When more than 700 rabbis publicly demand that the mayor of New York City apologize, we are no longer watching a routine campaign argument. We are watching a dispute over the border between fierce political criticism and language that many Jewish leaders say can make American Jews feel less safe in public life.
That is why the backlash to Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s AIPAC “monsters” remark has moved so quickly from a New York political fight into a national conversation about antisemitism, pro-Israel advocacy, progressive power, campaign money and the emotional weight of words in a city with one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. The controversy began after Mamdani used the word “monsters” while criticizing AIPAC during a June 18, 2026, rally for progressive candidates in Brooklyn. The open letter organized by Jewish Majority said the language was dangerous, dehumanizing and “beneath the office he holds.”
Hundreds of Rabbis Demand an Apology From Mamdani Over AIPAC Remarks
The letter against Mamdani was signed by more than 700 rabbis, including leaders from prominent New York congregations and rabbis from different denominations. Their central claim was not simply that Mamdani criticized AIPAC. Their warning was that he described pro-Israel civic participation in a way that echoed old accusations about Jewish power, money, and manipulation.
The rabbis argued that calling AIPAC “monsters” did more than attack a lobbying organization. In their view, it portrayed a heavily Jewish-associated political movement as something sinister, anti-democratic, and morally corrupt. The letter said Mamdani had “put a target on the backs of American Jews and their allies,” a phrase that turned the dispute into a safety question, not just a messaging question.
That distinction matters. AIPAC is a powerful pro-Israel advocacy group, and it has long been a major target for critics of U.S. support for Israel. But many Jewish leaders argue that when criticism of AIPAC is framed around dark money, hidden control or monstrous influence, it can land differently in a country where antisemitic conspiracy theories have often centered on claims of Jewish control over politics, finance and media.
Mamdani Says He Was Criticizing Power, Not Jews
Mamdani did not frame his remarks as an attack on Jewish people. After criticism grew, he said his language drew from a broader political reference to Antonio Gramsci, and the phrase was often paraphrased as “now is the time of monsters.” He said he used the term to describe forces blocking “the birth of a new world,” and he argued that his criticism was aimed at powerful institutions defending an unjust status quo.
That explanation has not ended the backlash. Some Jewish allies of Mamdani also said the word choice was troubling. Rabbi Jill Jacobs, who leads the progressive rabbinic human rights group T’ruah, wrote that calling AIPAC and its backers “monsters” casts political opponents as less than human. Rabbi Misha Shulman, a Mamdani supporter in Brooklyn, said the remarks were a warning sign for him.
This is where the controversy becomes more complicated than a left-versus-right fight. The criticism did not come only from conservative Jewish voices or from pro-Israel hard-liners. It also came from progressive Jews who may share some of Mamdani’s views on Palestinian rights but believe his rhetoric crossed a line.
Why the AIPAC “Monsters” Controversy Exploded After New York’s Primaries
The timing made the remark even more explosive. Mamdani had just demonstrated significant political influence in New York’s Democratic primaries, where candidates he backed won major victories over establishment opponents. Reuters described the sweep as a “political earthquake” among Democrats, with Mamdani-endorsed candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier, Brad Lander and Claire Valdez defeating establishment-backed rivals.
Those results gave the AIPAC controversy broader significance. We are not just looking at one mayor’s phrase. We are looking at a citywide political shift in which progressive candidates critical of Israeli policy are gaining power, while older pro-Israel Democratic networks face new pressure from the part