An “askan” in Haredi communities is the political fixer who coordinates the communal interest before local or state power. Indig is the askan who represents the interests of the Ahronim segment of the Satmar community. Based on enmity, the organized Jewish community and many local NYC Jews went to political war in the fall of 2025. They did so, probably for good reasons, but Indig and the Satmar Ahronim bucked the trend. Reading this interview with Indig here at Mishpacha Magazine, you can feel the political theory behind his support of Zohran Mamdani for mayor.
Indig’s thoughts about the new mayor reveal a sophisticated political theory and about how power works in democratic-civil society from which we could all learn. The theory rests on two pillars: [1] Instead of the infamous friend/enemy distinction, it stands on the friend-friend differential. [2] Diaspora-Haredi politics is not based on weird and imaginary fabrications like norms and ideology. Diaspora Haredi politics is purely transactional. The higher civil-social purpose is to integrate the good of the community into the political structure of the city at large.
What is distinctive and unusual about Haredi political theory boils down to place. The notion that the Jews are in golus, or exile, defines the position of the Jew as slave, not citizen. Indig plays with this tradition while recognizing that the United States is a participatory democracy, a unique exception in Jewish political history. Indeed, according to Indig, Mamdani pursued Indig’s support, not vice-versa. Mamdani did so not because he needed the Haredi vote to win the election, but simply because he wanted support from the Jewish community. Also about place and space, the key virtue in politics requires one to step out outside one’s own little box.
I am not a Mamdani supporter, but he is now the mayor of NYC. Some of the material below is kind of funny. All of it is worth attention. The posturing in the Jewish community against and pro Mamdani in the primaries and general election was child’s play in comparison. Progressives who warm to Indig should keep in mind that his orientation expresses the same political logic that characterizes the ADL in its attempt to accommodate the Trump Administration.
Lastly about Israel. Just because Satmar is anti-Zionist does not mean that Satmar is anti-Israel. But in the view expressed here, Israel is an powerful sovereign country and can take care of its own problems.
In Hasidic theology, there is the notion that one should turn to and even embrace the evil inclination in order to sweeten it. Something of the same is going on here about turning an enemy into a friend. Below are selections from the interview that caught my eye. Included are anecdotes by Indig about a politician upstate named Antonio Reynoso. I am providing headings in order to give his remarks the coherent theoretical shape they deserve.
Enemy?
The first anti-Semite in history was Eisav (Esau). And what did Yaakov do? He gave him piles of gifts. Ja, mein Herr. Yeah, I’m your slave, how are you? What else can I do for you? He hugged and kissed him even while Eisav was trying to bite him.
Access to Power
I’m not here to defend any of his objectionable positions or public statements. I’m here to establish the access to the halls of power so critically needed by our many communities. This was the time and address at which to do it — not after the election, coming like an esrog after Succos.
Out of the Box
Once you get into this position you learn very quickly that there are many people and communities you have to deal and work with in New York City, the biggest and most diverse city in the world. You have to get out of your own little box.
Loyalty
[1] If there is an incumbent running to stay in office, and he or she has a working relationship with the community, we will be loyal to them. Voting someone out is like firing them, that’s a whole different level of rejection than declining to support a new candidate. This has been a principle of our community for 80 years, since we built a presence here after the Holocaust.
[2] If there’s no incumbent, we look for a person who has a track record of being helpful to the community — a friend with whom we have a relationship. Most candidates are coming from lower office, and we have prior experience with them.
[3] The most difficult choice is when you have multiple established friends running for the same seat. We only have one vote to spend, but we need to be loyal to all friends. In a case like this, all things being equal, we will usually go with the candidate who has a good chance of winning. There’s no point in wasting time, money, and energy for someone who has no chance of making it.
Transactional Poltics
We are looking out for the good of the community. One of the rich people who called to yell at me for endorsing Mamdani said it “makes the Satmar vote appear to be transactional.” I said, “You’re making a mistake. It doesn’t appear transactional, it is transactional.” What do you think politics is? You think I’m his mechutan? I’m his brother? That I love him? This is absolutely transactional. He wants to be mayor, and I want to make sure that when he is mayor, he’s going to work with our community. And several years from now when he’s out, the same will be true for the next one. This is not personal, it’s transactional. We are loyal to our friends, and will support anyone who is loyal to us and will be receptive when we have issues.
Muslims
That applies to an American politician from Kentucky or New York who has no reason to be anti-Israel, and if he’s busy bashing Israel, it’s because he hates Jews. But if someone is a Muslim and says, “I’m not an anti-Semite, I’m against the Israeli government because of how my Muslim brothers are suffering at their hands,” that can actually make more sense
Israel
Bibi [Israel] knows how to run [its] own show. [Israel] does not need my help. [Israel] doesn’t need to worry about our community in Brooklyn and I don’t need to worry about [Israel]. Let [Israel] let do [its] business and I’ll take care of ours.
Friends
I was the first to endorse Antonio Reynoso, and everyone attacked me for it. But I knew I could work with him, and he became a great partner. I took him to other communities, to meet other Jewish groups, and he said, “Rabbi, I don’t get it, I don’t recognize these people… they used to hate me, now they just want to be my friend.” I told him, “You’re going to be their friend, too.”
