BROOKLYN, NY – A dramatic political rift erupted inside the Satmar Hasidic community Sunday after a rogue endorsement of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani was swiftly disavowed and replaced with an official statement backing independent candidate Andrew Cuomo for New York City mayor.
Within hours of Mamdani’s post claiming support from Satmar leadership in Williamsburg, the community’s Board of Directors — representing the faction aligned with Harav Aharon Teitelbaum shlita — issued a formal endorsement of Cuomo, calling the earlier statement “totally unauthorized.”
The board’s letter, released in both English and Yiddish, urged voters to “out-vote the progressive agenda” and support Cuomo on Election Day.
Key Points
- Rabbi Moshe Indig’s public endorsement of Zohran Mamdani was disavowed by Satmar leadership.
- The Satmar Board of Directors reaffirmed community neutrality had been the Rebbe’s original position.
- Hours later, the board issued an official endorsement of Andrew Cuomo for mayor.
Internal confusion follows unauthorized endorsement
Rabbi Moshe Indig, a well-known community figure who often speaks on behalf of Satmar in Williamsburg, announced the Mamdani endorsement on the Williamsburg365 website Sunday morning. The post was quickly amplified online, with Mamdani himself sharing the news and thanking Indig and other “Ahronim leaders” for their support.
But community insiders told Belaaz the statement was not sanctioned by the Satmar Board or the Rebbe’s office. Upon seeing the post, several askanim reportedly reached out to both the Rebbe’s gabbai and board members, who confirmed that no formal endorsement had been approved.
Cuomo endorsement marks official correction
By Sunday evening, a letter circulated through community networks bearing the signatures of three Satmar Board members — Cheskel Berkowitz, Avrum Brach, and Shulem Yitzchok Jacobowitz — publicly endorsing Cuomo. The letter warned that “the progressive movement’s crusading agenda is a threat” to the community’s way of life and called for unity in opposing it.
The shift from neutrality to an active endorsement came as a direct response to the confusion surrounding Indig’s earlier announcement, sources said.
Political fallout within Williamsburg
Mamdani’s social media post, which included a photo with City Council member Lincoln Restler, described the endorsement as an alliance “to fight the scourge of antisemitism and build a city that works for every New Yorker.” After the board’s correction, neither Mamdani nor Indig issued further public statements regarding the internal dispute.
Community observers say the rapid reversal underscores the influence of the Satmar Board in maintaining message discipline during politically sensitive moments, particularly within New York’s tightly knit Hasidic voting blocs.
Cuomo gains Hasidic support amid crowded race
The endorsement offers a late boost to Cuomo, who has been campaigning as an independent centrist in a citywide contest fractured by progressive and establishment rivalries. For many Satmar voters, the board’s letter serves as both a political directive and a reaffirmation of the community’s cautious stance toward left-wing city policies.
Whether the reversal will affect turnout in Williamsburg remains to be seen, but insiders described the episode as a rare public display of internal correction within one of Brooklyn’s most influential religious communities.