Melanie Shiraz, a former Miss Israel, has publicly invited New York City first lady Rama Duwaji to meet again for coffee, months after an awkward encounter between the two went viral.
Shiraz, the wife of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Shiraz crossed paths in May at a Brooklyn cafe in a moment that was recorded and widely shared online. In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, Shiraz extended a fresh invitation while walking through New York City.
“Last time I was here you guys might remember so-called Mayor Mamdani’s wife wasn’t particularly interested in having a conversation with me. So since I’m all about building bridges, I thought I’d extend a personal invitation — Rama, coffee is on me,” Shiraz said.
She added that she was open to discussing “Israel, the Middle East, whatever you’d like,” and extended the offer more broadly: “Actually that invitation goes out to anyone who has a problem with me or what I stand for. I promise I don’t bite, but I may just ask questions that you might not like answering.”
Speaking separately to The Post, Shiraz said she wanted to give Duwaji “another chance to do the right thing,” adding, “Apparently, talking about Israelis is much easier than listening to one.”
Shiraz said she would press Duwaji to “explain, face-to-face, how she reconciles her public positions and associations with the testimony of people who survived Hamas’ atrocities.”
Background on the controversy
Duwaji has faced scrutiny over past social media posts, including one stating that Tel Aviv “shouldn’t exist in the first place.” She has also drawn criticism for reportedly liking posts celebrating the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel.
Shiraz argued that Duwaji and her husband “have made the city with the largest Jewish population outside Israel feel more antisemitic and dangerous for Jews,” adding sarcastically, “So congratulations, quite an achievement.”
Mayor Mamdani has previously said his wife is a “private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall.”
Shiraz, the reigning 2025-2026 Miss Israel, parted ways with the Miss Israel organization this summer after alleging the pageant was rigged. She studied at UC Berkeley and worked in Silicon Valley before returning to Tel Aviv.
Recounting the original May encounter, Shiraz told The Post that the interaction began warmly, with her attempting to film a selfie video alongside Duwaji. But she said Duwaji’s “tone changed” once she learned Shiraz was Israeli, and that Duwaji “couldn’t allow herself to engage with me.” Footage of the moment shows Duwaji smiling briefly into the camera before appearing to try to exit the frame.
Shiraz has continued touring the United States since the encounter and earlier this year was involved in a confrontation with protesters at Stanford University, where one of her signs was taken.
A spokesperson for the mayor did not respond to a request for comment.
