This month in Times Square, a superhero stood up against antisemitism—while the city around him stayed silent. In a city full of people, the only one who acted was the one in a costume. In a moment when you might expect leaders or authorities to step forward, it was a man dressed as Spider-Man who chose to act.

As Miss Israel and Miss World Influencer, and Miss World International titleholder. I witnessed this week how one moment like this can travel across the world. A video went viral on social media showing a New York City nurse confronting Israeli tourists sitting together in the middle of Manhattan. Her words were direct and hostile. She shouted “f*ck Israel,” called them “baby killers,” and told them they were not welcome, describing them as “disgusting” and “terrorists.” What should have been an ordinary moment became public harassment in one of the most visible places in the world. According to reports, the nurse involved in the incident—who has a history of anti-Israel political activism and had been employed by Inspire Mental Health Services—was fired from her job on Monday following widespread backlash.

But what made the moment even more powerful was not only the hate—it was the silence around it. Local New Yorkers watched. Tourists passed by. People saw what was happening and kept walking. No one stepped forward. No one interrupted. No one chose to stand between hate and the people it was directed at.

Until one person did.

A man dressed as Spider-Man stepped forward. Not a police officer. Not a public figure. Not someone with authority. Just a person in a costume who made a decision in real time. He told her to stop. He tried to create space between her and the Israeli tourists. It did not fully stop her. She continued. But he acted when no one else did.

Seeing this video go viral, I realized the costume stopped being a costume. It became something real. That is why I chose to stand in Times Square as “Spider-Woman,” wearing my Miss Israel sash and my Star of David crown that I designed myself, all for the purpose of strengthening the “Spider-Man” message—standing up against Jew hate in the loudest city in the world—not as a performance, but as a statement that standing against antisemitism should never be hidden, even in one of the loudest and most visible cities in the world.

What we saw was not about performance—it was about action. In a time when antisemitism is becoming more visible, what matters is not who you are, but what you choose to do. And in that moment, the only person who chose to act was someone the world might usually overlook.

While a single social media post can reach millions, it also shapes how people understand the world and each other. My hope is that next time, it won’t be just one voice standing up—that more people will choose courage over silence when someone is harassed simply for being Jewish.

I believe each one of us can be a superhero in New York—not for a lifetime, but even for a moment. Because courage isn’t about who you are; it’s about choosing to step forward to help someone in danger when it matters most.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)