Posted to Crime on

Jewish Man Severely Beaten and Strangled on Shabbos Afternoon

A 50-year-old Jewish man was severely beaten and nearly choked to death on Saturday afternoon after saying “hello” to a black man, who retorted “I don’t like you fake Jews, you stole my money.”

by CrownHeights.info

A 50-year-old Jewish man was severely beaten and nearly choked to death while walking home from Shabbos prayer services at a nearby synagogue.

The incident occurred at around 1:30pm on Rutland Road near Schenectady Avenue as the victim was returning home from prayer services at a synagogue in the nearby Kingsbrook Jewish Hospital.

Speaking to CrownHeights.info the victim described the harrowing attack in vivid detail; “As I was walking home I passed a man smoking a cigar on the corner of Rutland and Schenectady and I said ‘good afternoon’ to him,” he said, adding that it’s a nice neighborhood and everyone is close.

“As soon as [I greeted] him he began yelling at me ‘you fake Jews, who are you saying hello to? Your fake Jews and you stole all my money and robbed me, and stole my mortgage and my house. I want to kill you!’

“I thought the man was just crazy so I started walking away, and he shouted ‘you don’t walk away from me’ and started chasing after me.

“He caught up to me at the corner of East 46th Street and Rutland and jumped me, he put me in a choke-hold and I started to feel dizzy, I felt my air going out, I started saying Shema, I thought I was going to die.

“Somehow I was able to move out of it [thank G-d], and started screaming for help and he was saying ‘you don’t need help, I need to kill you’.”

The victim said that he held on to a fence for dear life, afraid that if he would be thrown to the ground he would certainly suffer even worse, all the while the attacker landed vicious punches and kicks on the victim.

“Two nurses who saw the attack intervened and separated the man from me and told me to go, to run away, they didn’t even bother calling police,” said the victim. “When I got home I called Hatzalah, who in turn notified the police.”

The victim suffered a cracked rib along with swelling, bruising and scratches all over his body and was transported to Kings County Hospital, where he remained until the conclusion of Shabbos.

Police have opened an investigation into this incident as an assault motivated by bias, and the victim was interviewed at the hospital by detectives from the hate crimes task force. The victim was also visited by the commanding officer of the 71st precinct.

He described the assailant as being tall and muscular, in his 40’s and had a small beard.

The victim added that he feels that the incident is being treated with severity and hopes that this get resolved quickly, “I never saw this man before, and I have been living in this area for over three years,” adding that he is afraid for others should they come into contact with this person.

This is the second attack in as many weeks that occurred over Shabbos in which police suspect bias to be the motive.

This story has been updated to add a description of the attacker along with a correction of the time the incident occurred.

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72 Comments

  • Chochom

    Time to move. Be safe. For your family why live in such a dangerous place!. This is not worth your life. So sad. R”L.

    • shchuneh

      on the contrary, the rebbe wanted more jews to move in, rather than move out to make the shchune safer

    • Yosef Shomron

      That was a just a slogan for self-defense. If you read any or all of Rabbi Kahane’s books – his solution was
      for Jews to live in their own Land, their own Nation – Israel. That’s what he did, and what he encouraged his followers to do.

    • Agreed

      Bet these nurses won’t be witnesses if they ever find him. But at least they helped the victim.

  • Zalman

    So to make as if the police care they will add another police car in front of 770 as if that protects the people at Rutland. And of course they will open a investigation but never find the person who did it. It’s about time we have cameras on every corner. This will cut down on crime and make it easier to catch the person when it happens.

    • Goyim's Anti-Semitism, begins with the seeds planted by Secularised Self Hating Jews

      The Jews worst enemies are ourselves.

      Our very own, Secularised Jews and self hating Jews, regularly, verbally attack our own fellow Jews, verbally, for example O.T. school dropouts, who blam their own failures in life, on O.T. for not teaching them secular studies, as a mere excuse for their own failures.

      The Criminal Thugs, then take that, to the next level. Our own verbal attack on our own fellow Lubavitchers, by our own, “Chabad-Light” or worse, by all those, who totally “Fry-Out”, is then “copied”, to Attack us physically, just as we do to each ither, verbally.

    • Shevach Sohn

      I fully agree. You can surround 770 with Tanks as well, but that does nothing to protect people walking on President St or Empire Blvd or Troy Avenue or obviously Rutland Rd. Sufficient cameras MUST be installed ASAP as well as MORE prowl cars and
      consideration of police walking beats would have an immediate positive effect.
      Shevach S a past resident of Lefferts Ave between Troy and Albany.

  • Non voter, it's your fault

    If it was the other way around (and a Jew did it to them) all the politicians would be screaming about it and it would be front page news all over. (Not to mention the protests…)
    Now there’s just crickets. You know why? Because NO ONE IN C.H. VOTES SO POLITICIANS DON’T CARE!

  • No one will make a big deal over this

    Why won’t our elected officials make a big deal about this? Because they don’t care about Crown Heights the way they do other communities. Anyone want to take a guess why?…

    • Very easy to answer

      They are only in it for the photo ops and kickbacks. They don’t give a damn about any of you.

      But you can only blame yourselves. Apathy wins out every time.

  • Where's the outcry?

    Why aren’t there press conferences about this and front page news?
    Oh, it happened to a Jew by a black… Never mind… We’re a “Progressive” city and state don’t you know.

  • It's from the hate they preach

    This … was clearly reacting to the antisemitism and hate he imbibed from the black community and black leaders (who preach the stuff he said all the time).
    Why don’t our politicians criticize this hate in their community which causes these crimes?
    Because we don’t vote so they don’t care.

    • Self Hating Freid Out Jews, cause AntiSemitism

      “From the Hate they Preach”?

      Our own X-Lubavitcher’s who fry out, are the ones going to the press preaching self hate about our own schools not teaching secular subjects to their satisfaction.

      The Goyim hen confirm this “hate preachibg” of the self hating Jews, by acting it out.

  • Vote

    Attention all CH Jews:
    Our elected officials don’t care because you don’t care!
    You DONT VOTE!!

  • Ahavas Yisroel

    They should start making Mace and Pepper spray available to buy in Crown Heights, and the Rabbanim should give a heter to those who live on the outskirts to carry it on Shabbos.

    • Yossel

      I would agree with you that it’s time for all Jews to move to Israel, except that our Rebbe told us to preserve the communities we live in.

      The Rebbe’s vision for Crown Heights was reasoable housing for a Yidden, an elected and effective Bais Din and Vaad HaKohol, as well as support from cops and politicians to ensure our safety.

      Let’s admit it…WE BLEW IT ON ALL COUNT!!!!!

    • shlomo

      if yo want that at least 75%of population will hat you just due to your kipa -move. if you want sit and home and guess did your kids return from school o will h’h died in explodes bus. if you want be very poor with nonsense benefits move now.
      May g-d will punish you for your hypocrisy

  • Midwest Cowboy

    Time to move out of CH. it’s not the place for any of u to be raising your kids.

    • C.H. is safest place

      Move out of CH.?

      B.P. is far worse and happens much more often.

      In B.P. a teen girl is not safe in her own bed in her own house while sleeping. Just a Few days ago an Atempted Rape or worse.

    • Self Hating Freid Out Jews, cause AntiSemitism

      Hay Yo “Midwest Cowboy”.

      Oh Yeah!

      Let’s all become cowboys and shoot each other like in the lawless wild west.

      That will surely solve all problems

  • Gershon Hoffman

    SHOULDN’T have addressed the shfartza, of course. Everyone knows not to even make eye contact with strangers let alone INITIATE a conversation with someone you don’t know in an urban area. Perhaps, this gentleman didn’t know or naïve but result the same. Not saying got what he deserved, of course. Clearly didn’t deserve to be beaten. “It is what it is,” however.

  • Anonymous

    This must be fake news, Deblasio says crime is going down and he meets with our local “powerbrokers” who heap praise on him.

  • Where are the protestors?

    Imagine this the other way around

    Falshe
    Falshe
    Falshe
    Velt

    Moshiach NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Now is the time

    “fake Jews”, “stole my mortgage” etc.

    Hmm, this sounds a lot like the recent anti-Semitic rant of “our” representative and elected officials.

    Look what happens.

    Words have repercussions and now is the time for her and all of them, to step up and make amends for her racist outburst. Find this creep and prosecute him to the full extent of the law!

  • The politicians did NY in long ago

    My father, A”H, grew up in the Bronx, from 1914 until the depression years. He said that what ruined NY was that businesses wanted cheap labor. But the locals would not go for such dirt cheap wages. So, what did businesses do? They imported people from out of town, who were willing to do it. But, the big problem was that among this population was a large criminal element. So, lo and behold, is it any wonder that the crime rate ran up so high in those areas where this group lived?

  • Moshe

    Maybe the perp was right in that a Jew stole all his money and his house. Maybe he was justifiably angry. Maybe when Jews go to “business” every day and “hustle” they should be conducting themselves in a legal and moral way and not be making a Chillul Hashem.

    • Maybe I'm right

      And you’re one big Chillul Hashem.
      We do things the right way, perhaps you don’t. Speak for yourself low-life.

    • How dare you

      How dare you condemn the victim saying it was his fault?! You are just as bad as the perpetrator himself. Test he obviously was angry and had hatred in him towards the Jews for some reason… maybe his house went for for closure and a jew bought off the house but that doesn’t give him the right to attempt murder at any random Jew he saw

    • Are you for real???????????????

      I cant believe what i’m reading!@#!???????????????

    • Moshe

      It’s easy to see from your response who did liey life is. And you’re telling me all Frum Lubavitchers behave ethically?

    • Facts Please

      Moshe , probably not your real name but maybe you should get some professional help

  • Despicable!!!

    Why won’t this act of violence be condemned by our community leaders?
    If a black gets beaten by a white guy it’s worthy of protests and media coverage, but when a Jew is assaulted it’s all hush hush??
    It’s almost as if we are starting to accept such attacks as commonplace
    And ‘hope’ it was a one time thing!
    Maybe our ‘leaders’ should put pressure on the authorities to track this criminal down and make an example out of him that it’s not o.k to just beat up a Jew.
    It seems like when a black beats up a Jew they say he is ‘mentally incompetent’, but if it be the other way around the Jew would surely be thrown in prison for a couple years.
    These acts of terror must stop.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe NYPD can stop using only unmarked cars because they are only focused on drugs.
    Maybe Nypd can stop focusing so much resources on traffic law enforcement
    Cops should be walking the neighborhood not driving around.

  • we do vote and all lives matter

    I get very annoyed by all the people who say we don’t vote – we do! When I go to the polling place I see lots of familiar faces.

    What is causing this violence though is the outsiders who want to divide crown heights into checklists. black, jew, and white. crown heights is so much more. we are African, Carribean, inner city. and yes there are black Jews. there are even African Jews. Thanks to DNA testing we are even finding people with white skin have black ancestors and vice versa. the checklists don’t apply. I was watching a documentary on Martin Luther King Jr. he said that anti-zionism is anti-semitism. anyone who studies actual history will read of how both blacks and Jews died and marched for civil rights. and how Hitler (may his name be erased)hated blacks in addition to hating Jews.

    yet with all that said al Sharpton will scream out about the rich Jews stealing from the blacks and rousing up hatred.

    we do need a protest – all lives matter!!!!

    • Yossel

      Black Lives Matter is only concerned with Colored people, no one else. They are viciously anti-Semitic…

  • Anonymous

    So sorry that Jews are being attached. Those that harm a Jew must answer to God.

  • Infuriating

    WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP?!?!? WHY ON EARTH DO MEMBERS OF THE CHJCC NOT CALL A PRESS CONFERENCE? WHY ON EARTH DOESN’T THE CHJCC COORDINATE WITH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL IF THE LOCAL LEADERSHIP IS TOO INEPT TO DO A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THEIR OWN? I DON’T LIVE IN CROWN HEIGHTS, BUT I CANNOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL WHY CH ELECTS “LEADERS” WHO ARE TOO DARN AFRAID OF THEIR OWN SHADOW TO “AGITATE” THE NON-JEWS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY CALLING A SPADE A SPADE, NAMELY THAT JEWS ARE ATTACKED FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN FOR BEING JEWS.

    IS THIS RUSSIA CIRCA 1916, OR IS THIS AMERICA IN 2018?!?!?!?

    ZAKI, PICK YOURSELF UP AND DO YOUR JOB: SPEAK UP FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU, AND IF YOU WON’T DO IT BECAUSE YOU CARE MORE ABOUT THE POLITICAL CONNECTIONS THAN CALLING ATTENTION TO BLATANT RACISM AGAINST JEWS, HAND THE REIGNS OVER TO SOMEONE LIKE BARRY SUGAR WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO CALL RACISTS OUT FOR WHAT THEY ARE.

    AND, WHO ARE WE KIDDING? ANYONE WHO ATTACKS A JEW FOR BEING A JEW IS A RACIST, NO MORE AND NO LESS, AND SIMPLY BECAUSE THE ATTACKER IS BLACK DOES NOT MEAN THEY CANNOT BE RACIST. THIS IS SICK.

    HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE DEMAND CHANGE? DO YOU THINK IF THIS HAPPENED IN BORO PARK THEY WOULD ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE? STOP BEING AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT, AND IF BLACK LEADERS REFUSE TO GIVE GRANTS TO THE CHJCC BECAUSE YOU DARED TO CALL THEM OUT ON RACISM, POST THAT IN THE PRESS OR SUE FOR THEM VIOLATING THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OR CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS (YES, THAT’S RIGHT, GOVERNMENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST WHITES OR JEWS IN THE PROVISION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES OR GRANTS, EVEN IF THOSE PERSONS WITH THE POLITICAL POWER ARE BLACK; AND SIMPLE INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS WOULD SHOW WHO THE BLACK POLITICAL LEADERS AWARD GRANTS AND CONTRACTS TO, AND IF IT SHOWS IT GOES DISPROPORTIONATELY TO NON-WHITE GROUPS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD (WHERE THE PURSE STRINGS ARE CONTROLLED ALMOST COMPLETELY BY BLACK LEADERS) THE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS SHOULD BE CONTACTED).

    THIS IS AMERICA PEOPLE – WE HAVE RIGHTS, AND IT IS TIME FOR ELECTED LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO STOP KISSING THE BUTTS OF PEOPLE WHO ACTIVELY ALLOW JEWS AND OTHERS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO BE ATTACKED BASELESSLY AND UNLAWFULLY BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE AND RELIGION. IF THIS HAPPENED IN THE REVERSE, WE’D NEVER STOP HEARING ABOUT IT IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS, LET ALONE THE LOCAL ONES

    BY THE WAY. MANY OF THE BACK PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE, WHO DO NOT LIKE THIS CONDUCT EITHER AND ARE EMBARRASSED. I AM SURE THEY WOULD JOIN IN EFFORTS TO DENOUNCE THIS IF SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO THEIR LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE RACISM IS BAD FOR EVERYBODY.

    • Yossel

      I don’t think it’s Russia circa 1916, it’s more like Warsaw, 1938…

  • Rav. Dovid Kaye.

    Wake up. Please wake up now. Before it’s too late. Remember that in Germany they also thought it was paradise… There is one place for any Jew to be and even the Rebbes were wrong not telling their followers to move a long time ago. . But now it is absolutely clear and stupid to ignore the blatantly obvious.

  • 48 yr in the hood

    I am ready to watch the streets
    With back up in my hands
    We need to act like the J D l
    We need to fight back
    With weponds

  • It's not assault. It's Atempted Murder

    This should be treated as Atempted Murder.

    Not merely downplayd as only an assault type of hate crime.

    The perpetrator who lost all his money and was hanging around on street corners with nothing to do, can easily be found because if he was hanging around the street corners before he is sure to continue the same afterwords too.

    And if Atempted to Kill once and didn’t succeed, he is sure to try again.

    Do we need to wait till someone is dead before classifying this as Atempted Murder?

    • We have to get to the bottom of all this

      Yes totally true this person is obviously mad at the world and what stops him from attacking another Jew that he gets annoyed at the way they are walking or if a Jew by mistake looks at him.
      Something major needs to be done before it gets as bad as the riots in the 90’s

  • Abraham Lincoln

    When he wanted to free the slaves, the original plan was to send them back to Africa. Halevai!!!!

    This man is a fineh yid, a real mentch. The Almighty should help that we should all come together and do what we’re supposed to be doing. MoshiachNOW

  • rrmee

    I heard people say that that area is going to get low lives. now that people are moving in with solid incomes, it attracts those people who live on social services and have hate. we all have to clean up be ruchnius too, and be honest in business. this does affect what happens to some extent.

  • #1, #3, #14, #16

    B”H
    The Rebbe was in favor of strengthening Crown Heights physically and spiritually, b’gashmius and b’ruchnius, not running away and certainly not looking for heterim for Shabbos. Crime happened a lot in Corwn Heights before the Rebbe’s stroke and the Rebbe never said to carry on Shabbos to protect oneself!
    It’s the time of year of Pirai Avos again – let’s strengthen ourselves bgashmius with more patrols and bruchnius by learning and practicing the lessons of the Pirkai Avos sichas.

  • Monique

    Im saying this as an African American who converted to Judaism To all the people on this comment thread: You guys are a disgrace. Yes, be angry but instead of doing the right thing which is bring together ALL the community leaders Jewish and African-American, you want to moan and complain. What we need to do is teach not cause more animosity in the community. So all the steryotypes will fade and CH will be a better and safer community. This is tragic and just as I dont blame all Jewish people for the ignorant actions of a few, The African American/Caribbean community shouldn’t be lumped into the same category because of an action of a few ignorant people. And for the person that said Boro Park is worse, you’re wrong. Stop it

  • Arm yourselves by Voting

    1) This appears to be but another example of a mentally ill person acting out with an episode. The only thing more dangerous than a mentally ill person is a mentally ill anti-Semite.
    2) Many mentally ill drug addicts walk past that very spot either coming from
    a) Kingsbrook ( which recently opened an expanded mentally ill rehab department)
    b) The Clarkson Homeless Shelter (Clarkon & Albany)
    c) CAMBA – Albany & Winthrop (mentally ill and homeless
    d) The building next to True-Value across from the supermarket on East New York Ave which houses homeless and mentally ill
    e) and in the next year – the Bridge’s 8 story 60 unit building going up next to KFC on East New York Ave
    3) Two years ago, the knife attacks that occurred at 770 and in the streets were mentally ill anti-semites acting out what was happening in Israel at the time…knifing Jews in the back
    4) Crown Heights is a dumping ground for dangerous mentally ill, who when anti-semetic act out
    5) NYS Sen Jessie Hamilton is on the mental health committee for NYS which funds these places and flip-flopped on endorsing the most recent mentally ill homeless shelter for “THE BRIDGE” going up next to KFC on Utica & ENY Ave
    6) The answer is by getting 8000 Jews to vote in the democratic primaries…since the democratic primaries are often decided by less than that..
    7) Unless Jews care about their fellow Jews this will happen again
    8) Instead of seeing a temporary cop car on Schenectady, demand permanent cops on the streets….
    9) the religious schools should require all Jewish parents to vote in the primary or else no financial aid for school
    10) City Council woman Laurie Cumbo won the most recent democratic primary by only about 3500 votes
    11) The Rebbe said all Jews should vote, and the Jews should be linked .
    12) Make the Politicians fear you….and start caring about your fellow Jew by voting –
    13) More cops near mental health facilities, more cameras, and less Jewish leaders who take photo-ops with politicians who oversaturate Crown Hts with high risk dangerous mentally ill anti-semites
    14) Every shul is informed of the Democratic Primary Numbers…and how Jews can decide elections- both Diana Richardson and Jessie Hamilton are on NYS mental health committees which provides the public funding for all of this
    15) Everybody votes in the democratic primary, 1 hour a year – Have a raffle in every shul for everyone who votes in the democratic primary

  • Raise the Age Law

    1) Knock out attacks by 16 or 17 yr olds that do not result in a broken bone or sex assault are no longer a crime
    2) Amend NYS Penal Statute 120.05 (second degree assault) to include knock out attacks or else the Hate Crime Statute cannot kick in
    3) NYS Sen Hamilton was one of the proponents of Raise the Age which decriminalized knock out attacks by individuals 16 or 17, by ending misdemeanors for them, based upon the talking point th1) Knock out attacks by 16 or 17 yr olds that do not result in a broken bone or sex assault are no longer a crime
    2) Amend NYS Penal Statute 120.05 (second degree assault) to include knock out attacks or else the Hate Crime Statute cannot kick in
    3) NYS Sen Hamilton was one of the proponents of Raise the Age which decriminalized knock out attacks by individuals 16 or 17, by ending misdemeanors for 16 or 17 yr olds, based upon the talking point that “human brains are not developed until 24”.

    https://www.ny.gov/programs/raise-age-0
    http://raisetheageny.com/get-the-facts

    5) Organize and vote in the democratic primary and make the politicians fear you

  • Baal teshuvah with a wall full of diplomas

    The man who was attacked was one of our holiest of the holies. A true avodei hakodesh. May he have a Refuah Shleimah

  • SHNEUR

    Reply to comment no. 38

    Enough with your cynical Zionist propaganda
    Jews can live anywhere in the world and do not have to flee the United States.
    If you want to live in Israel (incidentally, Israel is threatened by the Iranian nuclear program, if you do not know …) go to Israel, and will not preach to others what to do.
    Any comparison between the Germany and Europe of Hitler yimach shmo era between the USA of the President Trump (אוהב ישראל) today – is outrageous, stupid and idiotic!

    The Rebbe said consistently, even during the most difficult years, not to run away from Crown Heights.
    And you – who are you to say that Jews have to FLEE?!

  • News Org.

    Another view of this incidents.
    We all know the Real Estate vultures
    Now we see how this guys are spilling jewish blood.

  • Building bridges must continue...

    Dear Monique,
    As a convert, I am sorry you have had to ‘ hear’ all these negative comments. The bottom line is these assaults are wrong, no matter what and the NYPD will do what they have to, but the dehumanizing and polarization that is being expressed does not help resolve anything. Thankfully there have been great efforts to discuss issues and difference and build bridges throughout the last several decades among the different ethnic groups that comprise Crown Heights and hopefully seeing the great need for this to continue, more will be done to help build bridges of understanding and respect in order that ALL the community can thrive and live peacefully

    • Ha

      Good luck getting the NYPD to do anything except embezzle money and run whatever corrupt racket they’re running. You’re in la-la land with this politically correct, feel-good mumbo jumbo.

      Moshiach times means the goyim will serve Yidden on their own volition and they will act entirely according to Torah. For us to accomplish that we don’t need photo ops and play time. Wake up Yidden, we need to fortify ourselves with Jewish pride. Moishe Rabbeinu had mesirus nefesh to kill a mitzri who was beating up another Yid. Ein lonu ela divrei ben Amrom. V’dal

  • schx

    how I wish these sick people would know the truth of all this. they have been used and abused. It is certainly not the Jews who did what he thinks. Their leaders are so evil to lie to them. when does the stupidity and evil end……

  • Malka

    I find it sad that the “Good Samaritan” nurses did not call the police immediately after witnessing this assault. In all the time it took the victim to walk home and call his own ambulance, who called police, away walked a very identifiable assaulter. But the unwillingness to call police comes from another bad trend, of police harming the mentally disturbed and sometimes shooting them. So, the nurses reluctance to just dial 911 is a different huge problem that added to the Yid’s tsuris. –C.H. Resident