The Rebbe made the remarks during a speech marking the 26th day of Av, the anniversary of the death of his uncle, Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, the founder of the Satmar community in America. He said followers should not ridicule Mamdani or call him an antisemite, and reportedly said newspapers and publications that attack the mayor in that way should not be brought into their homes.
Rav Zalman Leib connected his warning to the longtime Satmar teaching that Jews should avoid unnecessarily provoking governments and nations. The timing made the message especially notable because Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum strongly promoted that principle throughout his life.
That same belief was also central to Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum’s religious opposition to Zionism and the creation of the State of Israel. Rav Zalman Leib appeared to argue that the same idea should guide how his followers deal with political leaders today, including Mamdani.
The remarks were not an endorsement of Mamdani or his political positions. Instead, the Rebbe’s message was that even when Jews strongly disagree with a government leader, they should avoid turning that disagreement into personal attacks or unnecessary confrontation.
The message carries significant weight as Rav Zalman Leib leads the huge Satmar community centered in Williamsburg but extending to communities around the world, giving his words influence over tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews and one of New York’s most organized Jewish communities.