NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Slammed After Not Appointing Any Jewish Attorneys to Advisory Committee

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is under fire after failing to appoint any Jewish attorneys to the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary.

Four Jewish legal organizations criticized the appointments to the committee in a joint letter sent to Mamdani, 34, on Monday, July 27.

In the letter, the groups wrote that they were “deeply disappointed” by the appointments and argued that “not a single Jewish attorney, former judge or legal professional” was selected despite the mayor’s pledge to create a committee that would be “truly reflective of New York City.”

The organizations – the Queens Brandeis Association, Jewish Lawyers Guild, Brooklyn Brandeis Society and Bronx County Jewish Bar Association – went on to describe Mamdani’s choices as “especially painful” in light of what they claimed was a rise in antisemitism across the city.

“At a time when antisemitic incidents are at historic highs in New York City and across the nation, excluding Jewish legal voices from such a critical civic body sends a troubling message,” the letter continued.

The groups also requested Mamdani to revisit the appointments and include qualified Jewish legal professionals on the advisory committee.

According to an article from the New York Post published on Tuesday, July 28, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office disputed the groups’ criticism and said that religion played no role in who was appointed to the committee.

Press secretary Joe Calvello said that the administration has appointed “a dozen qualified judges from a range of backgrounds, including Jewish judges” and called “any suggestion that the decision around MACJ was motivated by religion” false, per the publication.