A fast-growing wave of gun buying is sweeping through New York’s Jewish community as residents prepare for the incoming administration of mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a politician many view as openly hostile toward Israel and traditional Judeo-Christian values. Gun shop owners and firearms instructors across Brooklyn say the rush began the morning after Election Day—and shows no sign of slowing down.
A New Gun Store Turns Into a Community Hub
One of the centers of this surge is Samson Armory in Marine Park, Brooklyn—the first new gun store in the borough in more than fifty years. Its owner, 30-year-old Orthodox Jew Michael Bergida, said business exploded almost overnight.
“We’re probably the only gun store to have a minyan,” Bergida told The New York Post, describing how many of his customers pray together inside the shop. He says people are buying guns not out of panic, but out of a sense of responsibility: “The NYPD is all retiring – we have to fight for ourselves. People are freaking out over Mamdani – anyone who has any Christian-Judeo values.”
Bergida, an NRA-certified instructor, works closely with synagogues on preparedness and active-shooter planning. “It’s like doomsday prepping – people are loading up ammo,” he said. “I have a passion to prep Jews.” His message is blunt: “We have to let everyone know — don’t f–k with the Jews,” and “Never again.”
He says he is not going anywhere despite the city’s political shift. “We ain’t fleeing — we’re here to stay. We’re not victims anymore.”
Instructors Are Overwhelmed With New Students
Other firearms instructors report the exact same pattern. Lance Dashefsky, a longtime gun-safety instructor, told reporters, “It’s getting busy because of him,” referring directly to Mamdani. He added, “I always ask people in class why they want a gun. And now the answer is Mamdani.”
NYPD data backs that up. Concealed-carry permit applications rose 14%, jumping from 620 in June—when Mamdani won the Democratic primary—to 706 in August. Because New York City requires up to a year of processing and a mandatory 18-hour training course, instructors are now running full-capacity classes every weekend, often serving bagels, lox, and coffee to the new crowd.
Brooklyn instructor Ross Den said that people who were once on the fence are suddenly taking the plunge. His students now include Jewish “doctors, lawyers, plumbers and even rabbis.” Den explained why many faith leaders quietly carry:
“There are plenty of rabbis who carry – shul is where the greatest threat is.” He added that “people are beginning to wake up and are now realizing they have to defend themselves and not rely on the cavalry to come save them.”
New York law allows firearms in houses of worship only if a congregant is designated as a security volunteer—something many synagogues are now formalizing.
Why Mamdani’s Win Triggered This Reaction
The reaction inside the Jewish community stems from Mamdani’s long history of anti-Israel activism. As a state assemblyman, Mamdani declared, “when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.” He has supported the BDS movement, refused to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, and even vowed to arrest Israel’s prime minister if he visits New York City.
Jewish neighborhoods responded clearly at the polls. Election data shows Borough Park and Crown Heights—two heavily Hasidic areas—voted overwhelmingly for former Governor Andrew Cuomo instead of Mamdani, with support levels of 88% and 75% respectively.
Families Are Taking Their Safety Into Their Own Hands
For many families, the motivation is simple: self-reliance. An Israeli-born mother of four told the Post, “We are Jewish and we will protect ourselves – even if the mayor despises us.” She applied for her gun license the day after the election. “We want a say in our own protection and not have to rely on others.”
Her sentiment mirrors the rising mindset across the community: if antisemitic incidents increase or police protection weakens, they do not intend to be easy targets.
A Historic Turning Point for Jewish Self-Defense in NYC
New York City has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, yet the surge shows how deeply political change can drive personal security decisions. What is happening now is different from previous cycles of fear or community tension. This time, Jewish New Yorkers are acting fast—and in large numbers—to get trained, licensed, and prepared.
While critics argue that gun ownership will not solve the city’s political challenges, the people showing up at Samson Armory and in safety classes every week see things differently. They believe taking responsibility for their own protection is not just smart—it is necessary.
And as Bergida puts it, this new chapter is about strength, not fear: “We’re here to stay. We’re not victims anymore.”
We are in dangerous times! We are SO CLOSE to our final funding goals! With your help we can make it!
NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will become a National Anti-gun Force
Much like the old saying that a Conservative is a Liberal who has been mugged, we now see that a 2A believer is an anti gun Jewish citizen living in a city where a Muslim terrorist dog has been elected mayor.
To all Jewish citizens, hopefully the wool has been removed from you eyes and you realize that the only thing standing between you and the ovens is the Republican Party.
Good luck. you’re going to need it NYFC. You have been voting for socialist mayors for the last four or five election cycles.
I hope NYC gets what they voted for, good and hard, over and over again.
As a Texan, what offends me most about this article is than New Yorkers need a gun license to have a firearm in their home! Sure I have a license from the state of Texas, but if I want to buy a gun I hand them my credit card and LTC. Deal is done – only slow part is me shopping for accessories. Before getting LTC I had to wait a few minutes for NICS check – but again that’s it. No license, no registration (aside from ATF compilation of 4473’s. Remember on 10/7/23 Hamas had a list of all… Read more »
Jews in NYC are being forced to wake up faster than the Jews in Israel, where the majority still support the socialist-aligned Zionist party and other similar political parties. Most Protestants and some Catholics in the USA consider themselves Americans first, and I, for one, welcome the same attitude in the Jews. The class system promoted by Socialism, the DNC, the DSA, and others doesn’t work in my America. It was a sad day for NYC when the DNC promoted a candidate who wasn’t even a member of the Democratic Party, and President Trump promoted an independent. In case anyone… Read more »
Now there’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever seen one. How long and expensive is the process to just to own one and bring it home? And per the article it takes a year to get a carry permit, which is almost useless since much of the city is a gun free zone.
Laughable considering how many of them voted for him. I even asked some Jewish folks I know as to why they were and they couldn’t articulate the reason but knew it was happening and were not pleased.
As an Obama soy boy preacher once said ” the chickens have come home to roost” Jews did it to themselves, always voting for commie demo rats. It is hard to feel sorry for them, but I’m glad reality is setting in
why do people wait until threatened to protect themselves?
did the JEWS of new york not hear of the phrase “NEVER AGAIN”
did the PEOPLE of new york never hear of the 2ND AMENDMENT?
Why the Jewish community continues to vote D baffles me. Possibly now they actually realize what they have essentially done to themselves. One can at least hope so.