Rabbis urge Mayor Mamdani to change tone during private City Hall meeting
According to participants, the closed-door meeting focused largely on concerns about the mayor's criticism of Israel, including his past calls for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's arrest if he were to visit New York.
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A group of 10 New York City rabbis privately met with Mayor Zohran Mamdani at City Hall this week, urging him to change how he speaks about Israel and warning that his rhetoric could heighten tensions at a time of rising antisemitism.
According to participants, the closed-door meeting focused largely on concerns about the mayor's criticism of Israel, including his past calls for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's arrest if he were to visit New York.
Rabbi Rachel Timoner, of Congregation Beth Elohim, was among those participating in the conversation. Rabbi Timoner said the group candidly shared concerns about the mayor's messaging, encouraging him to acknowledge the complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and help lower the political temperature in the city.
"Many of these rabbis are also highly critical of Israel, but that criticism comes from love. They want to hear the mayor lift up the Israelis and Palestinians who are working together for a shared future; they want to hear him name some complexity; and several asked him to use his unique position to turn down the temperature or move on to areas where we could work together, as his views on Israel are now well established," said Timoner.
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism and one of the participants, who was also invited to the meeting, shared a similar account. He said he delivered that message directly to the mayor.
"I told the mayor directly: The way you continue to talk about Israel endangers the Jewish community writ large," Jacobs said. "I'm happy to work in partnership with your administration, but Mr. Mayor, you are 90% of what could be different here. If instead of vilifying Israel, you spoke constructively, in measured tones, that would move the needle more than anything else, and I'm hopeful you'll use that power."
Timoner said multiple rabbis at the meeting expressed concern about the climate facing Jewish New Yorkers and said many congregants feel increasingly uneasy amid heated debate over the war in Gaza and the broader Middle East conflict. She said the mayor was receptive to the feedback.
"The mayor listened deeply and responded with care. He said that he was going to reflect with his team about what was said and consider how to incorporate this feedback going forward," said Timoner.
News 12 asked Mamdani for his thoughts on how he felt the meeting went. He said the conversation was candid and productive.
"I appreciated hearing from them. My door will always be open to every Jewish New Yorker, and that is a door that is open not only to a conversation, but also to a commitment of what it actually looks like to deliver on the ideal of a city where not only is everyone safe, but everyone belongs."
Mamdani said his administration has been taking steps to put that into practice.
"Whether it looks like increasing funding for hate crime prevention programming by more than 800%, or expanding our city's office to combat antisemitism to its largest ever size while developing a first-in-the-nation municipal response to combating antisemitism," the mayor said.
Not all Jewish leaders viewed the meeting positively.
Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, who did not attend the meeting, criticized the outreach effort, saying he believes the mayor selectively chose participants and questioned the sincerity of the gathering.
Steinmetz also voiced concerns about Mamdani's support for encouraging protests during Netanyahu's expected visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly in September.
"If these protests occur when Netanyahu comes, they can spill over," Steinmetz said. "People in the streets may end up fighting with Jews. There may be violence."
He called on the mayor to take additional steps to reassure Jewish residents.
"The mayor needs to apologize. He needs to make it clear that he is there to protect the Jewish community, that he is listening to their concerns, and that he is going to do everything he can to turn down the temperature in the city," Steinmetz said, "if he apologizes, we will accept that apology."
The meeting comes as tensions over the war in Gaza continue to shape political debates in New York, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel.
It also highlights the challenge Mamdani faces in maintaining relationships with Jewish communities while defending positions that have drawn criticism from some Jewish leaders and activists.
Participants described the discussion as candid but respectful, with both sides expressing a willingness to continue the conversation.
