Bluegrass Chabad Congregant Assaulted in Anti-Semitic Attack At Public Menorah Lighting

by CrownHeights.info

As the congregants of Chabad of Bluegrass in Lexington, Kentucky prepared to light the public Menorah Motzei Shabbos, one of its members was assaulted in an anti-Semitic attack.

“Tonight, as we were preparing to light the Menorah for the third night of Chanukah, a community member was assaulted outside the Chabad House,” Shliach Rabbi Shlomo Litvin wrote on social media.

According to Litvin, a car pulled up in front of the Chabad House, nearly hitting a volunteer camera crew. The driver then began yelling abusive language at those around.

A heroic community member who was assisting in the lighting heroically stepped between the assailant and the Chabad House, according to to Litvin, protecting several children were in the front room at the time.

The attacker, still in the car, then allegedly grabbed the man and held his arm as he drove off, dragging him for a block and running over his leg.

The attacker then fled the scene.

The Lexington Police Department and local EMS quickly responded to the 911 call, immediately beginning to investigate the incident and treating the injured community member.

Before allowing EMS to transport him to the hospital, the heroic community member made sure to see the Chanukah Menorah lit, insisting that they “light the Menorah, and not allow darkness to quench our light.”

“Tonight’s lighting was centered around standing up to hatred, following the antisemitic attack at the Chabad at UK Jewish Student Center and the regrettable silence from some in the aftermath,” wrote Litvin. “The fact that this event to was marred by violence is horrifying, but through it all our Menorah has stayed lit.”

Soon after the incident, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton published a statement condemning the attack.

“Racism and religious persecution have no place in our City. Police have already started an investigation into the criminal incident at Chabad of the Bluegrass on Saturday. Those who violated the law will be prosecuted. Let us all join in the spirit of Chanukah, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil.”