“You don’t hide from antisemitism. You need to shine a light on it and call it out.”
Slava Shushakova
Yonkers barber Slava Shushakova, 51, his right hand still bandaged from the unprovoked attack and stabbed in his store on August 29th by Ahmed al Jabali, 34. Shushakova puts on tefillin with the help of Chabad of Yonkers Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz and former City Council President Chuck Lesnick in the barber’s Yonkers Avenue story, when he came to check on the remaining blood which had dripped from his hand, wrist and forearm from the attack. Observant Jews follow the Torah’s commandment to literally bind the words of the Torah between your eyes and opposite the heart, on your head and a sign on your non-dominant arm, to demonstrate that these two organs are willing to perform service to God. Photo (c) Robert Kalfus 2024
The Yonkers Police Department reported: On Thursday August 29th, at approx 3:45pm the Yonkers Police Department received a call of a dispute at a barber shop in the area of Central Park Avenue and Yonkers Avenue. Upon arrival officers located a male victim with multiple lacerations to his right arm. The victim related that while performing barber services a dispute ensued and the customer allegedly grabbed a pair of scissors and struck the victim multiple times in the arm and hand while making antisemitic statements before ultimately fleeing from the location. Responding officers immediately began canvassing the area for the suspect and located a suspect who was later positively identified by the victim. The victim was remanded to Westchester County Jail pending his next court date,” end of Yonkers Police Department statement.
The man identified as Ahmed al Jabali, 34, was intoxicated, and while getting a haircut began screaming “I want to kill you, you (expletive) Jew” and then stabing the barber. Jabaqli remains in custody at the Westcheter County Jail.
Barber Slava Shushakova described raising his hands to protect himself from the stabbing attack by suspect Ahmed al Jabali. “I was able to stop my face and body from the stabbing, but my right hand, right wrist and forearm were stabbed. I backed away from him in my shop, yelling for him to stop, and that he will be arrested. He did not stop.”
Shushakove says a mother with her child was sitting in the front, and she ran out with her daughter. Shushakova said Jabali then picked up a heavy broom that he uses to sweep the floor and swung it, trying to hit him. He says he was able to also block that. “He had backed me into the shop. I picked up a knife and threatened him. He then ran out the front door and ran across the street.”
“I saw a man sitting in his car in front of my store, and yelled at him to call the police. The store next door saw what was happening and had locked their door. The police arrived pretty quickly and then had to wait for the ambulance to arrive.”
Former Council President and member of the Westchester Jewish Council Chuck Lesnick said, “This should never happen in any circumstance, but especially as a hate crime. This man is a hard working russian immigrant who was making a better life for himself.”
“We are going to hold an event once he is healed and is back to work. I am also working with Senator Shelley Mayer to see if there is some type of assistance he can get. As a sold practioner his business has been closed for weeks.
Lesnick said that Shushakova told him. “You don’t hide from antisemitism. You need to shine a light on it and call it out and stand together.”
