Jack, You have a powerful story. Why don’t you give us some details about you and introduce us to your story. How did you get to where you are today?

My name is Jack. I’m an Orthodox Jew and U.S. Army Vet. There is a  kind of this cliché regarding veterans starting cool t-shirt lines, and these often sport designs with spiritual themes. I had found that there was nothing in the marketplace with a Jewish flavor.  I decided to change that. People have called us “The Jewish Ranger Up,” and I take that as a compliment. I was also motivated in part by the recent rise in overt anti-Semitism in the U.S. You may have seen it in the news; individuals wearing shirts and hoodies with actual Nazi imagery! I don’t believe the answer to hate is to take away freedom of speech. Rather, it’s up to the rest of us to use OUR freedom of speech for good. So it has been a very positive experience for me that a lot of the fans of my company Maccabee Apparel has attracted aren’t  Jewish, but just folks who oppose anti-Semitism, and dig our “Old Testament” vibe.

Jack, I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?

Since we have been online with the brand, we’ve had our account spammed with White Supremacist memes and have received a lot of hateful messages from online trolls. Facebook stepped in and fixed the problem…by permanently freezing our advertising account, and telling us that they were no longer recommending our page to people with similar interests. It’s a strange policy, to combat hate speech by penalizing the targets rather than the perpetrators. But despite this, we’ve found a niche and our fan base continues to grow, even if it’s more slowly than before.

Let’s talk about Maccabee Apparel. What makes it special?

Maccabee Apparel is currently a hobby of mine, and a labor of love. I hope it will be more than that someday. One initiative I’ve undertaken has been to reach out to victims of anti-Semitic intimidation and harassment (and in some cases, physical violence) and offer them words of encouragement, along with some free Maccabee swag. We live in a free country, and I think when someone attacks you for your identity, the appropriate response is not to run and hide, but to embrace that identity even more. Refuse to submit, and let your light shine. That’s what the Maccabees were all about. So it has been my honor to help the people who make that courageous choice every day. This has been no small expense, but I’ve made some cool friends along the way.

Jack, What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life? 

If you’re lacking direction, the military is a good choice. Other than that, do what you love, but be realistic. If you pursue a college education, minor in something you love, and major in something you can actually make a living at.

Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you Jack?

In Pirkei Avos (a book of the Talmud) it says: Who is wealthy? He who is happy with his lot. Success is like happiness–it’s a continuous process, not a destination. Always strive to be a little better than you were yesterday. That is success.

Jack what is next for you and Maccabee Apparel?

Hopefully growing my brand, attracting more fans, and making them happy. We’ll see where this goes!

To Connect with Jack and/or check out Maccabee Apparel:

Jacob Perez
www.maccabeeapparel.com
Facebook.com/MaccabeeApparel
Instagram.com/Maccabee_Apparel
Twitter.com/MaccabeeArmy

Email: Support@MaccabeeApparel.com