Mamdani Seder Appearance Draws Heckles, Walkout

Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s fraught relationship with New York City’s Jewish community was thrust into public view again on Monday after his presence at a Passover-themed event drew protests before the doors opened and heckles once he was inside.The so-called “Downtown Seder,” thrown annually by Jewish businessman Michael Dorf at City Winery, drew scrutiny over the weekend amid reports that Mr. Mamdani would appear as a featured guest. The event, which offers a retelling of the Passover story to raise money for the liberal nonprofit Seeds of Peace, was also set to include former CNN anchor Don Lemon, Israeli musician David Broza, and Israeli-American comedian Modi Rosenfeld.Controversy erupted before the event began, when Mr. Rosenfeld, a gay Jewish stand-up comic born in Israel, pulled out of the benefit, stating on social media that he had not been told of Mr. Mamdani’s inclusion until the day of the event.Mr. Rosenfeld’s manager, Leo Veiga, elaborated on the decision in an interview with Jewish Insider, saying the comedian had committed to the benefit months earlier but was “blindsided” by Mr. Mamdani’s attendance. “That’s a very polarizing thing right now,” Mr. Veiga said, “so it’s not appropriate for us to be attending.”Backlash followed Mr. Mamdani into the venue as the mayor dodged heckles from the crowd, including one woman who shouted “shame, shame, shame” when he was introduced, the New York Post reported. He was also interrupted while speaking about antisemitism, with one attendee exclaiming “every Jewish organization is a target.”Mr. Mamdani refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state, and his recruitment of anti-Zionist figures for his administration has raised concerns among many of the city’s Jewish leaders.His presence at a Passover seder — a holiday commemorating the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt and their journey to the Holy Land, which traditionally concludes with the exclamation “next year in Jerusalem!” — drew further ire from the Jewish community. Critics also noted that during his address, which recounted the exodus story, Mr. Mamdani omitted any mention of the Jewish state.

Mamdani Seder Appearance Draws Heckles, Walkout

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