Prominent NYC rabbi warns Zohran Mamdani 'does not believe in coexistence'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A Manhattan rabbi just dropped a no-holds-barred sermon criticizing New York City's newly elected mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, one of New York’s most prominent Jewish leaders, has warned that Mamdani’s views on Israel could “severely threaten Jewish safety everywhere in the city.”

The rebuke came during Hirsch’s sermon on Friday, November 7, at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on the Upper West Side.

Rabbi calls out Zohran Mamdani's 'existential' opposition to Israel

From the pulpit, Ammiel Hirsch called Zohran Mamdani’s opposition to Israel "existential."

"He believes that Israel has no right to exist at all — as a Jewish state in any territory," Hirsch told congregants.

The rabbi, who also serves as president of the New York Board of Rabbis, said he and several "prominent and liberal" rabbis had tried to engage Mamdani with "open hearts and open minds" in a one-hour meeting back in August. However, they were left horrified by what they heard.

Throughout that meeting, the rabbis’ moods "steadily darkened. And our fears increased," Hirsch recalled.

According to Hirsch, the mayor-elect (who notably founded a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter during his college days) is no mere critic of Israeli policy. Hirsch declared Mamdani a "dogmatic opponent" of the Zionist ideal. "He is not simply a critic of Israel. He does not believe in coexistence," or "two states for two peoples."

The 34-year-old Muslim immigrant and outspoken supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement managed to win the mayor's race last week despite mounting accusations of antisemitism. Exit polls suggest he even secured roughly one-third of Jewish voters in New York City.

Regardless, Hirsch accused Mamdani of taking extremist positions indistinguishable from Israel’s "most implacable foes." The rabbi blasted the incoming mayor for refusing to condemn the slogan "Globalize the intifada," a phrase many consider a call to violence.

Drawing parallels to terror groups, community reactions

Ammiel Hirsch even compared Zohran Mamdani’s ideology to that of Hamas and Hezbollah.

During their August meeting, Hirsch said the rabbis pressed Mamdani on the “fears of New York Jews” if he were to take office, especially around security. But the rabbi made it clear to his congregation that no police presence could solve what he thinks is a deeper, more insidious danger.

“You could put 50 police officers outside this building,” he warned. “If the overall atmosphere is hostile to Jews, it will severely threaten Jewish safety everywhere in the city every day. And history has proven conclusively that what starts with Jews never ends with Jews. The city itself will become much nastier and much more violent.”

That is “the main threat from the ideologically driven anti-Zionism of Zohran Mamdani," Hirsch cautioned.

The sermon sparked strong reactions and plenty of applause within parts of the city’s Jewish community.

Congregant Ronen Schwartzman told the New York Post on Sunday that he’s “proud” of his rabbi for "being vocal when you need it." Schwartzman added,  “He’s very pro-Israel and not afraid to speak up — a big contrast to the Reform movement, which doesn’t always support the Jewish state."

Israel activist Lizzy Savetsky echoed that praise on social media. “He is unafraid to speak the truth. We need more Jewish leaders like this," she wrote.