In a letter sent to City Hall, several leading Jewish bar associations said the lack of Jewish representation is “neither reflective nor inclusive” and argued it continues what they called a troubling pattern of sidelining Jewish New Yorkers. The committee plays an important role by evaluating and recommending candidates for judicial appointments across New York City.
The criticism comes as antisemitic incidents remain elevated across New York. The legal groups argued that excluding Jewish attorneys from a committee designed to represent the city’s diverse legal profession sends the wrong message at a time when many Jewish New Yorkers already feel increasingly marginalized.
Mayor Mamdani rejected the accusations, saying religion played no role in the selection process and that his administration has appointed and reappointed Jewish judges. His office also said one retired Jewish judge considered for the committee was ultimately not selected because of his previous legal work representing Ghislaine Maxwell. However, the administration has not disputed that the newly announced 18-member advisory committee itself contains no Jewish members.