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New York City’s Democratic-Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani is being criticized by Jewish groups for his decision not to attend the city’s historic Israel Day parade. His decision comes as the Big Apple grapples with record levels of anti-Semitism.
Home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel, Jewish New Yorkers have long viewed the annual parade as one of the most visible public displays of solidarity with both the state and the city’s Jewish community. On Tuesday, two of the city’s most prominent Jewish organizations declined an invitation to a Jewish heritage event held at Gracie Mansion in response to Mamdani’s latest insult.
“Since the first Israel Parade in 1964, every sitting mayor of New York City has attended the celebratory event. New York is historically proud of its deep ties to Israel. Not attending the parade is an insult to New York City’s history,” Moshe Davis, former executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism under Mayor Eric Adams, told Fox News Digital.
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Marchers hold flags during the Celebrate Israel parade in New York City on June 2, 2024. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)
Earlier this month, Mamdani officially confirmed that he would not attend the event, despite rising anti-Semitism in New York City and weeks of anti-Israel demonstrations outside synagogues and Jewish communal institutions across the city. Parade organizers say a record crowd is expected at the May 31 event in response to Mamdani’s condemnation.
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Fox News Digital contacted Mamdani’s office regarding criticism from Jewish leaders about not attending the parade, and his spokesperson referred him to a statement he provided to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Anti-Israel protesters try to enter the Brooklyn Museum, amid ongoing clashes between Israel and Hamas, in New York City on May 31, 2024. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)
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“I look forward to attending and hosting many community events celebrating Jewish life in New York and our city’s rich Jewish history and culture. Although I will not be attending the Israel Day Parade, my lack of attendance should not be construed as a refusal to provide security or the permits necessary to protect it. I have been very clear: I believe in equal rights for all people everywhere. This principle guides me constantly.”
Community leaders say the decision breaks decades of bipartisan tradition in a city where parade participation has long been seen as both symbolic and expected.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is once again raising eyebrows, this time after a clip has resurfaced in which he says, “Israel is not a place, it is not a country.” (Reuters/Gina Moon and iStock)
Despite the mayor declining the invitation, a spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul confirmed to Fox News Digital that she would participate in the parade.
Organizers say more marching groups are expected to attend this year’s event than ever before, motivated not only by support for Israel but also by concern over rising anti-Semitism.
A person involved with the parade told Fox News Digital that the event is expected to be “safer in a parade than in your own home,” citing extensive security coordination around this year’s march.
Nevertheless, much of the conversation surrounding the parade has focused on Mamdani’s absence.
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During his mayoral campaign, Mamdani suggested that he would “miss a lot” of New York City’s traditional parades due to his political views, while evaluating appearances “on a case-by-case basis.”
Mayor Eric Adams marches down Fifth Avenue during the Israel Parade on June 4, 2023 in New York City. (John Lamperski/Getty Images)
Critics argue that the Israel Day Parade is not just another political event, but a long-standing civic tradition that is closely tied to New York City’s Jewish identity and history.
Former Mayor Eric Adams told Fox News Digital, “The Israel Day Parade is a testament to one of New York City’s most important relationships. From healthcare to technology to innovation, Israel and New York City are partners in building a better future. I want every New Yorker to join the parade on Fifth Avenue because celebrating this bond isn’t just for the Jewish community, it’s for our entire city.”
Anti-Israel activists protest outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York on April 7, 2025. (Selcuk Acre/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The controversy surrounding Mamdani has extended beyond the parade, with the UJA Federation of New York and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York refusing to participate in their first Jewish heritage event for the upcoming Jewish holiday of Shavuot at Gracie Mansion, stating that they would not participate in an event hosted by a mayor who “denies a fundamental pillar of our heritage, the State of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.”
At the event, Mamdani acknowledged the scale of anti-Semitism faced by the city’s Jewish population, saying, “Jewish New Yorkers, who make up about 12% of our city’s population, are also the targets of more than 50% of all hate crimes.”
He also announced a proposed $26 million annual investment to expand hate crime prevention efforts under the city’s Office of Hate Crime Prevention. At the time of publication details of the proposal were unclear as to how it would tackle anti-Semitism.
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Trump’s special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism, Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, told Fox News Digital when asked about Mamdani’s situation, “It is critical that we recognize the need for leaders to uphold their responsibility to protect religious freedom and avoid making inflammatory comments that contribute to an increase in anti-Semitism. Leaders who fail to do so are responsible for the increase in anti-Semitic activity.”
This year’s parade is also expected to see expanded interfaith participation. For the first time in the event’s 61-year history, some Muslim groups are expected to march with Jewish organizations, in addition to expanded participation from Asian American groups and others.
