Transgender Rabbis Lead Controversial Ad Campaign Supporting NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani's mayoral campaign in New York City has embraced a highly unconventional and controversial coalition, prominently featuring a campaign ad by Jews for Racial and Economic Justice that includes an anti-Israel transgender rabbi, Abby Stein, and other progressive female rabbis. Stein, a biological man who identifies as transgender, has a history of radical activism, including being removed from a White House Pride event for chanting anti-Israel slogans and holding interfaith meetings with Iranian officials shortly before missile attacks on Israel. The campaign ad, criticized for its lack of authenticity and surreal presentation, seeks to rally support from left-wing Jewish and LGBTQ+ communities by promoting Mamdani as a champion for affordability and safety in the city, despite skepticism about his ability to deliver on these promises. Mamdani's appeal to identity politics and his alignment with socialist and progressive causes have drawn sharp criticism and mockery from conservatives, who view the coalition and campaign messaging as absurd and disconnected from the concerns of mainstream voters. The involvement of such figures in Mamdani's campaign underscores the deep divisions and cultural conflicts shaping New York politics in 2025.