Melanie Shiraz, who was crowned Miss Israel in 2025, posted that she unexpectedly sat next to Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, at a coffee shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Shiraz said Duwaji ended the interaction shortly after learning who she was.
Melanie Shiraz, a beauty pageant titleholder who has been described in media reports as “Miss Israel 2025,” said she had an unplanned encounter with Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, at a cafe in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
In a social media post, Shiraz said the two women were seated next to each other and began chatting. Shiraz said they took a selfie together before she identified herself as Miss Israel, after which—according to Shiraz—Duwaji’s demeanor changed and Duwaji ended the conversation and left.
Duwaji has been the subject of recent coverage about past social media activity and an apology for posts described by major outlets as harmful. No independent, on-the-record account from Duwaji or City Hall about the cafe encounter was cited in the provided source.
