{"id":252854,"date":"2026-01-23T03:13:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T03:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/252854\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T03:13:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T03:13:11","slug":"ms-rachel-apologizes-for-liking-antisemitic-instagram-comment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/252854\/","title":{"rendered":"Ms. Rachel Apologizes for Liking Antisemitic Instagram Comment"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tRachel Accurso, the prominent children\u2019s entertainer known as Ms. Rachel<\/a>, came under fire after screenshots circulated online that showed her Instagram account liking a comment that read, \u201cFree america from the Jews.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe antisemitic comment appeared under a now-deleted post shared by Accurso that read \u201cFree Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, Free Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe screenshots of Accurso \u201cliking\u201d the comment prompted condemnation from Jewish advocacy groups and other followers of Ms. Rachel, who has more than 18 million subscribers on YouTube and whose education program for toddlers was the ninth most-watched show on Netflix in the back half of 2025. <\/p>\n

\n\tAccurso posted a screenshot<\/a> of a follower alerting her that she had liked the antisemitic comment, to which Accurso replied, \u201cDeleted \u2013 how horrible \u2013 oh wait let me check \u2013 I did delete one like that \u2026 Ya I believe I deleted that earlier right when I saw it! I hate antisemitism.\u201d In the caption, Accurso said she meant to delete the comment but instead tapped the like button. \u201cPeople are allowed to make mistakes,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI am super sorry for any confusion it caused. I delete antisemitism ANY time I see it. I am against all forms of hate including antisemitism against the Jewish people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAccurso also posted a video in which she offers an emotional apology for the gaffe<\/a>, saying, \u201cI thought I deleted a comment and I accidentally hit \u2018like.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m a human who makes mistakes,\u201d Accurso added through tears. \u201cI feel like we can\u2019t be human anymore online. \u2026 Everyone who knows me knows I would never like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a statement to Variety, Accurso said, \u201cYesterday, I accidentally liked a hateful comment on my social media while trying to delete it. I have always been completely clear on this; I do not support language that targets or harms the Jewish community or any community. Antisemitism and hate of any kind have no place in my life or my work. Everything I do is rooted in kindness, inclusion, and care for all humanity. Those values guide me every day, and I remain firmly committed to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAccurso is a children\u2019s rights advocate who has raised more than $1 million for organizations supporting children in conflict zones including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. She has been especially vocal about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and she is a strong critic of Israel. In one of her videos, she sang with a 3-year-old double amputee from Gaza, and this year she curated an exhibition of artwork from Palestinian kids, with all proceeds going to the child artists. She wrote on Instagram that she would not collaborate with \u201canyone who hasn\u2019t spoken out about Gaza.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tAccurso has frequently defended her activism against internet backlash, while her behavior online has been a topic of scrutiny from various advocacy groups. HonestReporting, a pro-Israel media watchdog, published a report on Thursday that said Accurso\u2019s \u201cactions fit a broader pattern of antisemitic misinformation shared with her millions of followers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tPer the report<\/a>: \u201cEveryone has accidentally liked a post while mindlessly scrolling through social media. But when that \u2018accident\u2019 becomes multiple engagements with blatantly antisemitic comments \u2013 alongside posts that are explicitly antisemitic \u2013 it can no longer be dismissed as clumsy thumbs on a small phone screen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe report includes a screenshot that appears to show Accurso engaging with a comment from an Instagram account that frequently praises Hamas and harasses Jews. The post<\/a>, allegedly written under Accurso\u2019s apology video, claimed \u201cThey\u201d \u2014 meaning the Jews \u2014 \u201cleft the [antisemitic] comment themselves,\u201d and Accurso reportedly responded, \u201cooooooooooohhhhh.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tSeveral public figures stood by Accurso in the comment section under her apology video. \u201cBroad City\u201d star Ilana Glazer, wrote, \u201ca literal BILLION people around the world KNOW your clear, loving, human rights-centered heart.\u201d NSYNC singer Lance Bass added, \u201cZERO people think this was intentional. The ones pretending have their own agenda obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n