New Yorkers had to have some idea of what they were getting into when they elected the city's first Muslim Democratic Socialist Mayor, Zohran Mamdani. While he campaigned on typical Democratic Socialist promises like free healthcare and childcare, the one that should have raised eyebrows was that he vowed to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he set foot in the Big Apple. It's rhetoric like this and other statements that now have several Rabbis in New York saying Mamdani needs to tone it down.
More than 700 pro-Israel rabbis have signed onto an open letter published on Friday calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to retract his comments likening the pro-Israel lobbying group Aipac to "monsters"https://t.co/gE9v1wnp24
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) June 27, 2026
READ MORE: New Yorkers May Finally Be Getting a Dose of Reality As Anti-Mamdani Rally Is Held in NYC
The Rabbis are so concerned about Mamdani's aggressive tone when speaking about Israel that a closed-door private meeting was held on Monday with the Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism. The group of Rabbis stated that they believe many of his public comments are igniting tensions and adding to an already increasing rate of anti-Jewish crimes.
The meeting was a wide-reaching one that included Rabbis from different denominations, including Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform traditions, as well as many different views. But all agreed that Mamdani's relationship with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel needs a lot of improvement. Rabbi Rick Jacobs is the head of the Reform movement in North America and told the Mayor:
“I’m happy to work in partnership with your administration, but Mr. Mayor, you are 90 percent of what could be different here. If instead of vilifying Israel, you spoke constructively, in measured tones — that would move the needle more than anything else, and I’m hopeful you’ll use that power.”
Rabbi Johnathan Leener, head of a liberal Modern Orthodox synagogue in Brooklyn, stated:
“There was no tiptoeing around the elephant in the room. The mayor’s comments have ramifications and he needs to be aware of how in the current climate, that just adds to the temperature and creates an environment that I think a lot of Jews feel vulnerable in.”
Rabbis urge Mayor Mamdani to soften his anti-Israel rhetoric during a private City Hall meeting. They emphasized the need for a better relationship with Jewish New Yorkers.
— News Now (@NewsNowUS) August 11, 2026
Rabbi Rachel Timoner said that when Mamdani does criticize Israel and speak on behalf of Palestinians, he needs to give his comments the proper "complexity." Timoner, whose congregation includes Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, also explained what another source of the problem might be, saying:
“We can’t vote there, we don’t have any ability to change what’s happening, yet people are profiling us and spewing hate at us because they’re angry at the Israeli government.”
ALSO READ: Epic Fail: Mamdani Finally Makes Humiliating Admission About His Threat to Arrest Netanyahu
Phylisa Wisdom is the executive director of the Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism, and called the meeting an "open, positive, and constructive conversation." But are the Rabbis wasting their time? Mamdani won roughly 33 percent of Jewish voters, all while spewing anti-Israel rhetoric and threatening Netanyahu with arrest. He calls the surge in antisemitic crime "unacceptable," and each incident gets an obligatory castigation. He has also increased the budget for the Mayor's Office of Hate Crime Prevention by 800 percent ($26 million).
The Rabbis speaking out in defense of their people should have happened on Mamdani's first day in office, but good on them for doing it now. But ultimately, there is a good chance that it is just another wink and a nod to antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric from Mamdani, who has made no bones about who he is and what he believes.
Rabbis Plead With Mamdani to Tone Down His Anti-Israel Messaging. Are You Kidding? Don't Plead. Move your schools, businesses, and your support out of the city limits - or further. This is going to get worse! https://t.co/M0ZlrUpJ81 via @NYTimes
— Real Estate "OG" (@CarlMuhlstein) August 11, 2026
Editor’s Note: New York City is now facing the consequences of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist takeover.
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