A Jewish teenager wearing a t-shirt and jacket supporting the Israel Defense Force (IDF) was verbally attacked and harassed at a mall in New Jersey. Maya Vaxman-Magid was shopping at American Dream in East Rutherford when Palestinian supporters accused her of “supporting genocide” and called her “a white piece of sh*t.” Maya said she has had similar experiences in the past.
“I’ve been yelled at before by people in school and just random people, but it’s never turned violent. It’s never been this aggressive,” she said.
The Vaxman-Magid family spoke to Fox News about the incident, which was captured on video and shared online. In the video, the antagonist repeatedly tells Maya to “die b*tch.”
The director of StopAntisemitism, Liora Rez, shared the video and joined the mother and daughter for their Fox interview. Rez said antisemitism is at alarming levels in American society and described Maya’s harassment as “mind-boggling.”
Orthodox Jews frequent the American Dream Mall, which offers kosher dining options. On Twitter, several of the area’s residents commented, saying they were shocked to see that level of antisemitism. One person said he has visited the mall several times but no longer wears a kippah in public as he is afraid he will face similar abuse.
Even before the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, antisemitism was at a record high in the United States. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which monitors anti-Jewish prejudice, reported in March last year that it recorded its highest-ever number of antisemitic incidents in 2022. Between October and December 2023, attacks and harassment rose a staggering 337% nationwide.
During that period, there were 40 physical assaults, 337 instances of vandalism, 749 incidents of harassment, and 905 rallies that involved antisemitic rhetoric, according to the New York Post. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said, “This terrifying pattern of antisemitic attacks has been relentless since the Israel-Hamas war began.”
Last year, the White House announced it would fight antisemitism by raising awareness and enhancing education.
