Controversy Surrounds NYC Teacher for Antisemitic Post

A public school teacher in New York City is under fire from advocates for Jewish education due to a Facebook post that featured an antisemitic caricature mocking Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.

Maysa Jarara, who teaches math at Park Slope Collegiate in Brooklyn, shared an image on July 19 that portrayed Messi with a skewed face and wearing a Jewish skullcap, as reported by the New York Post.

The illustration displayed Messi crying and rubbing his hands, complete with an exaggerated nose. Jarara’s post was made from an account simply labeled “Maysa.”

“The look on his face is priceless,” she commented.

The Post noted that the image resembled the notorious “Happy Merchant” meme, which perpetuates negative stereotypes around Jewish individuals related to dishonesty and financial manipulation.

Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers, stated that Jarara’s post perpetuated long-standing antisemitic prejudices. He contended that she crossed a significant line by promoting these harmful tropes, framing Jews as greedy and deceptive.

Additionally, Jarara’s social media history reportedly includes posts that criticize Israel. One such image depicted an Israeli flag stained with blood. Another post from October 7 showed two individuals dancing near a fire, one wearing a keffiyeh and the other a hijab, with the caption, “And we love life, and we can live it in a way.”

Karen Feldman, who leads the New York City Public Schools Alliance, expressed concern about Jarara’s behavior as a teacher. “This is deeply disturbing. We have a teacher who is entrusted with educating children publicly sharing inflammatory, biased, and historically misleading posts about Israel and the Jewish people,” she remarked.

According to a public payroll listing, Jarara’s annual salary in 2025 was $140,016, with her position identified as a teacher at the Department of Education.

Messi has previously been targeted by antisemitic content, particularly during the recent World Cup, as noted by CyberWell, an organization that monitors anti-Jewish material online.

Findings released by CyberWell on July 14 highlighted unfounded claims suggesting that Messi’s success and favorable treatment by referees were due to Jewish influence in soccer. Some social media users even claimed he was Jewish while others insinuated he was operating under Jewish control.

Jarara’s actions have provoked backlash online, with many questioning her suitability as an educator and the kind of example she sets for her students.