Why These Rabbis Are Wrong About Zohran Mamdani

Recently, a group of rabbis published an open letter in the Times of Israel defending New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and his run for city mayor. They claim that he represents “Jewish values” of justice and compassion and suggest that opposition to him stems from fear or ignorance.

They’re wrong, and dangerously so.

This isn’t about abstract disagreements over Israeli policy. It’s about Jewish safety, communal integrity, and the responsibility to stand with your own when it matters most. These rabbis have misunderstood the stakes, and in doing so, they’ve made a harmful mistake.

To begin with, Mamdani has repeatedly refused to disavow the slogan “Globalize the Intifada,” a rallying cry with deep roots in violence against Jews in Israel and around the world. The phrase has been shouted at rallies across the U.S. and openly embraced by anti-Israel extremists. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum rightly called it “outrageous” and “deeply offensive to Holocaust survivors.” It does not signal a call for justice. Rather, it glorifies violent uprisings and echoes a long history of terror, not peace.

And yet, Mamdani refuses to say it’s wrong; he has said that they are not his words, but he nevertheless cannot bring himself to condemn the phrase, its users, and its deadly meaning.

That’s not justice. That’s moral evasion. And the rabbis who defend him should know better.

What makes this support even more baffling is that Mamdani is still a political newcomer. He has barely any legislative record to evaluate. He hasn’t passed meaningful legislation. He hasn’t built a long-term track record of cross-community work. His time in office has been short, and his resume, thin. When someone hasn’t truly worked and has no examples of communal cross aisle success, it’s hard to claim they’re someone you can work with.

And so we look to what he has produced: a trail of statements, interviews, and public appearances that make his position toward Israel and toward Jews painfully clear. From championing BDS, to embracing slogans tied to antisemitic violence, to voting against recognizing Holocaust memory, his rhetoric and conduct speak louder than any policy memo.

Words matter—especially when they are all someone has to show.

The rabbis backing Mamdani argue that he listens to Jews, builds relationships, and is open to dialogue. That may be true. But it misses the more important point. Having a few Zoom calls or town halls with rabbis doesn’t make you an ally. Being in conversation doesn’t mean you’re protecting the community. These rabbis are mistaking proximity for protection and confusing their own access with actual safety.

This isn’t about whether Mamdani is personally polite to some Jews. It’s about his refusal to clearly denounce calls for violence and his repeated choices to undermine Jewish dignity in public life. Intentions aren’t enough. Policies and actions matter more.

Intentions aren’t enough. Policies and actions matter more.

Even more troubling is the rabbis’ implicit suggestion that their clerical status grants them moral authority over the rest of the community. That’s not just arrogant; it’s a betrayal of Jewish tradition itself.

As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote: “Judaism is a conversation scored for many voices.” No one—not even a group of progressive rabbis—has a monopoly on truth. Rabbinic titles don’t override the lived experience, political instincts, or safety concerns of Jews across the spectrum. The letter isn’t just a defense of Mamdani. It’s an assertion of ideological power and a top-down attempt to dictate what “authentic” Jewish values are, as if dissent from their worldview is illegitimate or small-minded forcing these rabbis to be “enraged.”

But Jewish life has never worked that way. Our tradition prizes machloket l’shem shamayim—argument for the sake of heaven. It thrives on moral complexity, not clerical consensus.

One of the most revealing lines in the rabbis’ letter is this: “Being part of this movement and this win matters. It reminds us what it feels like to be in the majority.” But they are not the majority. And they know it.

National data repeatedly shows that the positions Mamdani champions—support for BDS, demonization of Israel, refusal to condemn antisemitic slogans—are deeply unpopular with most Americans. According to the Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll and recent Pew research, support for Israel remains strong across much of the country, while far-left calls to dismantle it remain fringe.

These rabbis are deliberately distorting reality and projecting their ideological bubble as if it reflects the broader Jewish or American consensus. It doesn’t. Pretending it does isn’t just dishonest. It’s dangerous.

What’s striking is how out of step these rabbis are with the broader Jewish community. Concern over Mamdani’s record has come from across the spectrum: Orthodox rabbis, mainstream institutions, Holocaust educators, and civic leaders alike. This isn’t a fringe panic. It’s a clear and measured red flag.

The rabbis try to shield their stance by invoking Rep. Jerry Nadler, who also refused to condemn Mamdani. But Nadler’s silence says more about the politics of appeasement than it does about moral clarity. It’s deeply disappointing to see a senior Jewish lawmaker, along with these rabbis, sidestep the obvious in a moment that demands firmness.

To dismiss this widespread concern as political paranoia is deeply patronizing. Jews know when a movement or public figure is hostile to them whether that hostility is loud or coded, explicit or artfully vague. Backing Mamdani might feel morally elevated to some. But it sends the wrong message: that Jewish safety must always come second to progressive acceptance and that Jews are only welcome when they stay quiet.

That’s not tikkun olam. That’s capitulation.

Rabbis have a sacred duty to defend their communities, not just align with the fashionable politics of the moment. Their defense of Mamdani reflects a fundamental misreading of Jewish history, Jewish vulnerability, and Jewish obligation. You don’t need to be a rabbi to see what’s happening. Mamdani has no track record of support for the Jewish community and his refusal to denounce antisemitic rhetoric speaks volumes. No amount of rabbinic framing can alter these truths.

Samuel J. Abrams is a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.