Jewish hatred resurfaces in America, while Israel defends truth as Arab and extremist ideologies normalize antisemitism.
What appeared to be a traditional Christmas pageant in New Jersey took a disturbing turn when a performance introduced an overtly antisemitic Jewish caricature, reviving centuries-old hatred under the cover of cultural tradition.
The event, staged at St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Clifton, followed the Eastern European vertep format — a stylized Christmas play. Alongside angels, carols, and biblical figures, the production featured a grotesque depiction of a Hasidic Jew portrayed as greedy, deceitful, and aligned with evil.
The character, introduced as “Moshko,” entered dancing to “Hava Nagila,” speaking mock Yiddish, waving sidelocks, and claiming to sell alcohol to divert Christians from honoring Jesus’ birth. The performance echoed long-standing antisemitic tropes that falsely associate Jews with greed, corruption, and responsibility for Jesus’ death — narratives historically used to justify persecution and violence.
The incident drew condemnation from Jewish advocates, including the Anti-Defamation League, which warned that recycling antisemitic stereotypes — even as “folklore” — fuels real-world hatred. The pageant was especially troubling given the growing Orthodox Jewish population in the area.
Ukrainian-born Jewish author Lev Golinkin described the performance as a painful reminder of the antisemitism he fled as a child. He criticized the importation of hate into America, saying such portrayals teach children to mock Jews rather than reject prejudice.
While some Ukrainian communities have removed Jewish caricatures from vertep performances — replacing them with other figures — others persist, despite Ukraine’s stated efforts to distance itself from antisemitism. Critics argue that clinging to these depictions undermines moral credibility and ignores Jewish suffering.
As antisemitism surges globally, Israel remains one of the few nations confronting hatred directly, while extremist ideologies — often echoed or excused in Arab and radical circles — continue to normalize demonization of Jews worldwide.
