Jewish Leaders to Skip Mamdani’s 'Jewish Heritage' Event at Gracie Mansion
Leaders of several mainstream Jewish organizations in New York plan to skip Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Jewish American Heritage Month event at Gracie Mansion.
Leaders of several mainstream Jewish organizations in New York plan to skip Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Jewish American Heritage Month event at Gracie Mansion, citing his record of criticism of Israel and recent comments on Nakba Day.
The UJA-Federation of New York said it would not attend the event, arguing that Mamdani denies a central part of Jewish identity by refusing to recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.
“We will not be attending the Jewish American Heritage Month celebration at Gracie Mansion being hosted by a mayor who denies a core pillar of our heritage, the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people,” the organization said.
Jewish Community Relations Council of New York CEO Mark Treyger also said he would not attend. The JCRC organizes the annual Israel Day Parade, which is scheduled for May 31.
Treyger said Mamdani’s Nakba Day video, posted Friday shortly before Shabbat, had worsened tensions with the Jewish community. The video presented a Palestinian account of Israel’s 1948 War of Independence and said that the Nakba, Arabic for “catastrophe,” continues to this day.
“The mayor issued a social media production which omitted significant parts of history. It only inflamed tensions further,” Treyger said.
He said the video came after anti-Israel protests outside the Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan and Young Israel Senior Services in Midwood, Brooklyn, as well as the arrest of a suspect accused of planning to attack a New York synagogue on behalf of Iran.
Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, also said he would not attend the Gracie Mansion event.
“Jewish heritage should include recognition of the State of Israel,” Potasnik said. “Jewish history didn’t end in 1946.”
Other Jewish leaders are expected to attend, including Rabbi David Niederman, head of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, who said participation was “right and appropriate.”
Mamdani’s office said the mayor has worked to build relationships across Jewish communities and pointed to his budget proposal, which includes $26 million for hate crime prevention.
“Monday’s Shavuot celebration at Gracie Mansion is one of many ways the mayor is engaging with Jewish New Yorkers,” spokesman Sam Raskin said.
City Hall said about 150 people representing different parts of the city’s Jewish community are expected to attend.
Mamdani has said he will not attend the Israel Day Parade. He supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel and does not recognize Israel as a Jewish state.