CEO Jim Berk Highlights NYC Mayor Mamdani's Dangerous Rhetoric

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK (June 20, 2026) – Mayor Mamdani’s portrayal of a Jewish advocacy organization as uniquely motivated by division, power, or manipulation for its own sake is dangerous. This kind of rhetoric inflames suspicion from both the far left and the far right by portraying Jews and Jewish institutions as uniquely responsible for social division.

The claim that AIPAC exists not to pursue a political agenda, but to spread discord and wield influence for its own sake, is not new. Soviet anti-Zionist campaigns and earlier antisemitic movements similarly portrayed Jewish organizations as pursuing power not to achieve political goals, but because Jews themselves were said to crave influence and control. The suggestion that Jewish political participation is inherently suspect, illegitimate, or secretly manipulative is abhorrent. This is the same old story, retold in a new language.

Many advocacy organizations lobby, organize, and support candidates. Their motives are assumed to be political. But when Jewish organizations alone are portrayed as uniquely divisive or corrosive, we cross into territory where old prejudices take root.

It is also difficult to ignore the contradiction between calls for unity in one setting and accusations that Jewish organizations thrive on division in another. Disagreement with AIPAC is part of democratic debate. Suggesting that Jewish civic participation itself is inherently dangerous is something else entirely.

For further information, please email Aram Goldberg at agoldberg@wiesenthal.com. Join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your X feed.

About the Simon Wiesenthal Center

The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a globally recognized human rights organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and all forms of hate, promoting tolerance, and advancing justice through a strategic combination of education, advocacy, and storytelling. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices worldwide, SWC translates the enduring lessons of the Holocaust into contemporary frameworks that equip individuals and institutions to identify and confront prejudice, misinformation, and extremism. A global leader in addressing online disinformation, SWC empowers people of all ages with the media literacy tools and guidance needed to navigate today's digital landscape. Its education arm, the Museum of Tolerance and its fleet of Mobile Museums of Tolerance, delivers immersive, technology-driven experiences that foster empathy and critical thinking among diverse audiences. Through advocacy, SWC partners with governments, policymakers, and civic leaders to advance meaningful reforms and keep local and global Jewish communities safe. Its Academy Award-winning storytelling arm, Moriah Media, extends this impact through film, television, and digital content that elevate critical Jewish issues and human interest narratives.