Argentina's Chief Rabbi Gavriel Davidovitch
Argentina's Chief Rabbi Gavriel DavidovitchAvi Ohayon

Argentina's Chief Rabbi Gavriel Davidovitch, who was severely injured last week, was released from hospital this evening after a week of hospitalization.

Police in the country have yet to share whether the incident was criminal or anti-Semitic.

Unknown assailants broke into the Rabbi's home at 2:00 am local time and brutally attacked him. Rabbi Davidovitch suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized until now. The Rabbi's wife was at home during the break-in and was tied up during the attack.

Jewish Agency Chairman Yitzchak Herzog told Arutz Sheva last week about his conversation with Rabbi Davidovitch:

"I spoke with Rabbi Davidovitch and found him brave, a hero, in terrible pain but with a strong spirit; he was severely traumatized after a serious incident, and he told me how he was attacked and it was hard for him to speak because his ribs were broken. I offered him encouragement and promised he'd be blessed for a complete recovery, and that I hope to see him in one of my planned visits to Argentina."

Herzog is convinced this is an anti-Semitic attack, in light of what Rabbi Davidovitch told him: "He described a situation in which the bandits told him, 'You're the leader of the community, we know this; where'is the money?' It's quite clear there are plain anti-Semitic signs here. The Sefardi rabbi was attacked a few years ago. Here's a case of anti-Semitism that needs to be dealt with."

The Jewish Agency Chairman said he expects Argentina to handle the incident and the anti-Semitic atmosphere with all its resources. "Argentina is a law-abiding country, there's enforcement there, there are police and prosecutors there, and I'm sure it'll be handled lawfully. The great challenge is an international phenomenon that's growing on the basis of violent social networks, extreme Right and Left in all political systems, radical Islam, and hatred of Jews that exists in various places. Together, this produces a very explosive cocktail in an era when emotions rule savage people, and this forces legal and educational challenges."

יצחק הרצוג: "הרב היה בטראומה אחרי אירוע קשה"