Overview
- FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker, who is Jewish, said on CBS that his resignation was influenced by Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani’s positions on Israel and that Mamdani has “a tremendous amount of work to do” to win first responders’ confidence.
- Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department’s civil rights chief, said an investigation is underway into the Nov. 19 protest outside Park East Synagogue, where chants included “death to the IDF” and “globalize the intifada.”
- Mamdani condemned the protest’s language and said New Yorkers must be free to enter houses of worship without intimidation, while also arguing that sacred spaces should not promote activities tied to West Bank settlements.
- Transition appointments drew pushback from Jewish leaders, with the Anti‑Defamation League calling Tamika Mallory “the wrong choice” for a community safety panel, even as Mamdani pledged an 800% increase in anti‑hate‑crime prevention funding.
- Mamdani met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in a cordial session despite ongoing policy differences, and he will keep NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who says they share public safety goals.