More than 1,000 rabbis from across the United States have signed an open letter warning about the rhetoric of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, saying his past comments on Israel and Zionism raise concerns about Jewish safety and inclusion.
The letter, titled “A Rabbinic Call to Action: Defending the Jewish Future,” was first circulated in mid-October and quickly gained traction after former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo cited it during an Oct. 22 mayoral debate.
Mamdani, a Democratic state assemblyman from Queens and the current frontrunner in the city’s mayoral race, has long been an outspoken critic of Israel’s government. He identifies as “not a Zionist” and has repeatedly criticized Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, calling the country an apartheid state.
The Letter and Its Message
The letter asserts that Mamdani’s past statements — including his defense of slogans such as “globalize the intifada” — cross the line from political critique into rhetoric that threatens Jewish safety. The signatories call on voters to support candidates who oppose antisemitism and affirm Israel’s right to exist “in peace and security.”
“We will not accept a culture that treats Jewish self-determination as a negotiable ideal or Jewish inclusion as something to be granted,” the statement reads. “The safety and dignity of Jews in every city depend on rejecting that false choice.”
According to organizers, the letter’s signatories represent a diverse range of Jewish denominations — from Orthodox to Reform to Conservative rabbis — and span more than 30 states.
Mamdani’s Response
Mamdani, who is Muslim, has spent months attempting to build bridges with Jewish voters. He has emphasized that he condemns antisemitism unequivocally and has argued that much of the criticism against him stems from political disagreement rather than religious bias.
During Wednesday’s debate, he told Jewish voters that he would protect their safety and ensure that all New Yorkers — regardless of religion or ethnicity — are valued and celebrated.
“I will be the mayor who doesn’t just protect Jewish New Yorkers, but also celebrates and cherishes them,” Mamdani said.
At the same debate, Cuomo challenged Mamdani’s reassurances, citing the letter and claiming that “hundreds of rabbis” had publicly expressed alarm at the assemblyman’s past comments. “It was not several rabbis, Zohran,” Cuomo said. “It was 650 rabbis.”
By Thursday morning, the number of signatories had surpassed 1,000, according to organizers.
Critics Speak Out
Among the first to sign the letter was Rabbi David Seth Kirshner of Temple Emanu-El in Closter, New Jersey. Kirshner said the letter “grew like wildfire,” reflecting “thousands of constituents across a broad spectrum of Jewish life.”
“I love the idea of a Muslim mayor of New York City and have no problem with Mamdani’s religion,” Kirshner said. “However, I have an issue with the things he’s said about Jews and Israel. When he talks about ‘globalizing the intifada,’ that’s calling for violence against Jews, and that should disqualify him from any job, let alone running New York City.”
Kirshner also criticized Mamdani’s recent comments on Hamas, calling them evasive. “Just this week, he refused to say that Hamas should lay down its arms, which is an obvious dog whistle calling on Hamas and its supporters to continue to uprise,” Kirshner said. “That’s dangerous, and we should be unequivocal in our condemnation.”
In a recent interview with Fox News, Mamdani was asked whether Hamas should relinquish power in Gaza. He responded that his focus was on improving life for New Yorkers and promoting peace abroad, saying both Hamas and the Israeli military should follow international law.
“I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas and Israel beyond the question of justice and safety,” he said.
Prominent Voices Join In
The letter also quotes Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan, a leading figure in the Reform movement. Hirsch warned that Mamdani’s rhetoric risks normalizing antisemitism in public discourse.
“His rhetoric will delegitimize the Jewish community and encourage and exacerbate hostility toward Judaism and Jews,” Hirsch said.
Other rabbis echoed that concern. Rabbi Benjamin David of Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Pennsylvania said antisemitism has reached alarming levels in public life and must be confronted directly. “We need to support the cause of tolerance and inclusivity, not prejudice,” he said. “If we can’t confront antisemitism in New York City, a center of Jewish life, that does not portend well for us.”
Rabbi Andy Green of Congregation Or Tzion in Scottsdale, Arizona, said that although he rarely engages in politics, he felt compelled to act. “The real fears that Mamdani’s unapologetic anti-Zionism evokes for Jews all across America, including in my own community, are impossible to ignore,” he said.
Mamdani on Zionism and Israel
Mamdani has clarified that while he does not support Zionism, he does support Israel’s existence as a state “with equal rights for all.”
“I support Israel’s right to exist as a state with equal rights,” he said in a June interview. “But I’m not comfortable supporting any state that has a hierarchy of citizenship on the basis of religion or anything else.”
He has said he would continue to advocate for Palestinian human rights and has described Israel’s current structure as “apartheid.” Earlier this year, he made headlines for saying he would order the NYPD to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to New York, citing international law.
Despite the backlash, Mamdani insists his priority is uniting the city. He has met with Jewish community leaders, visited synagogues, and pledged to increase funding for anti-hate-crime initiatives.
A Fox News poll released earlier this week showed Jewish voters nearly split between Mamdani and Cuomo: 42% supported Cuomo, 38% backed Mamdani, and 13% said they favored Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.
Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the rabbis’ letter.
The Broader Context
The controversy highlights a growing tension within the Democratic Party — particularly among progressives — over how to discuss Israel and Palestine. Younger and more diverse candidates like Mamdani have challenged longstanding pro-Israel positions, while many Jewish voters say the tone of that criticism has crossed into hostility.
The rabbinic letter represents one of the largest coordinated religious responses to an American political candidate’s stance on Israel in recent years. Whether it will shift voter sentiment in the nation’s largest Jewish population center remains to be seen.
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