A rabbi was verbally and physically attacked in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens in New York, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
City authorities described the incident as "targeted antisemitic attack", according to a report in Ynet.
According to Yeshiva World News, the attack occurred when a rabbi was approached by a suspect who, without provocation, began shouting and cursing antisemitic epithets before punching him in the face and throwing him to the ground.
Witnesses said the suspect also made threatening gestures, forming his hands into the shape of a gun and pointing them at the victim before fleeing the scene.
The NYPD said that the suspect was arrested at the scene and that the victim did not require medical treatment.
Local leaders condemned the incident. Congresswoman Grace Meng, Senator Joe Addabbo, Senator Leroy Comrie, New York State Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, New York State Assemblyman Sam Berger, and New York City Council member Lynn Schulman issued a joint statement denouncing the attack.
“We are outraged by the antisemitic attack that occurred in our district, in which a Rabbi was verbally harassed, physically assaulted, and threatened for being Jewish. This was a targeted act of hate, and it has no place in our community or anywhere in New York City," they said.
“No one should ever fear for their safety because of their religion, identity, or beliefs. The rise in antisemitic incidents across our city and country is deeply concerning, and this attack- occurring on Holocaust Remembrance Day - underscores the urgent responsibility we all share to confront hate before it escalates into violence," they added.
“We are relieved that the victim did not suffer serious injuries, and we stand in solidarity with him and with the Jewish community during this painful moment. We thank the officers of the 112th Precinct for their swift response and for taking the individual responsible into custody."
“We call on all New Yorkers to reject antisemitism and all forms of hatred, and to stand united in defense of the safety, dignity, and humanity of our neighbors," the statement concluded.
Julie Menin, Speaker of the New York City Council, said, “I'm appalled by this horrific antisemitic assault that occurred on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, of all days."
She added, “This act of violence is yet another example of the deeply disturbing pattern of hateful incidents against our Jewish community. It’s why the Council’s Action Plan to Combat Antisemitism is so urgently needed."
“No New Yorker should ever be subjected to hatred or violence for who they are or how they worship, and we are taking action to put an end to it," stressed Menin.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was “horrified by the antisemitic assault on a rabbi in Forest Hills."
“On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, New Yorkers were confronted with a painful truth: antisemitism is not a thing of the past-it is a present danger that demands action from all of us. There is no place for antisemitism in our city. I stand in solidarity with Jewish New Yorkers and my administration is committed to rooting out this hatred," he added.
New York has seen a sharp uptick in incidents of antisemitism since October 7, 2023. Data released by the New York City Police Department on the day before the mayoral election in November, won by Mamdani who has come under fire for his anti-Israel views, revealed that Jews were the victims in 62% of all hate crimes reported last month, with 29 antisemitic incidents out of a total of 47.
On the very day that Mamdani was elected, swastikas were sprayed on the Magen David Yeshiva in Brooklyn.
Nearly two weeks after the election, antisemitic graffiti reading “F**k Jews" was found scrawled on a sidewalk in the Cobble Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Last week, two teenagers were arrested after allegedly spray‑painting dozens of swastikas and other antisemitic messages throughout a Brooklyn playground frequented by Jewish children.