Jewish Advocacy Group Slams Zohran Mamdani Over Video Featuring Men ‘Cosplaying Jews’ During Hanukkah

A prominent Jewish advocacy group is calling out Democratic socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for sharing what it described as a “sick” and offensive video mocking Jewish holiday traditions.

Mamdani, 33, posted a video during last year’s Festival of Lights showing two Indian men dancing in front of a menorah, spinning dreidels, and wearing exaggerated wigs to Punjabi music. The video, titled “Hey Hannukah,” is from a 2015 parody album Punjabi Christmas Album Hits by the Geeta Brothers — a side project of Sikh-Canadian comedian and musician Jus Reign. (RELATED: CASEY RYAN: We Must Stop The Rise Of Antisemitism In American Schools)

“Zohran Mamdani posts Indian men cosplaying Jews, spinning dreidels and lighting the menorah,” the advocacy group StopAntisemitism wrote on X. “Our holidays and traditions are sacred and not for your comedic pleasure @ZohranKMamdani — this is sick.”

Zohran Mamdani posts Indian men cosplaying Jews, spinning dreidels and lighting the menorah.

Our holidays and traditions are sacred and not for your comedic pleasure @ZohranKMamdani – this is sick. pic.twitter.com/iOn4LFftjX

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) July 5, 2025

Mamdani, who represents Queens in the New York State Assembly, captioned the video at the time: “Happy 3rd night of Hanukkah from Astoria and Long Island City.” The socialist lawmaker also shared a similarly styled video from the same comedy group on Christmas Eve, writing: “Wishing you all a very merry Christmas from Astoria and Long Island City.”

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas from Astoria and Long Island City. pic.twitter.com/l7dqQeZbpQ

— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) December 24, 2024

The backlash comes as Mamdani faces growing criticism from New Yorkers across political and community lines. Earlier this week, some voters were stunned to receive pro-Mamdani text messages that invoked the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel.

“My friend Idan was murdered on October 7 at the Re’im music festival. The war is personal to me, as it is to many in our community,” read one message reviewed by the New York Post. “Idan believed in peace, just like Zohran does.” It remains unclear which organization was responsible for sending the messages.

Mamdani has previously refused to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and has made headlines for his support of pro-Palestinian positions that have drawn sharp criticism from Jewish groups and lawmakers.