More On Mamdani

Last week on our new 5TJT Podcast [YouTube.com/@5tjtstories262/featured], we spoke with Rabbi Marc Schneier of the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, New York. The thrust of our discussion was his conversation with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and the comments the latter made in the aftermath of the wild protest in front of the Park East Synagogue two weeks ago, where Rabbi Schneier’s father, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, has been the rabbi for 60 years.

If you saw the video online or in the news, it was a wild anti-Jewish riot. Inside the shul was the staff of Nefesh B’Nefesh presenting home-buying opportunities in Israel.

As the hateful riot got out of hand, the NYPD displayed a weak and sheepish reaction. The next day, Mr. Mamdani found within himself to call Rabbi Schneier to say that he objected to the use of a shul, which he called a “sacred space,” to promote activities that violate international law, which in this case is selling land in Israel.

Rabbi Schneier told the mayor-elect that he found comments like that out-of-line and insulting. The Rabbi added that in all his years engaging with leaders of the Islamic countries around the world, he found Mr. Mamdani’s comments a display of the old thinking and a thought process that is not shared by the Islamic leaders around the world.

In fact, the Mamdani mayoral victory came in the aftermath of the visit to the White House by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. MBS is not there yet, but his joining the Abraham Accords and establishing relations with Israel are closer to Middle East reality than the Mamdani immature positions.

Bibi Netanyahu can probably fly into Riyadh without being threatened with arrest, but if he comes to New York, the Mayor is saying that Bibi would be subject to arrest according to international law.

Rabbi Schneier said to Zohran that it is not just offensive but also outdated and behind the times to say and think the way Mamdani does. Aside from everything else, Mamdani is more of a radical Communist Socialist than he is a Muslim.

The anti-Jewish protests in Manhattan two weeks ago were beneath the dignity of any straight-thinking leader of New York. In fact, the following Shabbos morning, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch spoke from the Park East pulpit to apologize to the congregation for the police failure earlier that week.

Mamdani thinks he’s going to teach New York a lesson but in reality, he has a lot to learn. 

Read more of Larry Gordon’s articles at 5TJT.com. Follow 5 Towns Jewish Times on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates and live videos. Comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome at 5TJT.com and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.