Mamdani praises leftist Israeli peace activist at Jewish progressive group’s gala

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani praises the progressive Jewish group T’ruah and an Israeli activist honored at a T’ruah gala yesterday.

Mamdani attended T’ruah’s “Celebration of Human Rights,” an annual gala, yesterday at the B’nai Jeshurun synagogue in Manhattan, T’ruah says.

The event recognized “five Jewish human rights heroes,” including Gili Getz, an Israeli peace activist and photographer based in New York City.

“This year’s honorees, including New York’s own Gili Getz, remind us that solidarity is a practice,” Mamdani says in a statement.

Getz is affiliated with leftist Israelis in the city who promote dialogue and coexistence with Palestinians, and protest against the Israeli government, while supporting Israel’s continued existence.

The leftist Israeli group, Israelis for Peace, is to the left of the Jewish center, but also outside the mainstream anti-Israel movement in the city, which calls for Israel’s destruction.

T’ruah says its members “care deeply about Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state, and as a safe haven for the Jewish people,” while recognizing “the impact and consequences of Israel’s creation for the Palestinian people.”

The T’ruah gala was also attended by city Comptroller Mark Levine, a Jewish centrist.

Mamdani, who has identified as an anti-Zionist, is often at odds with mainstream Jewish groups due to his antagonism toward Israel.