A New York City public school teacher has sparked controversy after sharing an image of Argentine soccer superstarLionel Messi that critics say relies on deeply rooted antisemitic stereotypes.
Maysa Jarara, a mathematics teacher at Park Slope Collegiate in Brooklyn, reportedly published the image on Facebook on July 19.
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The illustration depicts Messi crying, wearing a Jewish skullcap and rubbing his hands together, with exaggerated facial features that critics have compared to historical antisemitic propaganda.
Jarara accompanied the image with the caption: “The look on his face is priceless,”
The caricature resembles a widely circulated antisemitic internet meme known as “The Happy Merchant,” which portrays Jewish people through offensive stereotypes about greed, dishonesty and manipulation. Similar imagery has a long history in antisemitic propaganda, including material used to dehumanize Jewish people during the Nazi era.
The controversy has attracted attention because Messi is one of the world's most recognizable athletes, with a global following extending far beyond soccer.
The use of his image in material associated with antisemitic stereotypes has prompted criticism about the way religious identity and conspiracy theories are presented on social media.
Messi, who visited Israel during a peace tour in 2013, has also been the target of conspiracy theories surrounding international football.
According to CyberWell, a nonprofit organization monitoring online antisemitism, false claims circulated during the World Cup alleging that Jewish people control FIFA and had secretly influenced Messi's career. Such narratives echo longstanding conspiracy theories that portray Jewish communities as manipulating powerful institutions.
Other social media posts fuel criticism
The scrutiny surrounding Jarara extends beyond the Messi caricature. Her social media activity has reportedly included posts critical of Israel, including an image showing the Israeli flag covered in blood.
Another post, shared on Instagram around the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel, reportedly showed a man wearing a keffiyeh dancing with a woman in a hijab in front of a burning pile. Its caption read: “And we love life and we can live it in a way,”
The attacks killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and triggered the war in Gaza. The anniversary remains a deeply painful date for many Israelis and Jewish communities worldwide, making public commentary about the conflict particularly sensitive.
Moshe Spern, president of United Jewish Teachers, condemned the reported Messi image, saying: “Jarara has crossed a major line by trafficking in classic antisemitic tropes that cast Jews as greedy and scheming,”
Karen Feldman, president of the New York City Public Schools Alliance, also raised concerns about the content attributed to the 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,” Feldman said.
Jarara could not be reached for comment, according to published reporting. Public records cited in the coverage indicate that she earned $140,000 in 2025. No disciplinary outcome concerning the posts was established in the available reports.
The controversy comes amid wider concerns about antisemitism in New York City schools.
Other educators have faced scrutiny over alleged social media activity and public comments concerning Israel and Hamas, intensifying debate about how schools should respond when staff members share inflammatory material.
The central issue is not simply whether teachers should be allowed to express political opinions. It is whether public figures entrusted with educating children should share content that appears to invoke dehumanizing stereotypes about a religious group.
As the discussion continues, the reported Messi post has become another flashpoint in a broader debate about antisemitism, online accountability and the responsibility educators have to maintain an environment in which students and families feel respected.