A prominent pro‑Israel activist is pushing New York’s Jewish leaders to steer clear of a Shavuot reception Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to host at Gracie Mansion on May 18, turning what is usually a feel‑good heritage event into a test of the mayor’s standing with parts of the city’s Jewish community.
Dov Hikind, a longtime Brooklyn lawmaker turned activist, publicly called on Jewish leaders Monday to boycott the reception, citing concerns about the mayor and his inner circle, as reported by the New York Post. According to the paper, the invitation describes the May 18 gathering as a Shavuot celebration for Jewish Heritage Month and notes that “a festive kosher dairy menu” will be served at the mayoral residence.
Hikind’s warning
Hikind, who served more than three decades in the State Assembly, has remained a prominent voice in Brooklyn’s pro‑Israel community, per Wikipedia. In a statement quoted by the Post, he labeled Mamdani and his family “real radical Islamists” and urged Jewish institutions to boycott the Gracie Mansion event rather than lend the mayor symbolic backing.
Mamdani’s record and the wider debate
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has long been critical of Israeli policy and has drawn attention for comments and positions that critics say echo elements of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement. He has also been quoted describing Israel’s conduct in Gaza in terms that opponents labeled “genocide,” coverage shows. The Jerusalem Post detailed earlier remarks in which Mamdani used that language, and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has documented both Gracie Mansion gatherings and earlier controversies around guests and staffers that have heightened communal concern. Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to questions about Hikind’s call, according to Jewish Insider.
What to watch
The immediate question for Jewish communal leaders is whether they will heed Hikind’s boycott call or attend the May 18 reception, a decision that will signal whether engagement or distance will define relations with City Hall in the near term. Organizers and officials are also weighing security and outreach after protests and a March incident in which improvised devices were thrown near Gracie Mansion, an episode covered in national reporting that has sharpened concerns about public events at the mayoral residence. Time noted the earlier investigation and arrests tied to the March clashes.
