New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faces mounting pressure from more than 700 rabbis across the U.S. to retract his controversial statement labeling members of the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC as 'monsters who move dark money.' The coalition, organized by Jewish Majority, warns the mayor's rhetoric has escalated dangers for Jewish communities amid surging antisemitic hate crimes in the city.
Rabbis Highlight Historical Antisemitic Tropes
The rabbis' open letter, released Friday, argues Mamdani's language echoes historical antisemitic narratives that portray Jewish people as sinister and powerful. 'History demonstrates that campaigns against Jews often begin with rhetoric portraying them as uniquely sinister, uniquely powerful and somehow less deserving of equal treatment,' they wrote. The letter specifically criticizes Mamdani's focus on AIPAC, noting its lobbying efforts are smaller than those of major corporations and unions.
The backlash comes as new polling shows 82% of Jewish New Yorkers, including 63% of Mamdani's own supporters, fear rising antisemitism. Of those concerned, 73% blame 'the normalization of anti-Zionism,' which has gained visibility through protests featuring slogans like 'globalize the Intifada.' This phrase, which calls for Israel's violent destruction, has appeared at demonstrations across NYC, including a May rally in Brooklyn where protesters waved a Hezbollah flag.
Threats and Consequences
The rabbis' letter references recent violent threats against Jewish individuals and institutions. Days before Mamdani's remarks, the FBI charged five people with plotting to kill AIPAC supporters in government. The same day Mamdani doubled down on his comments, Florida authorities indicted a man for planning a mass shooting at an AIPAC office. 'By casting pro-Israel civic participation as monstrous, conspiratorial and anti-democratic, Mr. Mamdani has put a target on the backs of American Jews and their allies,' the letter states.
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of Manhattan's Stephen Wise Free Synagogue called the polling data 'confirmation of what Jewish New Yorkers have long experienced.' He emphasized a 'direct and undeniable connection between anti-Zionist rhetoric and the deteriorating safety environment Jews face daily.' The coalition demands Mamdani apologize, retract his statements, and affirm Jewish Americans' role in democracy.