"This Is Sick": Jews Condemn Mamdani for Sharing Indian Parody Mocking Hanukkah
Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is under fire after resurfaced video post shows Indian performers mimicking Jewish traditions during Hanukkah. Critics call it offensive “cultural cosplay.”
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New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is facing backlash for sharing a video that appears to mock Hanukkah traditions, featuring Indian men cosplaying as Jews.
The video, originally posted to Mamdani’s X account during Hanukkah last year, features performers in wigs and turbans dancing around a menorah, spinning dreidels, and playing Punjabi-style music.
The clip, created by the Geeta Brothers Duet Group, is part of a satirical holiday album produced by Sikh-Canadian comedian Jus Reign.
“Zohran Mamdani posts Indian men cosplaying Jews, spinning dreidels and lighting the menorah,” wrote advocacy group Stop Antisemitism on Saturday.
“Our holidays and traditions are sacred and not for your comedic pleasure - this is sick.”
The performance, titled “Hey Hanukkah,” was part of a 2015 parody project, which Mamdani shared publicly in a message wishing his constituents a happy third night of the holiday.
Controversy Around Holiday Posts
This is not the first time Mamdani has shared content from the group. On Christmas Eve 2024, he posted another parody from the same album - a Punjabi version of “Jingle Bells” - accompanied by a cheerful message to residents of Astoria and Long Island City, the Queens neighborhoods he represents in the New York State Assembly.
October 7 Messaging Sparks Further Anger
Tensions escalated further when several New Yorkers reported receiving pro-Mamdani text messages referencing the October 7 Hamas 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,” one message read, adding: “Idan believed in peace, just like Zohran does.”
It remains unclear who sent the messages or whether Mamdani’s campaign authorized them, but the wording has drawn criticism for politicizing the tragedy and leveraging it for electoral gain.
Past Accusations and Identity Questions
Mamdani, 33, has faced criticism in the past for his refusal to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. Born in Uganda to Indian parents, he has also drawn scrutiny for reportedly identifying as African American in his college application to Columbia University, a claim that resurfaced last week and raised eyebrows among Black voters in the city.