Hebrew Hammer: LA Teen Is Determined to Stand Up for the Jewish People

Shortly after Hamas massacred 1400 Israelis on October 7, Asher Tessler was walking with his family home from synagogue in Los Angeles when he faced a terrifying threat.

“Someone yelled ‘Allahu akbar!’ at us,” he said. “They were threatening to kill us.”

The 17-year-old, who is an Orthodox Jewish Muay Thai fighter and goes by the name “The Hebrew Hammer,” has been vocal about his support for Israel, online and off.

“I put the Israeli flag in my Instagram bio,” he said. “I got messages from people telling me they want to fight me.”

Tessler stands tall at 5’10 and holds an American/Israeli flag up for photos. He weighs 132 pounds and trains six days a week – except for Shabbat – spending eight-and-a-half hours a day getting ready for his next fight. He’s homeschooled and has religious and secular studies in the afternoons before he heads back to the gym.

“I never felt academics was my strong suit,” he said. “I loved sports. I fell in love with MMA and started fighting.”

There are a few known professional Jewish MMA fighters; the most famous one is Natan Levy, a UFC fighter from Israel who has always been vocal about supporting his homeland. There’s also Eli Aronov, "The Israeli Tank” who is a pro MMA fighter from Arad, Israel.

“Since the conflicts began in Israel, I started talking to some of these fighters,” said Tessler. “I wanted to make sure everyone was good over there and they were okay. It was really cool to start talking to them. Eli Aronov went back to the IDF. He has a whole career, but he reenlisted once the conflict started. He is doing very well professionally, but he put it all on hold to go into the IDF. I really admire that.”

The Beginnings of a Career in MMA

A year ago, on November 13, 2022, Tessler had his first fight at Carson Events Center in Carson, California, 20 minutes from LA. He fought in three two-minute rounds and got a score of 30-27 each round, winning the fight.

“There were between 500 to 700 people there,” he said. “On the first card I fought on, I was the only teen.”

As an Orthodox Jew, Tessler prays every morning, and before a fight, he will say Psalms and Shema.

“It makes me feel really good to know that God is there with me,” he said. “As long as I do my part, God will always do His part. It gives me a lot of confidence coming into my fights.”

Tessler isn’t scared he’s going to get hurt. “I will take a punch in the face,” he said. “It’s part of the sport. I enjoy that type of thing. It’s an experience of life.”

Tessler loves the excitement of fighting and the fact that he can make a difference in the world by doing it.

“It’s an adrenaline rush and a feeling I’ve never gotten from anything else because it’s something I am really passionate about and good at,” he said. “The more I fight, the more I can make an impact and represent the Jewish community.”

Tessler has big dreams to become part of the UFC, which he has always loved, but he isn’t willing to risk his values to get there. He has turned down fights on Saturdays since he celebrates Shabbat then, and he fights on Sundays instead. He is a proud Orthodox Jew and hopes to shatter stereotypes and show what people like him are really like.

#If I’m the first Orthodox Jewish person they meet, I want to show them that Jewish people are strong.

“A lot of people don’t know any Orthodox Jewish people,” he said. “They don’t have any idea what that is other than the stereotypes. If I’m the first Orthodox Jewish person they meet, I want to show them that we don’t follow those stereotypes. Jewish people are strong, and they don’t lie down for stuff like this.”

Fighting for Good

Reflecting on that situation that happened to him and his family, Tessler isn’t afraid, because he knows he is strong.

“I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep my family safe,” he said.

His parents have been incredibly supportive of his MMA dreams, working around his training and fight schedule and driving him back and forth to the gym.

The Tesslers

“They always help me and get me whatever accommodations I need,” said Tessler, who has two older sisters. “My dad goes with me to all my fights super early in the morning. He’s always there. I am very blessed in that way.”

In a time when the Israel-Hamas war is heating up and antisemitism is increasing – even in LA, the second most Jewish city in the United States – the young fighter is urging Jews to stick up for themselves.

“Learning how to defend yourself is a really good idea,” he said.

He also has a message for his people: stay together.

“We when unite, we are strong,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are people out there who are trying to kill and destroy the Jewish people. As long as the Jewish people stay as one, we are very strong.”