NEW YORK (VINnews) — Former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind says the U.S. Department of Justice is taking concerns over rising antisemitism in New York and the conduct of Mayor Zohran Mamdani “very seriously,” telling Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch in a new interview that he is hopeful federal authorities will ultimately take action.

Hikind, who represented Brooklyn in the State Assembly for more than three decades and now heads Americans Against Antisemitism, said he and former New York Gov. David Paterson brought their concerns directly to the Justice Department.

“We wrote to the Justice Department, to the attorney general,” Hikind said, adding that he subsequently had what he described as a lengthy conversation with Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.

While Hikind stressed that he could not reveal everything discussed during that conversation, he said federal officials are examining the situation.

“They are definitely looking at all of these things going on in New York,” Hikind said. “They are taking them seriously, and I am very, very hopeful that they are going to take action.”

Hikind accused Mamdani of using rhetoric about Israel and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he believes has contributed to an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish New Yorkers. He argued that the issue goes beyond ordinary political disagreement and should be examined through the lens of potential civil-rights violations.

Asked what he hoped would happen if federal authorities determine laws were violated, Hikind was unequivocal.

“My dream is that Mamdani gets charged with federal crimes,” Hikind said. “Look, if he violated federal crimes, he should be charged with federal crimes.”

The former assemblyman also sharply criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Jewish Democratic leaders, accusing them of failing to confront growing anti-Israel sentiment within the Democratic Party.

Hikind expressed particular anger over Democratic support for Abdul El-Sayed, arguing that the party’s desire to maintain a political “big tent” is causing its leaders to overlook positions that Hikind considers hostile to Israel and the Jewish community.

The conversation then turned to the broader future of American Jewry. Hikind, whose mother survived Auschwitz and lost much of her family in the Holocaust, said the level of antisemitism he sees today is unlike anything he has witnessed during his lifetime.

“There’s always been antisemitism,” Hikind said. “But what’s happening now, it’s at a level I have never seen before.”

He also criticized established Jewish organizations, saying the community needs stronger leadership and a more forceful response to antisemitism. Hikind called for Jewish communities to become better organized, educate young Jews about Jewish history and Israel, and ensure communities are prepared to protect themselves.

“We need to be proud. We need to be strong,” he said.

Despite his grim assessment, Hikind ended the interview by expressing confidence in the Jewish future while issuing a stark warning against complacency.

“Jews, wake up,” Hikind said. “No one is going to come to your defense if you are not playing a role yourself.”

The full interview with Dov Hikind is available on Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch’s Viktor Frankl Podcast.

Follow Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch and the Viktor Frankl Podcast for more interviews and analysis: https://www.youtube.com/@rabbiforamerica