Nypd Commissioner Jessica Tisch Accepts Award From Anti-mamdani Megadonor

NEW YORK — New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch accepted an award Monday night from a prominent pro-Israel philanthropist who has been deeply critical of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in a fresh display of political independence from City Hall and the mayor’s views on Israel.

At a gala hosted by the World Jewish Congress, Tisch aligned herself with support for Israel as she received the Theodor Herzl Award from Ronald Lauder, a longtime Republican donor and former mayoral candidate who helms the WJC.

“As a proud Jew and someone who believes deeply in Am Israel Chai, receiving the Theodor Herzl Award is a profound honor and one that carries special weight for me,” Tisch said at the dinner in Manhattan, using a Hebrew phrase commonly interpreted as a declaration of solidarity with Israel.

The WJC gala wasn’t open to the public, but POLITICO obtained a recording of Tisch’s remarks. The event was held at the Museum of Modern Art.

Herzl, the award's namesake and a 19th century Hungarian writer, was the father of modern political Zionism and is often referred to as a founder of the state of Israel, having played a central role in encouraging Jewish immigration to the Middle East at a time when antisemitism was prevalent in Europe. The award that Lauder bestowed upon Tisch is given to individuals who "promote Herzl’s ideal for a safer, more tolerant world for the Jewish people through international support for Israel,” according to the WJC website.

Tisch's remarks and appearance with Lauder mark her latest show of political autonomy from Mamdani, who kept her on in the job she first took on in the Eric Adams administration. She and Mamdani have maintained a steady if at times uneasy working relationship, with some of the mayor’s allies on the left criticizing his embrace of her public safety policies and her support for Israel.

Mamdani is the sharpest critic of Israel ever to occupy the New York City mayor’s office. And while Tisch has in the past described herself as a "proud Zionist," she has rarely spoken publicly of her views on Israel since joining the Mamdani administration.

To that end, Tisch’s Monday speech is the latest reminder of the deep rift between her and Mamdani when it comes to their beliefs on Israel.

Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor and a longtime advocate for Palestinian rights, has accused Israel of committing a “genocide” as part of its war in Gaza, which was launched in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack and has left more than 75,000 dead. Mamdani has also said he does not believe Israel should have the right to exist as a Jewish state. Israel has vehemently denied the accusation that it’s committed “genocide,” and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has labeled Mamdani an antisemite.

Local Jewish groups, many of which openly support Tisch, say Mamdani’s rhetoric against Israel has incited antisemitism in New York, with anti-Jewish incidents continuing to make up for the largest number of hate crimes in the five boroughs since Oct. 7.

Tisch’s Monday night remarks came as Mamdani faces increased pressure from his supporters to fire her because they believe she’s standing in the way of his campaign promises to reform the NYPD, which he ultimately controls.

In her Monday night remarks, Tisch shouted out Lauder, a billionaire heir of the Estée Lauder Companies.

“Mr. Lauder, thank you for that generous introduction and for tonight’s extraordinary recognition,” Tisch, who’s herself an heir to the Loews Corporation fortune, said after he presented her with the award.

Lauder, who ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for New York City mayor in 1989, has donated millions of dollars to Donald Trump’s presidential runs and other conservative causes, with his political giving dating back decades. Last year alone, Lauder and his relatives funneled more than $2 million into efforts trying to defeat Mamdani in the mayoral race. In doing so, Lauder was one of the largest single donors to anti-Mamdani causes in 2025.

In addition to his spending against Mamdani, Lauder has accused the mayor of pursuing “anti-Jewish policies” and engaging in “antisemitic incitement."

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, denies harboring antisemitic views. During last year’s mayoral race, he called out Lauder directly, saying that Lauder and other billionaires targeted him because they believed his movement poses “an existential threat.”

“I am here to admit something. They are right,” Mamdani said at an October 2025 campaign rally. “We are an existential threat to billionaires who think their money can buy our democracy.”

A Mamdani spokesperson declined to comment Tuesday on the commissioner’s appearance at the WJC dinner. Spokespeople for Lauder did not return requests for comment.

Asked about Tisch’s speech at the Monday night dinner, an NYPD spokesperson pointed to a portion of her prepared remarks in which she said "the values underlying this award are central to my life: caring deeply about the safety of the Jewish people, combatting hate and intolerance, and fostering a world in which Jews can live as Jews, openly and freely.”

The other recipient of the World Jewish Congress’ Herzl award this year was Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of Axel Springer, an international media conglomerate that is the parent company of POLITICO.

In his speech at Monday night’s dinner, Döpfner said New York City is “facing a deeply disturbing political constellation.”

“Not every democratic socialist is an antisemite. But some of them — too many — are,” he said, according to prepared remarks shared with POLITICO by his office. “And it is wrong to overlook antisemitism simply because it presents itself in the language of political correctness, equality, and human rights.”

Asked if Döphner was referring to anyone in particular in his remarks, a spokesperson for Axel Springer said Tuesday that he was referring to antisemitic people generally.