Jewish Barber Stabbed With Own Scissors by Muslim; Says Mezuzah Saved Him From More Serious Injuries

YONKERS (VINnews) — A horrific, violent attack by a Muslim man against a Jewish barber is being charged as a hate crime. Yonkers barber Slava Shushakova was stabbed with his own scissors by an Islamic customer, after a heated debate over Israel.

Jewish barber Slava Shushakova was stabbed with his own scissors after an antisemitic Muslim customer became angry over the Gaza war – allegedly shouting “I want to kill you, you —- Jew.”

Ahmed al Jabali, 34, was getting his beard cut by Slava on Aug. 29 when he lashed out against Israel and the trim descended into bloody violence, according to Slava and city officials.

“He cut me one time and I asked him to stop and leave my store,” Slava, who’s seen al Jabali around the neighborhood for years, told The NY Post. “He didn’t. And he said, ‘No, I have to finish you, and after I’ll go. That’s what he wanted.

“He told me, ‘This is right to do, and he’s right, and he has a right as a Muslim to punish Jews,’” He said that al Jabali also wanted to burn his shop down.

A fascinating excerpt from the secular LoHud news site observes that the barber credited a Mezuzah with protecting him from further harm:

“Two years ago, Shushakov proudly posed for a photo in The Jewish Link with a local rabbi who had checked and reinstalled the mezuzah on the doorpost of the barbershop. A mezuzah is a parchment with words of a Jewish prayer that symbolizes the Jewish owner’s covenant with G-d.

“The article also referenced the symbolic protection the mezuzah affords the dwelling or business. Shushakov acknowledged that protection this week and said he was thankful that he was not more seriously injured.”

MAJOR BREAKING NEWS ALERT: Hatefilled antisemitic Muslim terrorizes and severely injures charitable Yonkers Jewish barber during horrific attack. Yonkers barber Slava Shushakova (seen in the screenshot photo on the right with Chabad of Yonkers Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz) was stabbed… pic.twitter.com/3iS69yehKh

— Saint James Hartline (@JamesHartline) September 4, 2024

During the incident, Al Jabali had kept talking about the Israel war in Gaza. Slava tried to get Al Jabali to change the subject, but it didn’t work. In a flash al Jabali grabbed a pair of Jaguar scissors from the counter and lunged at Slava while shouting a vile antisemitic threat.

Shushakova tried to ward off the attack, and was at least partially successful — the shears thankfully didn’t slice into his head or body, despite al Jabali’s best efforts.

“Thank G-d he didn’t touch my face, because he tried to hit me different ways,” Slava said. “This is how I stopped him, with my hands.”

He grabbed a kitchen knife to fight back, but al Jabali fled, and was nabbed by police a short time later.

Slava needed 30 stitches for the severe wounds.

Jabali, from Yemen, is now charged with two counts of second-degree attempted murder as a hate crime.

Shushakov said al Jabali was outspoken about his hatred for Israel and its ongoing war in Gaza. According to LoHud, the barber said he knew al Jabali from the neighborhood and that he had heard him previously talking about how Iran was going to blow up Israel. He said on Thursday that al Jabali was acting aggressively and had been drinking. He said he thought about refusing to give him a haircut but did not want to antagonize him.