Though Rabbi David Katz, executive director of the Israel Heritage Foundation, is no fan of Zohran Mamdani, he acknowledged the need to respect the new mayor of New York City.
“It’s very simple. He’s become the mayor of New York, whether we like it or not,” Katz told JNS. “We’ve got to respect him as mayor.”
The Israel Heritage Foundation’s official social media account echoed the sentiment, stating, “As we enter the new year, we extend our deepest respect and honor to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who will be leading New York with greatness, making our city safe and proud. May his leadership bring joy and prosperity to all New Yorkers.”
Katz told JNS that political disagreements shouldn’t get in the way of showing respect, noting his reaction when U.S. President Joe Biden knelt to meet with Holocaust survivors during a 2022 trip to Israel.
“I wrote him a beautiful letter,” Katz said. “Now, a lot of Biden haters say you could never give him a compliment. It’s not true. If a person does the right thing, you compliment them.”
He told JNS that he won’t hesitate to call out Mamdani should he do something “not to the liking of humanity.” But, in the meantime, “why would I not give him a chance?”
