Celebrity stylist who whacked NYC rabbi near his synagogue charged with assault
Aleksander Janik, the man caught on camera thumping a prominent New York City rabbi with his heavy tote bag outside the Chelsea Hotel, was charged with assault as a hate crime, according to sources.
Janik, 52, a personal shopper to the stars who’s crossed paths with big names like Celine Dion, Rihanna, Brooke Shields and Mayor Eric Adams, pleaded not guilty during his Friday evening arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court, hours after he was arrested.
The alleged antisemite was released without bail for his role in the Tuesday night clash, which started when Janik was asked by Rabbi Chezky Wolff to rein in his unleashed dog, Hudson.
The dispute over the dog escalated. Wolff said Janik ranted about “dirty Jews” during their dispute — though Janik denied that claim and told The Post his mother was Jewish.
Video shows Janik bashing the father-of-six in the head with his bag, sending Wolff’s glasses and yarmulke flying.
“Yes, I pushed him. I pushed him with my bag,” Janik freely admitted to The Post Wednesday in a softened description of what the video shows.
He claimed he was defending himself after being harassed, and said Wolff started recording and following him after the men exchanged words about the dog, which had just approached the open doors of the Chelsea Shul where the Rabbi works.
“I protect my dog and myself. A stranger man who’s following me with their phone in my face, I ought to protect myself. I don’t know him,” Janik said.
Janik denied the attack was motivated by antisemitism and said he considers himself “half-Jewish.”
“I support the Jewish community. I’m a very huge fan of every religion,” Janik said.
Wolff’s lawyer, Cary London, a member of the Chelsea Shul’s congregation, scoffed at Janik’s assertion: “We have no response to an antisemite’s lies. Again — the Jewish people just want peace.”
London said the tote bag appeared to be stuffed with books or a laptop, which left a mark on the Rabbi’s head.
Janik’s lawyer declined to talk with The Post Friday.
Janik’s Instagram account, which is filled with pictures of him at flashy events posing with celebrities, opens with the message: “‘Ubuntu’ is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others.’”
Liora Rez, founder of StopAntisemitism, said he was “profoundly relieved” that Janik had been charged.
“In 2024, it is intolerable that Jews should still live in fear of assault and be subjected to vile antisemitic slurs,” Rez said in a statement.
“No one should endure such hatred and it is time to stand united against this abhorrent behavior.”
Additional reporting by Dorian Geiger
