An influential New York rabbi said he schooled Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on peace in Gaza after his father’s synagogue was targeted by a hateful mob of anti-Israel protesters.
Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of The Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and the founding rabbi at The Hamptons Synagogue, said he told Mamdani to his face that he is “out of touch with the greater Muslim world” as leaders of the religion want a two-state solution.
“I said to him, ‘Not only are you out of touch with the Jewish community, you’re out of touch with the greater Muslim world,” Schneier said Sunday on 77 WABC “The Cats Roundtable” radio program.
“You, Mr. Mayor-elect, you refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state,’” he claimed he told Mamdani during an interview with WABC’s John Catsimatidis. Mamdani is a practicing Muslim.
Schneier said he regularly speaks to Muslim leaders across the globe, including in Saudi Arabia and Asia.
Mamdani has drawn criticism for supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel and his vow to arrest Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Schneier said he would never “bifurcate” anti-Zionism and antisemitism.
“The demonization of Israel will only lead to attacks on Jews like we witnessed last week, particularly when you use antisemitic tropes like genocide, occupation, and apartheid,” the rabbi said.
“I challenged him… from a Muslim-Islamic perspective that he is out of step with the greater Muslim world today that recognizes the Jewish State of Israel. He needs to get on the peace train before it’s too late,” Schneier said.
He said Mamdani is a product of his father, Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, who has spewed anti-Israel rhetoric and lectures on colonialism.
But the rabbi appreciated Mamdani for contacting him and backing his idea for legislation to ban protests in front of houses of worship after the troubling mob demonstration at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan.
Schneier’s father, Arthur Schneier, was mobbed by anti-Israel protesters who chanted “globalize the intifada” and sinisterly allegedly urged the “resistance” to “take another settler out.”
Some 200 demonstrators had gathered outside the historical synagogue and heckled Jews attending an event by Nefesh B’nefesh, a Zionist organization that helps Jews immigrate to Israel — including in disputed territories such as the West Bank.
The NYPD was put on blast for failing to properly patrol the protest, with demonstrators allowed to approach the entrance of the synagogue. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch personally addressed the synagogue to apologize.
Schneier said he also confronted Mamdani, who is now a state Assemblyman, on legislation to block protests in front of houses of worship.
“‘Why don’t you sponsor legislation that would no longer permit any protests, any demonstrations in front of a house of worship in New York City – whether a synagogue, a church or a mosque?,” Schneier said he asked Mamdani.
“He kept saying, `Rabbi, I love that idea … You have my number. Let’s continue this conversation. Let’s work on this legislation,’” the rabbi claimed.
He said he’s heartened that Mamdani has contacted him several times since that initial call and that they can have a civil conversation and “agree to disagree.”
A rep from the Mamdani transition repeated a statement saying the mayor-elect was interested in hearing more about Schneier’s pitch on restricting protests in front of houses of worship.
