramming attack near the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, which narrowly avoided what could have been a mass-casualty event.

Hikind said the spike reflects the real-world consequences of political rhetoric. “He is the mayor, and he is acting exactly as he said he would,” Hikind said. “This is not someone who moderated his views after the election.”

Hikind also expressed concern about antisemitism spreading within government culture, particularly among progressive and Democratic Socialist circles, while noting that hostility toward Jews is appearing across both the far left and far right. He described a heightened sense of fear among Jewish New Yorkers, including reluctance to wear visible symbols of faith or report threats to authorities.

Drawing on his personal history as the son of Holocaust survivors, Hikind said, “This is how fear spreads. And when fear spreads, the entire community becomes vulnerable.”

He criticized Jewish institutions and leadership for failing to develop an effective response, noting that educational and advocacy efforts have not prevented the rise in antisemitic incidents.

Hikind urged the community to respond with strength, unity, and visibility. “We are Jews. We are not going anywhere. The question is how we respond,” he said.