Two Jewish beauty queens who say they\u2019ve been targeted with antisemitism and death threats in recent weeks are sharing their hopes \u2014 and standing up to hate \u2014 for Hanukkah.<\/p>\n
The Jewish festival of lights begins Sunday night.<\/p>\n
Miriam Mattova, former Miss Slovakia, claimed she was kicked out of an Uber in Toronto last month for being Jewish.<\/p>\n
Miriam Mattova claims she was kicked out of a cab in Toronto because she\u2019s Jewish. Penske Media via Getty Images<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s the backlash she faced in the aftermath of the \u201cshocking\u201d Nov. 30 incident that inspired the fashion model to speak out before the holiday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey won\u2019t intimidate me and I won\u2019t go into hiding,\u201d the modern-day Maccabee defiantly told The Post. \u201cHanukkah is the holiday of light \u2014 shining through the darkness \u2014 and we can\u2019t hide now. Hate thrives on our silence and intimidation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 33-year-old dual citizen of Canada was seven minutes into a late-night Uber ride when the female driver, adorned in a hijab, overheard Mattova on the phone with a friend discussing her recent trip to Israel, Mattova said.<\/p>\n
The driver allegedly slammed on the brakes at an intersection in a bad part of town, and ejected the blonde beauty, telling her, \u201cI don\u2019t drive Jewish people,\u201d Mattova alleged.<\/p>\n
After going public on her social media<\/a> stories and reaffirming her strong Jewish identity, the cover girl the faced an avalanche of antisemitic hate with messages.<\/p>\n \u201cAma kill you someday,\u201d \u201cSo happy the uber driver kicked you out for being a Jew\u201d and \u201cShould have just slit your throat lol,\u201d read some of the hateful messages.<\/p>\n \u201cThe death threats have gotten so bad that I went to the police station,\u201d said Mattova, who holds a Ph.D in political science. \u201cTheir goal is simply to silence people like me and discourage others from speaking up, but we cannot allow that to happen.\u201d <\/p>\n Melanie Shiraz also faced hateful threats after the Miss Universe pageant. Getty Images<\/p>\n The Bratislava native said she often felt self-conscious growing up Jewish but found her voice after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel \u2014 and now views herself as a defender of the Jewish state. <\/p>\n \u201cEven when it\u2019s painful to speak up, we can\u2019t back down from being Jewish and proud.\u201d<\/p>\n Hanukkah \u2014 which marks the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem after a revolt against Greek-Syrian oppressors, and celebrates the miracle of a jar of oil burning for eight nights instead of one \u2014 inspires her, she said.<\/p>\n The message of perseverance, strength and resilience was also internalized by Miss Israel, Melanie Shiraz, after she she found herself in the middle of a controversy with rival Miss Palestine during the Miss Universe pageant last month.<\/p>\n Mattova received death threats online after posting about her experience with antisemitism. Courtesy Miriam Mattova<\/p>\n \u201cIn the spirit of Hanukkah, the Jewish people have always shown that we can overcome adversity and challenges,\u201d Shiraz, who faced death threats over accusations she gave the side-eye to Miss Palestine<\/a> on stage, told The Post.<\/p>\n \u201cThis Hanukkah, especially with this hostile climate, I hope we can embrace our heritage of resilience and come out stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n The 27-year-old needed beefed up security in Thailand, where the event was held, but remained defiant.<\/p>\n \u201cAs Jews, our history is a testament to resilience. Hanukkah teaches us that even when the world feels heavy, we show up \u2014 proudly, bravely, and together.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t