The Lawfare Project has secured a significant legal victory in its defamation lawsuit on behalf of Tamar Herman, a longtime Jewish public-school teacher who was the target of a false and inflammatory smear campaign. The Supreme Court of New Jersey denied defendant Ibtihaj Muhammad’s motion for leave to appeal, paving the way for the case to advance to the discovery phase.
Herman was falsely accused of forcibly removing a student’s hijab in widely circulated social media posts by Muhammad, an Olympic fencer with a large platform. These accusations triggered a wave of public outrage and antisemitic attacks that led to severe professional and personal repercussions for Herman, including removal from her teaching position and the need to leave her community due to safety concerns.
“This ruling is a critical step toward justice for Tamar Herman. For too long, she has suffered the devastating consequences of a false accusation that was amplified by an influential public figure,” said Benjamin Ryberg, Attorney and Chief Operating Officer of The Lawfare Project. “This case is about accountability, but it is also about something much bigger: standing up against the rising tide of anti-Jewish defamation and ensuring that Jewish professionals do not become collateral damage in the pursuit of social media outrage.”
The Lawfare Project commended the legal efforts of lead counsel Edward Andrew Paltzik and Erik Dykema of Bochner PLLC, who played a crucial role in advancing the case. “We are pleased that New Jersey’s highest court closed off Ibtihaj Muhammad’s only remaining escape route, confirming the power of our case and guaranteeing that she will now face the accountability that discovery brings,” said Paltzik.
As the case moves forward, The Lawfare Project and its legal team remain committed to uncovering the evidence necessary to hold Muhammad accountable for the defamation that profoundly impacted Herman’s life and career. “We appreciate the time and care that the NJ Superior Court Judge, Appellate Division, and Supreme Court have put into this case, and applaud their decisions — at every level — that Ms. Herman must get her day in court,” said Dykema. “Now that the NJ Supreme Court has spoken, the case will move forward, and that day is coming soon.”
With discovery now set to proceed, this ruling represents a crucial step in the fight against defamatory attacks that incite hate and ruin lives. The case underscores the importance of ensuring that individuals who spread falsehoods are held accountable for the real-world consequences of their words.