New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani made appearances at both major Satmar Chof Alef Kislev celebrations on Wednesday evening, visiting the gatherings led separately by the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel and the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg.
The first event, hosted by the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, took place at the Waterfront venue on Kent Avenue in Williamsburg. Mamdani later traveled to the Brooklyn Armory in Crown Heights, where the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg held his own Chof Alef Kislev celebration.
Chof Alef Kislev marks the miraculous 1944 rescue of Hagon HaRav Yoel Teitelbaum Zatzal, founder of Satmar Chassidus in America, who escaped the Nazis during the Holocaust. The annual celebrations are cornerstone events in the Satmar community and regularly draw prominent elected officials, including — in most years — New York City’s sitting mayor.
During his campaign, Mamdani received an endorsement from Satmar community activist Moshe Indig, though the broader Satmar community did not issue a formal endorsement. His appearance at both gatherings tonight highlights his outreach to New York’s diverse Orthodox Jewish communities as he prepares to take office.
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15 Responses
I was wondering, what exactly is it that Satmar sees in this guy?
Then it dawned on me. Simple.
He’s anti Zionist! What could be better?
This seems like a shameful embarrassment to the קדושת הזמן to have this jew hater be so celebrated.
Wow. Mamesh heilig.
I see Jumaane Williams was very lebedik while they were singing chasdei Hashem kee loh somnu.
Satmar Yidden are our brothers. Let’s not forget that we love them. However, we should never get influenced by their NEW ideologists ( not traditional Judaism ). The gemarah in megillah warms us not to get involved with Malchus! In addition, Chaval Al Hazeman! All that wasted time could have been spent on learning Torah BEKEDUSHA! So many men and leaders are seen in the state of BATALAH. Again, we love our brothers. May Hashem Help me ( and all of us) do Teshuva and get closer to him!
The cozying up to be less hated method has never worked throughout history. Learn the hard way
YWN,
Someone in baseball once said, if you’re going to hit into a double play, have the good sense to strike out instead.
If you’re going to edit my comment in a way that makes it sound foolish, then please leave it out altogether.
This is going against the Shita of Rav Yoel ZT”L. He was against the State of Israel for ideological reasons, but made it very clear that his view and that of non-Jews who were anti-Israel were not the same – and would cancel protests if non-Jews would participate. The current leaders of Satmar seem to have lost this distinction and make common cause with the most rank of antisemites based on the surface-level similarity of them both being “anti-Zionist”.
an Israeli Yid
Seriously?
Very very simple.
Satmar has always had a policy of votingfor the most likely, as traditionally Jews shouldn’t get involved in polotics, but since the system of most of the countries where we live these days are “democracies”, and the way to have proteksia with the Poritz means voting and getting protektzia with the next Mayor/President PM etc, that is how they do it.
It would be stupid not to. In a years time when Satmar start magically getting things sorted to their interest, you’ll all obviously sit on your couch and swear and curse them, but the fact of the matter is, they prepared, how? yes they curried favour, they flattened him, to serve the best of their interests, if other places would do it, Jews won’t suffer under him, but you guys seem intent on being victims, as that is zionisms only method of survival. If you don’t manage to be a victim then there is no antisemitism and then your stuck.
Nebach.
The comments here are so pathetic.
Anyone with a little sechel can understand what’s going on here.
Unless of course you do already understand but are pretending to be shocked.
@kinsler, and I was wondering about your comment and then it dawned on me! Ignorance!
@rebEmes, You either live in a mole hill, are an ostrich or simply have no clue what history means.
The very method that saved us through and through Galut is this exact method, starting from Ya’akov Avinu when he said to Esav Adoni Esav.
Whilst it is true that some mefarshim mention that had he not said that, the persecution we go through in galut would not have occurred, and only happened as punishment for this, but they end off by saying that now that Ya’akov AVinu (who we don’t have sfekot in) did that Beruach Kodsho, this is the way to live under the goyim.
@anisrealitroll.
By the way, your last comment is complete utter hogwash.
typical of zionists, with complete seriousness they’ll tell you a lie to your face.
The Satmar Rav made 2 protests in Madison Sq and Manhattan, not only with goyim, but YOUR DREADED cousins from arab land!!
He purposely made them outside the UN, for the exact opposite reason that you state.
Not that I’m a huge fan of satmar or their politics but nobody really cares what IsraeliTraitor has to say because there’s not one Rabbi he ever respected in his life besides the ones that go on TV and Bash Ultra orthodox that’s more his style
I Read the article in the Mishpacha magazine with Moshe Indig defending his postion.
His Point was: There are two real reasons to oppose an anti israel polition.
1. It probably also means he is an anti semite
2. In his position of power he will negativley affect the security in Israel.
And Moshe claimed that personally he felt that Mamdani is not an anti semite, he is anti israel becasue he is a muslim and feels bad for other muslims. And being Mayor of NYC has no imact on The USA relashinship with Israel. And since there was no other viable option he supported him .
What do ther hielige comments think of this ratonale
This is completely unconnected to anyone’s position on Mamdani pre election. Bottom line he is the mayor-elect, whether we like it or not, and it is our best interest to be nice to him. Do all you guys think that the correct approach is to ignore him for the next 4 years?
This has nothing to do with Satmar. He should be invited to all our large events with open arms, as Yidden have done with their politicians since forever. He won, and we have to work with him.
Everyone should read that Mishpacha interview with Moshe Indig who said, if I remember correctly, that Mamdani is no more antisemitic than most other politicians. He said he doesn’t need to trust someone, just to be able to work with him, and Mamdani has reached out to him many times and promised him that his people would have a place on any committee to get their voice heard on any issues that affect their community. I’d like to see more coverage of whether this is happening. Indig also said that since the elections he has many new friends from all segments of the community, people who realize that he now has an inside track to the new city administration. I remember that Rav Pinchas Teitz, ztl, was one of the first figures to endorse Jimmy Carter, and that gave him access to a lot of levels of government when Carter won and that proved extremely useful during Carter’s administration.
@pure nareshkeit and @reb sheker- I see that I’m good at creating achdus at least. Though you disagree on Satmar, you have Achdus in both hating me! Way to go!
an Israeli Yid
Mamdani’s exposure to Rabbis, is 2 Jewish biological feuding brothers, who cannot make peace together, even for such a major event.
So why does he [Mamdani] need bother making peace with any Rabbi?