More than 700 rabbis across the United States have written to New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani demanding that he retract a statement in which he called members of the pro‑Israel lobbying group AIPAC “monsters who move dark money”. The open letter, issued on Friday by a coalition organised by the group Jewish Majority, warns that the mayor’s language heightens risks for Jewish residents at a time when antisemitic hate crimes are on the rise in the city.
Historical antisemitic narratives invoked
The rabbis argue that Mamdani’s wording echoes long‑standing antisemitic narratives that portray Jews as sinister and overly powerful. In the letter they wrote: "History demonstrates that campaigns against Jews often begin with rhetoric portraying them as uniquely sinister, uniquely powerful and somehow less deserving of equal treatment," and contend that the mayor’s focus on AIPAC is misplaced, noting that the organisation’s lobbying budget is smaller than that of major corporations and unions.
Polling shows deepening fear in the Jewish community
New polling cited in the letter indicates that 82 % of Jewish New Yorkers are concerned about a rise in antisemitism, a sentiment shared by 63 % of Mamdani’s own supporters. Among those who expressed worry, 73 % attribute the threat to “the normalization of anti‑Zionism”, a trend they say has been amplified by protests featuring slogans such as “globalize the Intifada”. The phrase, which calls for Israel’s violent destruction, has appeared at several demonstrations in the city, including a May rally in Brooklyn where participants waved a Hezbollah flag.
Recent threats underscore the climate of danger
Days before Mamdani’s comments, the FBI charged five individuals with plotting to kill AIPAC supporters in government. On the same day the mayor doubled down on his remarks, Florida authorities indicted a man for planning a mass shooting at an AIPAC office. The rabbis’ letter states: "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," and calls for the mayor to apologise, withdraw his statements and affirm the contribution of Jewish Americans to democracy.
Religious leaders demand accountability
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of Manhattan’s Stephen Wise Free Synagogue described the polling data as a confirmation of long‑standing Jewish experience in the city and stressed a direct and undeniable link between anti‑Zionist rhetoric and the deteriorating safety environment faced by Jews on a daily basis. The coalition of rabbis has asked Mamdani to issue a formal apology, retract his remarks and publicly recognise the role of Jewish Americans in the democratic process.