Is a Hanukkah celebration just a photo op when it’s orchestrated by a politician under fire for divisive rhetoric?
Breitbart reported that New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, has ignited a firestorm of criticism after posting a social media video of himself celebrating Hanukkah with actor Mandy Patinkin and his family, an act many see as a calculated move to polish his image amid accusations of antisemitic and anti-Israel stances.
The video, which has racked up over one million views on X as of Sunday, shows Mamdani lighting candles and joining in traditional Hanukkah rituals alongside Patinkin, his wife Kathryn, and their son Gideon.
The setting, described by many online as a carefully curated “staged performance,” has fueled skepticism about Mamdani’s sincerity, especially given the timing of the release during a period of intense scrutiny over his record.
Critics have pointed out that Hanukkah commemorates Jewish sovereignty over Israel, a historical triumph of reclaiming the Temple in Jerusalem from foreign occupiers—a narrative some argue clashes directly with Mamdani’s well-documented anti-Israel positions.
From refusing to denounce the chant “globalize the intifada” to labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” on Qatari state TV, Mamdani’s rhetoric has long drawn ire, making this holiday video seem to many like a hollow gesture.
Commentators and X users have been quick to call out the apparent disconnect, with some accusing the Patinkin family of ignoring Hanukkah’s deeper significance by aligning with Mamdani.
As political columnist Moshe Hill noted, “Chanukah is about Jewish sovereignty over the Jewish homeland, something that both Zohran Mamdani and Mandy Patinkin actively fight against.”
That’s a sharp jab, and it lands hard when you consider Patinkin’s own history of controversial statements, like blaming Jews for the Gaza conflict and sidestepping the hostage crisis in public remarks.
The backlash isn’t just online chatter—high-profile figures like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) have branded Mamdani a “raging antisemite,” while Mosab Hassan Yousef, son of a Hamas co-founder, recently called him a “trojan horse” for a radical agenda.
Adding fuel to the fire, a senior appointee, Catherine Almonte Da Costa, resigned last Thursday after old social media posts surfaced mocking Jews and criticizing law enforcement, further tarnishing Mamdani’s administration before it even begins.
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s own words in the video’s caption seem almost tone-deaf to his detractors: “It was such a joy to celebrate Hanukkah with Mandy, Kathryn and their son, Gideon.”
That sentiment might have been intended as heartfelt, but to many, it rings as a polished script from a politician raised by an actress and posing with an actor—hardly the authentic connection to everyday Jewish families his critics say he avoids.
With accusations flying that Mamdani is using progressive allies like Patinkin to reshape narratives around Israel and Jewish issues, as warned by New York-based writer Jason Curtis Anderson, the mayor-elect’s every move is under a microscope.
