As Yom Kippur approaches and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Rabbi Marc Schneier is calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to repair what he describes as a damaged relationship with the city’s Jewish community.
Rabbi Schneier, founding senior rabbi of The Hampton Synagogue and president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, made the appeal in a new op-ed published by the Daily News. He outlined what he believes a meaningful apology from Mamdani would entail, including acknowledging the hurt caused by his rhetoric concerning Israel, Zionism and Netanyahu, as well as making substantive changes to his approach as mayor.
Writing a hypothetical apology in Mamdani’s voice, Schneier stated: “I apologize to Jewish New Yorkers for the pain I have caused. I have said I am the mayor of all New Yorkers, but my conduct has made you question that promise. I have neglected the fears and voices of Jewish and Israeli New Yorkers."
“I have repeatedly described Israel’s war in Gaza as genocide. I now understand that many Jewish New Yorkers regard that characterization as false and as a distortion of the Holocaust. I should have listened to the pain my words caused. I will no longer use that term and will encourage others to stop using it."
“I also allowed Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to become a political obsession, not recognizing that singling out the Jewish state’s leader and not discussing others could be perceived as antisemitic. I promised to order his arrest. This July, I said I remained in an ‘active conversation’ with city lawyers even though they had already told me I lacked that authority. I chose political theater over candor."
“I am the mayor of New York City. I do not conduct American foreign policy or decide which foreign leaders may enter the country. My responsibility is to govern this city and protect its people."
“I also apologize for failing to understand that Zionism cannot be bifurcated from Judaism. Judaism is a peoplehood rooted for thousands of years in the land of Israel. Jews may criticize an Israeli government. They cannot be expected to accept the denial of Jewish self-determination. I now understand that anti-Zionism is antisemitism."
“A mayor’s words travel through our streets, schools and social media. They can legitimize hostility and make threats or violence more likely. I cannot promise Jewish New Yorkers safety while speaking in ways that leave them isolated and endangered."
“My apology cannot end with words. I will stop using the mayoralty to single out Israel, distinguish policy criticism from delegitimization, affirm the Jewish people’s right to self-determination and listen before I speak."
Mamdani faced criticism during his mayoral campaign over his positions on Israel, including comments made on October 8, 2023, one day after Hamas’ massacre in southern Israel, and his refusal to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada."
After taking office, Mamdani revoked several Israel-related executive orders issued by former Mayor Eric Adams. He also became the first New York City mayor to boycott the city’s annual Israel Day Parade.
Mamdani additionally pledged during the campaign to arrest Netanyahu if the prime minister visited New York, saying he would enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu over alleged crimes against humanity.
In a July interview with The New York Times, Mamdani said he was examining possible ways to detain Netanyahu. He subsequently acknowledged in a video that a city mayor does not have the legal authority to enforce an ICC warrant and called on the federal government to take action instead.
Ahead of Rosh Hashanah two weeks ago, Mamdani sought to engage with local communities by visiting a Judaica store in Brooklyn’s Borough Park neighborhood. He spoke with residents and community representatives during the visit, which included cordial exchanges, but video footage also captured a confrontation with a local woman.
"It's all because of you we have so much antisemitism...You have such chutzpah for coming here."
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)