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🏀 The Jewish roots of the Knicks anthem
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As you get ready to watch the New York Knicks in their first NBA Finals game this millennium, read about the Jewish rapper, author and entrepreneur who wrote their famous anthem.
🎙️ Mamdani praises honorees at rabbinic group’s gala
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the annual gala hosted by T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization, at B’nai Jeshurun synagogue on the Upper West Side Tuesday night.
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The gala honored five Jewish award-winners for “taking risks for human rights, including when these positions are not popular or easy,” according to T’ruah CEO Rabbi Jill Jacobs. They included philanthropist Alice Kuhn, Israeli-American peace activist Gili Getz, Rabbis Susan Goldberg and Shawn Zevit and Cantor Sheri Allen.
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Mamdani praised T’ruah for working “to bring Israelis and Palestinians closer together,” fighting for the closure of Rikers, pursuing safety for workers and organizing to protect immigrants. He added that attendees experienced “the rising tide of antisemitism” during their work and promised that City Hall would “follow their lead” in protecting them.
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The event was also attended by two top Jewish city officials, Comptroller Mark Levine and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
🤝 Menin to meet with Holocaust survivors
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NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin will speak with Manhattan Holocaust survivors on Thursday at UJA-Federation of New York headquarters. The event marking Holocaust Survivor Day is hosted by Selfhelp, which provides affordable housing, home care and community services to Holocaust survivors.
🗣️ Mamdani defends Avila Chevalier’s social media past
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Mamdani has defended Darializa Avila Chevalier, the democratic socialist challenging Rep. Adriano Espaillat in NY-13, as she faces scrutiny over online posts from 2020. Mamdani endorsed Avila Chevalier last week.
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Avila Chevalier frequently criticized former President Joe Biden’s policy toward Israel and Gaza on her now-deleted X account, according to posts unearthed by CNN and Politico.
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When Biden was running for reelection against Donald Trump in 2020, she posted, “I’ve voted in every election since I turned 18 but you out of your mind if you think I’m voting for a war criminal.” Avila Chevalier also called Biden “a rapist” said former Mayor Bill de Blasio “hates Black people” and called for abolishing all police, prisons and borders.
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Mamdani is standing by his candidate, saying at a press conference on Tuesday in Queens, “She said herself that a lot of these don’t reflect her views today, and I’m incredibly excited to be supporting her today and her vision for not only a New York City but frankly a United States of America that working people can afford.”
🚫 WFP makes a non-endorsement in NY-12
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The Working Families Party on Tuesday night voted not to endorse in the closely watched race to replace Rep. Jerry Nadler in NY-12. The party “did not come to a consensus on a candidate,” reports Spectrum News NY1 reporter Bernadette Hogan.
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Assemblymembers Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, Kennedy scion Jack Schlossberg and prominent Trump critic George Conway are competing in the race. Bores, Lasher and Schlossberg filled out questionnaires in January to win the party’s endorsement, but Schlossberg canceled his endorsement interview with the group, according to Politico reporter Jason Beeferman.
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The candidates are debating again Wednesday night at Temple Emanu-El’s Streicker Cultural Center, in a forum sponsored by the Jewish Democratic Council of America.
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