How A Hebrew Song Sparked A Vicious Antisemitic Attack in Germany

Stefan Hensel, Hamburg’s commissioner for combating antisemitism, was subjected to a violent antisemitic attack on May 25th, while driving with his young daughter, simply for playing a Hebrew song.

The incident, detailed in a Bild report and covered by Israel Hayom, has sparked outrage in Germany, highlighting the escalating antisemitic climate in the country.

The Incident: A Terrifying Ordeal

The attack occurred around 7:00 PM on May 25, 2025, at Alsterglacis, a busy urban area near Dammtor train station in Hamburg. Stefan Hensel, 45, a Jewish convert and dedicated advocate for Jewish life, was driving his car after picking up his young daughter from a swimming pool. To keep her awake, Hensel played a playlist of Israeli songs, including “Tamid Ohev Oti” (“God Always Loves Me”) by Sasson Ifram Shaulov, a popular Hebrew track with religious undertones.

As Hensel’s car idled at a red light in traffic, a blue Opel van pulled up beside him. The van’s driver, later identified as a 57-year-old Jordanian citizen, gestured for Hensel to lower his passenger-side window further. Hensel, whose window was already partially open, complied, expecting a routine interaction. Instead, the situation escalated rapidly.

The driver, upon recognizing the Hebrew song, unleashed a barrage of antisemitic insults, shouting “child murderer” and “f***ing Israeli”. He yelled, “Get out of the car if you’re a man,” trying to provoke a physical confrontation.

Hensel, alarmed for his and his daughter’s safety, quickly closed his window and accelerated when the traffic light turned green. However, the driver pursued him, driving aggressively alongside Hensel’s car and attempting to force it off the road. “I was very scared, especially for my little daughter who witnessed it all,” Hensel told Bild.

Fortuitously, Hensel spotted a police patrol car in his rearview mirror not far behind. He locked his vehicle to ensure his daughter’s safety, exited his car, and ran to the police to report the incident. The two female officers in the patrol car initially treated the complaint as a potential traffic violation.

However, the van driver’s continued aggressive behavior, unrelenting even in the presence of police, made it clear that the attack was motivated by antisemitism. The officers then called for backup from an additional police unit.

The Hamburg police launched an immediate investigation, confiscating the assailant’s mobile phone as evidence. However, they did not arrest the 57-year-old Jordanian, citing a lack of sufficient grounds for detention at the time.

A Hamburg police spokesperson announced that the case had been transferred to the State Security Service (Staatsschutz). The investigation is now being handled as a suspected case of insult and coercion driven by political motives.

Hensel, speaking to Bild, expressed profound shock at the attack. “I am shocked and appalled by the aggressive reaction of the perpetrator, triggered solely by a Hebrew song,” he said. “This shows in a terrifying way how far this heated, Islamist antisemitism goes: it can target anyone who is Jewish or simply listens to Hebrew music.” His role as Hamburg’s antisemitism commissioner, tasked with protecting Jewish communities, makes the attack particularly ironic and alarming.

Hamburg’s Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) condemned the incident in an interview with Bild, calling it “another serious crime in a series of increasing antisemitic incidents since 2023.” He emphasized Germany’s historical responsibility toward Israel and Jewish life, stating, “This is shocking and shameful. The Senate stands firmly with Jewish communities and is committed to strengthening and protecting Jewish life in Hamburg.”

Deputy Mayor Katharina Fegebank (Greens) agreed, describing the attack as “a shocking example of the unfortunately rising antisemitism that Jews in our country experience ... We cannot accept this; such behavior is absolutely unacceptable and must be prosecuted.”

Broader Antisemitic Climate in Germany

The attack on Hensel is part of a disturbing surge in antisemitic incidents in Germany. Yesterday, a Reuters report noted that antisemitic crimes nearly doubled in 2024, driven in part by tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict. A Hamburg Senate study conducted between November 2023 and February 2024 found that 77% of surveyed Jews in the city had experienced antisemitic incidents in the previous year.

Germany’s historical responsibility to protect Jewish life, given its Nazi past, adds weight to the incident. The Bild report pointed to a recent police raid on Hamburg’s Shia Blue Mosque, linked to extremist activities, as evidence of ongoing efforts to curb hate-driven ideologies. However, the failure to arrest the assailant immediately has raised questions about the adequacy of police responses to antisemitic crimes.