Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz accused New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani of fueling antisemitism and inciting violence against Jews, after Mamdani described AIPAC and its supporters as "monsters" at a campaign rally, according to the New York Post. The ADL also condemned the remark and called for an apology.
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani faced renewed criticism on Monday after Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Manhattan's Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun accused him of fueling antisemitism and inciting violence against Jews, following Mamdani's description of AIPAC and its supporters as "monsters" at a campaign rally. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) also condemned the remarks and called for an apology, according to the New York Post. This marks the second day of backlash against Mamdani over the same language.
The incident originated Sunday, when Mamdani posted a statement branding AIPAC as "monsters" who use dark money to sow division. As The Zioneer reported on Sunday at 12:02 Jerusalem time, Mamdani accused the pro-Israel lobby of fearing democracy and an end to what he called Netanyahu's "genocide and wars." Later that same day, at 12:02 Jerusalem, The Zioneer updated its report to include Israeli journalist Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom) characterizing Mamdani's rhetoric as "antisemitic discourse carried out publicly." The controversy escalated Monday as the ADL joined the condemnation, and Rabbi Steinmetz's charge of incitement amplified the severity of the allegation — moving from a characterization of the rhetoric to an accusation of direct harm.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Monday, Mamdani's campaign has also faced scrutiny over an interview with a social media influencer accused of expressing support for Hamas, adding to concerns about the candidate's alliances and rhetoric. The ADL has called on Mamdani to apologize; his supporters maintain his comments targeted AIPAC's political actions, not Jews as a group.
It remains unclear whether Mamdani will issue an apology or respond to the rabbi's and ADL's condemnations. The New York Post was first to report Rabbi Steinmetz's statement.
3 developments
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- DevelopingCouncil member Rabbi David Cohen praises acting Jerusalem mayor for ultra-Orthodox education efforts
Source and signal
- Internal intake