A Jewish mother in Fair Lawn, NJ, has raised serious concerns about an incident she described as both traumatic and antisemitic at Broadway Barber Shop. She recounted how she took her 11-year-old son to the barbershop and gave specific instructions to the barber not to cut his peyos, a deeply significant part of their religious identity. She even showed the barber a picture to clarify her request, and he initially appeared to acknowledge and agree.

However, the mother said the barber suddenly cut off one side of her son’s peyos despite her protests, leaving the boy in tears. She screamed for him to stop, but he continued cutting, ignoring her entirely. When she appealed to the shop’s owner for intervention, he spoke briefly to the barber in Arabic, after which the other side was cut off as well.

The mother described the experience as deeply violating, likening it to the antisemitic assaults Jews endured during Nazi Germany. She expressed disbelief that such an act could occur in what she believed to be a safe, diverse town in New Jersey. Her son was so distressed that he refused to attend school the following day, overwhelmed with shame and embarrassment.

The mother has called on the community to take action against antisemitism, urging others to report even small incidents to authorities and organizations like the ADL and Jewish Federation. “Hate should never be tolerated,” she said, warning others to be vigilant when visiting unfamiliar businesses and neighborhoods. The incident has sparked outrage among local residents, many of whom are calling for accountability and greater awareness of religious sensitivity.