A Torah blogger cited an 18th-century Kabbalist who predicted that the tenth and final exile for Torah would be in the USA, and when that ends, when the Jews flee, the Messiah will appear. Remarkably, a section of the Talmud describing pre-Messiah conditions refers to aspects of the platform set out by newly elected Zohran Mamdani.
Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), a Polish–Lithuanian disciple of the Vilna Gaon, has been attributed with predicting that America would be the last station for Torah before the final Redemption. It is related that Rabbi Chaim stated, “The day will come when the pillars of European Jewry will topple, when the great institutions of Torah learning will be destroyed and uprooted. However, they will be reborn in the exile of America, the final stop of the Jewish people before the appearance of the Messiah following those of Babylon, North Africa, Egypt, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania.”
Torah blogger Yeranen Yaakov cited the prediction by Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, noting that with 2.1 million Jewish residents, New York City has the biggest Jewish population for a city outside of Israel, second only to Tel Aviv. Yeranen Yaakov noted that this may change. In a poll conducted earlier this month by J.L. Partners and reported by the Daily Mail, approximately 765,000 New Yorkers — about 9% of the city’s 8.4 million residents — said they would “definitely” leave the Big Apple if Mamdani is elected the 111th mayor. Another 25%, or roughly 2.12 million, said they would “consider” relocating.
While the poll did not specify the religious affiliation or ethnicity of the potential emigrees, The election of Zohran Mamdani triggered a wave of calls for an exodus from the city, “New York will never be the same again, especially not for its Jewish community,” Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli tweeted. “I invite the Jews of New York to seriously consider making their new home in the Land of Israel.”
The international spokesman for the Jewish settlement in Hebron, Yishai Fleisher tweeted, “Indeed, it was a great run, and you were a blessing to NYC. But Jews will feel less and less comfortable in the Big Apple. So do yourself a favor, buy real estate in the Land of Israel.”
Yeranen Yaakov noted other pre-Messiah signs that may be appearing as a result of Mamdani’s victory at the polls. He cited the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a) which lists many characteristics of the end-of-days. He points to Mamdani’s extreme socialist agenda, suggesting that it will manifest the Talmud’s prediction that the Messiah will arrive when “the peruta [smallest coin] will cease from the purse.”
He also cites the Talmud on that page which states, “The son of David [Messiah] will not come until the entire kingdom will be converted to heresy.” Yeranen Yaakov wrote. “ NYC will now have a pro-Hamas mayor, and government officials will now follow their leader in that sentiment.”
He finished his explanation by citing the Talmud which stated, “the Messiah will not come until they despair from the redemption, as it is stated: “And there is none shut up or left,” as though there were no supporter or helper for the Jewish people.” He predicted that due to the incoming mayor’s anti-Israel and antisemitic platform, “those stuck in Mamdani’s NYC will end up being fatalistic.”
“Based on these statements from [the sages]”, there is hope coming from the terrible election news,” Yeranen Yaakov concluded.