Jewish Bar Associations Protest Mayor Mamdani's Judicial Committee Appointments

A coalition of four Jewish bar associations, including the Jewish Lawyers Guild and the Queens Brandeis Association, is demanding that Zohran Mamdani appoint Jewish members to his 18-person Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. In a July 27 letter, the groups argued that the exclusion of Jewish legal professionals from the panel—which evaluates candidates for the city's civil, criminal, and family courts—is neither reflective nor inclusive of New York City.

The Anti-Defamation League joined the call for the mayor to reconsider the appointments, citing a troubling pattern of marginalization. Critics pointed to the rejection of retired Appellate Division Justice John Leventhal as an unprecedented move. The controversy occurs amid rising antisemitism in the city and the mayor's previous critical rhetoric toward Israel.

Press Secretary Joe Calvello denied that religion motivated the selection process. The administration defended the rejection of Justice Leventhal by stating he failed the vetting process because he had served on the legal team for Ghislaine Maxwell. The committee is currently chaired by attorney Ali Najm.