Avi Weiss

I made my reputation as a rabbi based on loving every fellow human being; how can I decry New York City's mayor as an antisemite?

I made my reputation as a rabbi based on loving every fellow human being; how can I decry New York City's mayor as an antisemite?

In the past, I have written op-eds for the Times of Israel and other publications accusing Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City of using language that endangers Jews. The pieces were tough. They were meant to be. Since they appeared, a number of...

This year, the 25th anniversary of 9/11 falls on the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah.

This year, the 25th anniversary of September 11 falls on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. That coincidence sent me back, in memory, to the morning itself.

As Jewish students challenged Mamdani's antizionism at a prayer vigil, I saw the sage Hillel's teaching come to life: We cannot forget ourselves when we care for others

Although Esther Sperber and I stand on opposite sides regarding the SAR-Ramaz prayer vigil held near Gracie Mansion, our thinking overlaps in many ways. As a Riverdale rabbi for decades, I share her view that SAR is a community school par excellence...

As Jewish students challenged Mamdani's antizionism at a prayer vigil, I saw the sage Hillel's teaching come to life: We cannot forget ourselves when we care for others

An open letter to the mayor of New York City. (Oct. 8, 2026 / JNS) Mr. Mamdani, I have often written that your anti-Zionism is blatant antisemitism.

Mr. Mamdani, I have often written that your anti-Zionism is blatant antisemitism. But today, the anniversary of Oct. 7, I write about something much deeper — your lack of humanity. In …