NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged by 700 rabbis to apologize for labeling AIPAC ‘monsters’

More than 700 rabbis from across the United States signed an open letter demanding that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani retract and apologize for his June remarks that described the pro‑Israel lobby AIPAC as “monsters who move dark money.” The clergy argued that calling political opponents “monsters” constitutes dehumanization, saying “Using the language of ‘monsters’ against political opponents is an act of dehumanization, and when the targets of that dehumanization are overwhelmingly associated with the Jewish community the consequences become especially dangerous.”

The rabbis linked Mamdani’s comments to a rise in antisemitic incidents, citing recent FBI‑reported plots to kill AIPAC supporters and a Florida indictment for a planned mass shooting at an AIPAC office. They warned that the mayor’s rhetoric could “put a target on the backs of American Jews and their allies.” While acknowledging that criticism of Israeli policy is legitimate, the letter stressed that portraying Zionist Jews as uniquely sinister crosses into prejudice.

Mamdani has doubled down on his statements, defending them as criticism of the organization’s political influence and of Israeli actions in Gaza. The rabbis called on him to apologize, retract the remarks, and affirm that Jews and pro‑Israel Americans fully participate in U.S. democracy.