New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is under renewed scrutiny from antisemitism watchdogs and political opponents as he participates in Jewish Passover events following his recent Ramadan celebrations with controversial figures linked to Hamas.
Mamdani attended the annual Downtown Seder on Monday, an unconventional event described by organizers as “half postmodern religious ritual and half cabaret.” The ceremony, held at City Winery, featured former CNN host Don Lemon, who faces legal trouble after disrupting a church service in Minnesota, and Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, known for blending traditional Jewish practice with drag performance and advocacy against patriarchy.
Lemon is expected to chant the traditional Four Questions, while Rabbi Lau-Lavie will join via video from Israel. Other guests include Terrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, and actor Matthew Broussard, known for “Harvester of Terror 2: Redneck’s Revenge.” Net proceeds from the Seder will benefit Seeds of Peace, a nonprofit that works with youth from conflict regions. Mamdani will also host a private Passover dinner for city employees.
The mayor’s participation comes amid backlash over his recent Ramadan iftar, which included Abdullah Akl, who has publicly called for Hamas to “strike Tel Aviv,” and Mahmoud Khalil, an activist who defended the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, has also been criticized for social media activity that appeared to celebrate Palestinian militants in her early 20s and for contributions to publications linked to pro-Hamas activists. (RELATED: Controversial Artwork Puts Mamdani’s Wife In The Spotlight)
Several members of Mamdani’s staff have been criticized for antisemitic social media posts. His former director of appointments resigned last year following revelations of posts targeting Jewish people, intensifying scrutiny over the mayor’s inner circle.
While the Downtown Seder is a nontraditional, performance-oriented event, Mamdani’s participation in Jewish festivities is being closely watched as he attempts to distance himself from prior controversies. Observers note that his engagement with the Jewish community may be seen as an effort to balance perceptions after criticism surrounding his earlier interactions with figures tied to extremist groups.
In 2025, Mamdani drew attention for a video in which he prepared latkes with actor Mandy Patinkin.
Adding to the controversy, Mamdani became the first New York City mayor in decades to skip the installation ceremony of the city’s Roman Catholic archbishop, a civic tradition dating back to at least the 1930s. Ronald Hicks was installed as the 11th archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York in a ceremonial Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, an event historically attended by every mayor regardless of personal faith, including Jewish mayors Ed Koch and Michael Bloomberg.
Mamdani did not attend, sending a Catholic deputy mayor in his place and posting briefly on X, “Congratulations to Archbishop Ronald Hicks on today’s installment and welcome to New York City. I look forward to working with Hicks to create a more just and compassionate city where every New Yorker can thrive.”
City Hall cited a “scheduling conflict,” though the mayor’s publicly released schedule showed a gap between a 10 a.m. interfaith breakfast and a 4 p.m. winter weather briefing — coinciding with the 2 p.m. installation ceremony. (RELATED: Jen Psaki Enrages America With Tone Deaf Commentary On Catholic School Shooting)
The absence drew sharp criticism from Catholic leaders and political observers. The Catholic League called the mayor’s decision “alienating” to Catholic New Yorkers, while former Bloomberg adviser Bill Cunningham called it a “missed opportunity for the mayor to show he wants to serve all segments of the city.” Former Giuliani spokesman Ken Frydman added that the absence reflected “disregard for Catholic constituents.”
As the Passover and Holy Week observances continue, both supporters and critics of the mayor are watching closely to see how he navigates the intersection of cultural participation, political optics, and ongoing concerns about affiliations with controversial figures.
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