At Chassidic rabbi’s home, multiple people stabbed during a holiday celebration
During a Chanukah event on Saturday night in the home of Rabbi Chaim L. Rottenberg in the Forshay neighborhood in Monsey, N.Y., an individual wearing something obscure on his face entered just before 10 p.m., brandishing a knife. He then began slashing at some of the Chassidic Jews there for the celebration.
The Dec. 28 attack took place after Rottenberg had kindled the menorah on the seventh night of the holiday in the presence of family and community members. As those gathered began to leave and make their way to the synagogue next door, witnesses say the attacker calmly walked in, drew his weapon, and stated that “no one is going anywhere.”
He then began swinging the knife wildly at people in the room.
A Chassidic man threw a coat rack, table and chair at the assailant, and chased him from the home.
The attacker then attempted to enter the adjacent synagogue, but was locked out by those who barricaded themselves inside.
Five people were stabbed, two in critical condition. The assailant fled in a gray car and was arrested two hours later in New York City.
The attack comes on the heels of the deadly anti-Semitic shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City on Dec. 10, as well as a string of anti-Semitic attacks in New York City just days beforehand.
People are requested to pray for the victims:
Yosef ben Perel
Chaim ben Vittel
Naftali Tzvi ben Gila
Nachman ben Elka
