'Shame, shame, shame’ on Satmar leader for saying it’s Torah violation to criticize Mamdani, experts say

Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, a grand rebbe of the Satmar Chassidic movement, stated that criticizing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani violates Torah commandments, drawing strong reactions from Jewish community leaders and scholars. During an annual address, Teitelbaum reportedly said, "We must remember that we are in exile. The prophet Jeremiah instructed the Jewish people: ‘Seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray to God on its behalf.’"

• Dov Hikind, former New York state Assembly member, called the statements "beyond the pale" and a danger to Jewish New Yorkers, suggesting political motivations over purely religious ones.
• David Myers, a professor of Jewish history at UCLA, explained that Satmar's stance aligns with its anti-Zionist theology and the principle of "the law of the kingdom is the law," which mandates submission to gentile authorities in exile, alongside a transactional pragmatism.
• Moshe Krakowski, a professor at Yeshiva University, noted that while Satmar is outspoken, many other Chassidic groups share similar views rooted in religious and political considerations, often adopting a non-Zionist approach that separates rhetoric about Israel from local Jewish concerns.
• An Orthodox Jew, David R., agreed with Teitelbaum, believing that confronting Mamdani is counterproductive and that Jews should maintain a quiet presence in exile.