NYC rabbis ‘hopeful' after telling Mamdani his Israel rhetoric makes Jews feel unsafe – interview

Two New York City rabbis, Rabbi Jonathan Leener and Rabbi "S," expressed "hope" after a closed-door roundtable discussion with Mayor Zohran Mamdani at City Hall. The meeting, organized by the Mayor's Office to Combat Antisemitism, included 10 rabbis from various denominations. The primary focus was the rising antisemitism in NYC and how Mamdani's rhetoric regarding Israel contributes to Jewish New Yorkers feeling unsafe. Rabbis conveyed that his "harsh rhetoric around Israel and its government and the mayor's continual singling out and excessive focus on Israel" was alienating. While disagreements on Israel remain, the rabbis felt Mamdani listened in "good faith" and was open to understanding their concerns about safety and the perceived double standard applied to Israel. They hope the conversation leads to concrete actions, particularly regarding security for Jewish institutions.