Why NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Tisha B’Av wishes are so ironic – opinion

In an opinion piece, Aish CEO Steven Burg criticizes NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his Tisha B’Av greeting to Jews, which omitted any mention of Israel. Burg argues that Mamdani’s accusations against Israel’s prime minister and his failure to acknowledge Israel on a day of Jewish mourning signal a dangerous pattern of singling out Jews. He draws parallels to historical persecutors, asserting that empires built on Israel’s disappearance ultimately fail.

In an opinion piece published on August 2, 2026, Steven Burg, international CEO of Aish, criticizes New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his Tisha B’Av greeting to Jews, which omitted any mention of Israel. Burg argues that Mamdani’s accusations against Israel’s prime minister, which he claims lack evidence and authority, signal a dangerous pattern of singling out Jews. He draws parallels to historical persecutors, including Haman and the architects of the Wannsee Conference, asserting that empires built on Israel’s disappearance ultimately fail. Burg emphasizes that Tisha B’Av is a day of mourning for the destruction of the Temples and Jewish exile, and that Mamdani’s omission of Israel is a deliberate message. He warns that rhetoric like this has preceded violence and calls for speaking up and organizing. The piece concludes with the assertion that Jewish connection to the land of Israel has outlasted every empire that tried to erase it.