Social media influencer Chris Caresnone, otherwise known as the Babka King. Photo: Screenshot

The popular social media personality Chris Caresnone, known by some as the Babka King, said in a recent post that he has received “real hate” and threats for featuring Jewish food and culture on his pages, lamenting an online wave of antisemitism that has targeted him among others.

“I’m not here to feed conflict — I’m here to feed connection. And here’s the truth from my actual lived experience,” Caresnone, whose real name is Chris Campbell, wrote in a message to his social media followers last week. “I’ve made content showing love to so many cultures — Mexican, Polish, Filipino, Palestinian, Black, White, Honduran, Jewish, etc. … and the only time I consistently get real hate is when I show love to Jewish people.”

 

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Campbell has amassed a large following with his social media content, which focuses on bringing people together through food and culture. He has just under 640,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram.

He started trying Jewish foods after being sent a Babka in June 2024. Since then, he has tried many other Jewish foods and even went on a Jewish food tour in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with Yaakov Langer — who runs the successful Jewish social media and podcasting company Living L’Chaim.

However, Campbell said he has received significant antisemitism over his Jewish-related content. “That ain’t some political stance. That’s just me telling the truth,” he wrote. “I have received threats only when I showed love to the Jewish culture.”

Campbell explained that seeing the antisemitism as someone who is not Jewish gives him a different perspective. “As someone who’s probably not in my space, especially if you’re non-Jewish, and then you see it, it’s different when you see it from an outsider’s perspective. It’s crazy. There’s only 14 million Jewish people on earth, y’all, and they’re the most, I can see why they’re always in fear.”

Campbell also emphasized that the Jewish community has greatly appreciated his content showcasing its culture and food.

“The Jewish culture has embraced me in ways that others haven’t. They’ve sent me products, flown me out, paid me, supported me in my inbox, and shown me love. Asked for help And when someone shows love — I show love back. It’s called the law of reciprocity,” he wrote. “I started showing love FIRST to the Jewish Culture and all Cultures for that matter and all cultures have embraced me to be fair but the Jewish culture REALLY embraced me and then they showed me love. Understandably.”

Despite the negativity he sometimes receives, Campbell wanted to make it known that “99 percent of the comments I get are pure love.” However, he continued, “this message is for that 1 percent who can’t stand to see a Black man showing love to Jewish people. I see you. But I don’t live in your energy.”