Why NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Tisha B’Av wishes are so ironic – opinion

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Tisha B'Av greeting to the city's Jewish population has sparked controversy for its pointed omission of Israel. Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning for the destruction of Jewish Temples and exile, traditionally involves remembrance of the Jewish connection to Jerusalem. Mamdani's failure to mention Israel on this specific day is seen by critics as a significant and ironic snub.

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On the one day built entirely around Jewish longing for Jerusalem, our elected officials could not say the word.

The author draws a parallel between Mamdani's actions and historical instances of antisemitism, referencing the Wannsee Conference where Nazi officials planned the annihilation of Jews. The piece highlights the "arrogance" of those who believed their power was permanent, contrasting it with the enduring presence of the Jewish people. Mamdani's rhetoric is described as a modern manifestation of this old prejudice, using the language of justice and liberation to single out the Jewish state and, by extension, Jewish people as villains.

This framing, the author contends, signals to Mamdani's followers that Israel and Jews are antagonists. The piece argues that this message is not new, recalling historical figures like Haman and the architects of the Holocaust who targeted Jews for maintaining their own laws and for their very survival. The modern iteration, cloaked in progressive language, is seen as an old instinct to question Jewish loyalty, deny Jewish history, and incite popular opposition.

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Today’s version wears the language of justice and liberation, but the instinct underneath it is old and familiar: single out the Jew, question his loyalty, deny his history, and hope the crowd follows.

The article emphasizes the real-world consequences of such rhetoric, noting that words have preceded violence in the past and that New York streets have already seen unrest. The author warns against dismissing this "arrogance" as harmless, urging people to speak up and stand with those targeted. However, the piece also invokes the deeper lesson of Tisha B'Av: the resilience of a people who, despite facing destruction and exile, continue to remember, pray, and build.

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Arrogance is dangerous, and we would be foolish to pretend otherwise.