'Jews are going to die': Kippah knocked off head of 11-year-old son of Jewish activist

The son of Jewish activist and fitness trainer Shai Albrecht was the victim an antisemitic incident in Maryland on Sunday, she told The Jerusalem Post, following a post made to her Instagram.

Albrecht had taken her children to Urban Air adventure park when a boy made a comment about her 11-year-old son, Ayreh's, kippah, calling it "a funny little hat."

Aryeh replied that the hat was a kippah, and symbolized that he is Jewish. The other boy, who was around 9, reportedly responded, "Well, all Jews are dead or going to die."

After Aryeh told the boy that his comment was racist, the boy said he would "knock that hat off your head" before doing so. 

Albrecht wrote that her son picked up his kippah and walked away. 

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A post shared by Shai Albrecht (@shaialbrecht)

Albrecht told the Jerusalem Post that she was "shocked": "We never imagined it would happen here [in the US]."

"I was livid to hear what the boy said because I understood that the boy would have heard this sick thought from the people around him, which was so scary for me."

"Knowing someone will look at [her son] and judge him because he is wearing a kippah is a horrible feeling for a mother. I want to protect him, but I know I can’t. It’s what nightmares are made of."

Aryeh felt "shocked and like a small person in a big world," she told The Post.

She wrote in her Instagram post, "When we see the current statistics showing an astronomical increase in antisemitic attacks over the past year, those statistics don't show the thousands of instances just like this one."

"Knowing my son will experience situations like this and maybe even worse makes me sick to my stomach," she added.

Albrecht's social media journey 

Albrecht was raised in Maryland by Israeli ex-pat parents and follows an Orthodox lifestyle.

While she began talking about fitness,  she later moved to discuss the diversity among Orthodox Jews, as she realized "people didn’t realize Orthodox Jews came in all different ‘flavors.'"

After October 7, she shifted again to uncovering and debunking the lies propagated about Israel.

While she said she has "definitely thought about not speaking about Israel," she added that she "could never stop."

"I’m far too passionate about Israel. I love my land, and I love my people, and I believe we need to be heard.”

She told the Post that she talks to her children about what is happening in Israel: "I am a huge advocate of Israel and my people."

"Aryeh has grown up with a deep and strong sense of his Judaism and his beautiful county."