These Jewish and Muslim Best Friends Go Viral as ‘Juslim’ Superheroes for Halloween
Image by Catherine Pearlman
By Thea Glassman October 31, 2016
A simple halloween costume just made the collective internet community a very, very happy place.
13-year-old Casey Pearlman is Jewish and her best friend Yasmin Idris, also 13, is Muslim. Together, they decided to dress up as a superhero team called “The Juslims” for Halloween. They donned capes with the initials JM written in glitter on the back, along with bright yellow t-shirts that read: “Don’t worry, it’s not religious, it’s not offensive,” to ensure they didn’t break any of their school’s rules.
Casey’s father, Jeff Pearlman, tweeted out a picture of the two in their superhero costumes, writing: “My daughter is Jewish. Her best pal is Muslim. For Halloween they created a superhero team: The Juslims. I’ve rarely been more proud. Truly.”
My daughter is Jewish. Her best pal is Muslim. For Halloween they created a superhero team: The Juslims. I’ve rarely been more proud. Truly. pic.twitter.com/zqPCCwzshR
— jeffpearlman (@jeffpearlman) October 30, 2016
That tweet has since gone viral, garnering nearly 50,000 retweets, 91,000 likes and a whole lot of happy commenters.
“Parenting done right!”
Parenting done right! https://t.co/1M4HsM8oyP
— Alaa Basatneh (@AlaaBasatneh) October 31, 2016
“A true definition of girl power! ? #respect”
@jeffpearlman @BntA7mad A true definition of girl power! ? #respect
— IKEA UAE (@IKEAUAE) October 31, 2016
“faith in humanity. Restored. #TeamJuslims”
@jeffpearlman @jk_rowling faith in humanity. Restored. #TeamJuslims ✌?️❤️
— Alison AB (@AlisonBousa) October 31, 2016
Pearlman credits the current political climate for all the positive feedback his daughter and her best friend have been receiving.
“There’s been this tidal wave of anti-everything,” he said in a phone interview. “There’s been a palpable feeling of hatred this election cycle that I’ve never seen in my lifetime.”
Their costume, he explained, serves as a small reminder that all of that negativity is just “nonsense.”
“It’s so simplistic. Two kids in a halloween costume. They weren’t trying to send a message, they weren’t trying to be political. They were just two kids who thought it was a funny costume,” he said. “That’s kind of the innocent beauty of it all.”
Image by Catherine Pearlman
Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @theakglassman.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
