New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced a heated confrontation during a visit to a Jewish-owned shop in Brooklyn, where an American-Israeli woman angrily challenged him in front of customers.
Stephanie Benshimol, an activist and founder of the United Zionists group, filmed herself berating the socialist mayor as he made an appearance ahead of the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah.
Mamdani was inside Eichler’s, a well-known Judaica store in Brooklyn, greeting shoppers when the woman spotted him and yelled, “Shame on you!”
The heckler, identified as Stephanie Benshimol, moved toward Mamdani and asked, “You remember me? Remember last year when Trump freed the hostages?” as aides and store employees attempted to guide her away.
She continued shouting at the mayor, saying, “It’s all because of you we have so much antisemitism.”
Benshimol, who said she is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, expressed outrage over Mamdani’s presence in the Jewish neighborhood.
“Shame on you for coming to Borough Park where my Bubbie came after the Holocaust!” she shouted.
“My Bubbie and Zaidy came to Borough Park! You have such chutzpah coming here! Shame on you!” Benshimol added, using the traditional Yiddish terms for grandmother and grandfather.
Jewish activist Stephanie Benshimol confronted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week, berating him over his visit to a Jewish store ahead of Rosh Hashanah.
Benshimol filmed herself berating the mayor and screaming ‘Shame on you!’ while Mamdani ignored her pleas and his staff and store workers ushered her away
The activist continued filming herself in the store as Mamdani’s staff ushered her out of the way, leading her to bark back: ‘Don’t push me.’
‘I’m begging you, as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, to stop the antisemitism,’ she said, while Mamdani evaded her and moved to the other side of the store. ‘All you’re doing is focusing on Israel.’
Benshimol, a self-described ‘Boss Momma American Israeli Zionist’, proceeded to call one of the men escorting her out of the store a ‘kapo’ – a term for a concentration camp prisoner who was forced to supervise other captives by the Nazis.
‘Are you a kapo? Are you supporting him? Do you support Israel? Do you support Israel? Do you?’ she raged.
Benshimol then turned her attention to the Jewish store, accusing their owners of wanting to ‘kiss ass to the hater of all Jewish people.’
‘Shame on you Eichler’s, shame on you for allowing Zohran Mamdani to come to the heart of the Jewish neighborhood in Borough Park,’ she said as she left the store. ‘They want to kiss ass to the hater of all Jewish people.’
Mamdani remained calm throughout the episode, smiling at Benshimol as she berated him and not responding to her jeering.
Our News Outlet has contacted Mamdani’s office and Benshimol for comment on the response he received at the Jewish store.
Benshimol, a self-described ‘Boss Momma American Israeli Zionist,’ is an activist and founder of the United Zionists group
Mamdani was accused of a ‘long disturbing record on issues of deep concern to the Jewish community’ due to his outspoken views on the Israeli-Gaza conflict and support for Palestine
In his time in office, Mamdani has been accused by some Jewish groups of fostering anti-Semitism through his outspoken views on the Israeli-Gaza conflict.
Following his election the Anti Defamation League issued a statement raising concerns over his ‘long disturbing record on issues of deep concern to the Jewish community.’
The hostile encounter at Eichler’s comes days after Mamdani’s political stances in office also led the Port Authority Retired Police Association to urge him to stay away from New York’s 25th anniversary 9/11 commemoration, because his attendance would inflict ‘deep pain’ on victims’ families.
John McDevitt, president of the Port Authority Retired Police Association, sent letters to Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul this week, urging them to miss the annual event at Ground Zero.
‘For us, September 11 is not a political occasion, a photo opportunity, or a platform for public officials,’ McDevitt said in his letter to Mamdani.
‘It is a solemn day of remembrance for those who were murdered, those who responded, those who survived, and the families who have carried these losses for twenty-five years.’
The police union said officers have ‘profound concerns’ over Mamdani’s public statements and positions, which they say ‘risk shifting attention away from the people whose lives, courage, and sacrifice the ceremony exists to honor.’
Mamdani previously sparked fury with his statement commemorating the attacks in 2023, when he was serving in the New York State Assembly.
He was accused of minimizing the events of the attack by saying ‘New Yorkers died on 9/11’ instead of saying that they had been murdered.
