Posted to Crown Heights News on

Tensions Run High at Press Conference

Shturem.net

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn — State Senator Eric Adams convened a press conference at the Jewish Museum to protest and condemn the vicious beating of the 16 year old yeshiva bochur this past Friday night.

Samuel Balkany, 16, needed staple to close gash after being attacked Friday night. Balkany told cops he was beaten by five black teens shouting hate-filled slurs said Sunday the attack has left him terrified – fearful of even walking outside his Brooklyn home.

More Pictures from the Press Conference in the Extended Article!

“They were saying, ‘Oh, little Jew boy, you think you own this neighborhood,’” Samuel said. “’Who are you, f—ing Jew?’”

Samuel, a Lubavitch Hasidic, said he exchanged no words with the teens before the attack.

They were not trying to rob him, he said.

“I was just getting clobbered,” added Samuel, who said doctors told him the attackers must have used a rock or some other sharp object.

“I was screaming for help but nobody was there.”

After the beating, Samuel ran to his friend’s house, where his pal’s mother called 911.

“I have a lot of deep holes in my head, one deep gash,” he said. “All over my body, I have black and blue marks.”

Cops were investigating the beating as a possible hate crime.

“Now, last night, I walked to my friend’s. And I didn’t want to walk home,” he said. “It’s a difficult ordeal to live in a community and not be able to walk to your friend’s house.”

Samuel is hoping politicians will work harder to make things right.

“I think we’ve been a little bit abandoned,” Samuel said.

“I hope one of the higher-ups at City Hall – [Police Commissioner] Ray Kelly, [Mayor] Bloomberg – can come to Crown Heights and show us solidarity in this community,” Samuel said.

“It can’t go on.”

Speakers at the press conference all agreed that this crime must be dealt with immediately and decisivly so it won’t get out of hand and lead to riots similar to the ones in 1991.

Councilman Dov Heikind who also spoke at the press conference said “it wasn’t a robbery but a hate crime. It took place on the Sabbath when Jews don’t carry money and the attackers knew this.”

Related Articles

47 Comments

  • resident

    look at vega he feels like crap i dont blame him his job is on the line vega enjoy your time at the precient your not going to last to long

  • A Shmuel admirer

    Shmuel,
    It takes courage to get up there in front of a crowd of reporters and speak. You know, u made a kiddush Hashem, with your composed manner. I am sorry this happened to you, but unfortunately until it happened to someone with some political clout, nothing was done about the problems. Your courage and stature were beautiful to see in a frum boy. To me it seems that u inherited your fathers abilities of doing something, not just complaining, and I see u as a streamliner that more Crown Heightsers need to learn from. Here’s to a safer Crown Heights, and an end of the terror era that we have been living through in the past two years!

  • Sholom

    its never going to get better in Brooklyn. Jews will always be targeted and nothing will happen. I moved from Crown Heights, and I’m extremely happy about it. Now I dont rely on the schools for my kids Chinuch, but I work on it myself. And my kids can go out at night and not be worried about about being called an F—– Jew or getting beat up. So we dont get food stamps, section 8, or Medicaid. But its worth it. It makes me work harder every month to make money, instead of going to the 10:00 am minyan in 770. Let me not forget that my kids dont see lubavitchers without beards, and lubavticher women without sheitals, or wearing revealing clothing, instead they see other people like that and it doesnt confuse them. It’s time for people to move from Crown Heights. Its getting more modern, and bc of that their is going to be more crime. Almost every family in Crown Hieghts has one kid without that went off the derech. Its ridiculous. I think its that most chassidishe lubavtichers went on shlichus and the cackers stayed in CH.

  • A WRITER

    ITS ABOUT TIME. TRUST ME THE COPS WILL BE AROUND FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND THEN THEY LET IT GO LIKE NOTHING EVER HAPPENED!!!

  • looking-for-emes

    very grateful that Balkany was not hurt worse, but its unacceptable that Jewish people are getting attacked. What does Bloomberg say about this? The community was not like this when we had Guliani!
    As for the speakers…..the black speakers were great, they really gave a feeling of solidarity efforts. As for the Jewish speakers…..well Beryl Sugar is really great. He is intelligent and HONEST, and you can feel his honesty and see it. He’s a good rep for us. He has a clean and honest reputation and is able to do alot from that standpoint. Yashar Koach Beryl.

  • yedelkopf

    men darf machen the whole time chapts em and oonmaklen di bainer azoi?! all the rest is devorim btelim and bitul TORAH

  • Wary

    He doesn’t look very beaten up; They say 5 shvartzes beat him? Where are the bruises? The public isn’t so convinced…

  • boruch ben tzvi(A H) hakohaine hoffinger

    B“H
    Calling this meeting was a very good idea. I honor those involved in discussing this sad and tragic incident.
    I would have gone but found out about it too late. I went to the last meeting at the junior high school.
    The last elected official to speak appeared to be State Senator (20th Senate District) Eric Adams.
    He said: ”…Someone heard this man’s screaming for help. You do not have to wait until it’s your family member. We want our community to come together. The police cannot be everywhere…”
    Are Mr. Adams words poorly ordered or is he blaming the Jews (really ALL Jews) on Carroll Street?
    It’s winter time and most windows are closed everywhere.. Many homes have thick casement style windows. People are sitting and talking and there are other sounds and noises.
    Is it so easy to hear shouts from 200 feet (or more)?

  • BigBen

    Most usual suspects were there. Attracted to the camera lights like flies to dung. The cops will perform a show for a few weeks (ChofBeis Shvat) and then will disappear. We need action, we need arrests and put away the criminals for a long time.

  • Eliyahu

    Yasher Koach to everyone that showed up – b’hadras melech kiddush Hashem – in the centre of the Jewish kids museum – our future – who we want to have a safe Crown Heights from now on. This type of vigilence can’t be letup. The news has to see more and more of these types of public gatherings. I would suggest even getting Brooklyn’s famous black activist Barnabas Shakur and his good friend Rabbi Bob (Kaplan) to set up a future family rally to entail all the people of Crown Heights.

  • just another jew

    To Shmuel,
    I sit back and wonder about the ways of the aibishter. How quick are we to reject him, but how creative is he in reminding us just who we are.
    Yidden and chassidim. A hate crime means that you are being singled out for your yiddishkeit, and where? in Crown Heights, which is the headquarters the Frierdike Rebbe chose for his chassidim.
    So the aibishter who is creative and a kol yochol, a real can doer, did.
    He said Shmuel. You forgot me? C’mon man, I love you. Would you mind helping me in a little project, oh and by the way, it really will require you not minding that you are a yid and chossid. Somehow Shmuely, you agreed.
    And the aibishter chose well.
    Now shmuely it’s your turn, my boy,
    uvacharta Bachayim, choose life man, choose well
    b’hatzlacha

  • CH Resident

    Just another photo op for the usual shtick drecks.. There they all are ready to take some credit but never ready to take blame… Shem Zech!!!!!

  • some one who lives in ch

    I left CH for one week. My children were able to play in a park without worrying that we would get mugged. I had no fear parking my car at 11:00 pm and walking back to my house. This has to stop. It is not right for us to say that it is because we as in CH are getting more modern and ppl should go on shlichus, I know a lot of shluchim who are very modern. The fact is that the young African American community are not on the same page as they were like the African American Community in the past where they fought for freedom. They are in the modern times where they have the freedom and they feel like they can get away with what they want. This has to stop, bcz it is getting worse not better.

  • Meg

    Wary: I agree with you.. for a kid that’s been beaten so terribly, he certainly doesn’t look the part. I’ve never seen someone beaten by a group of people that gets out without a black eye, or a fat lip.. the kid has a staple in his head, yeah, but I don’t think the attack was NEARLY as serious as it’s being played out.

    I do think that there is crime against the Jews in this neighborhood, but blowing this all out of proportion really isn’t going to help.

  • crown heights is ours

    i think that staples in a boys head is enough proof, and besides- bruises or not noone should be talked to like that in their own neighbourhood.

  • to sholom

    i’m a bit confused. what exactly did you mean by

    “Its getting more modern, and bc of that their is going to be more crime. Almost every family in Crown Hieghts has one kid without that went off the derech. Its ridiculous. I think its that most chassidishe lubavtichers went on shlichus and the cackers stayed in CH.”

    how does one connect to the other? are you trying to say that if kids go off the derech, crime happens? what’s the connection.

  • people are messed up!

    Wary wrote:

    He doesn’t look very beaten up; They say 5 shvartzes beat him? Where are the bruises? The public isn’t so convinced…

    01/22/08 – 11:29 –

    Do you want him to take his pants off in public to prove to you that he was beaten??? You think he’s gonna get up there and waste his time if nothing really happened to him??

    Man, YOU must be from Crown Heights and in the single digits to talk like that.

    My brother got mugged and the crap kicked out of him and you actually THINK that people are makin this stuff up???
    Think it through man!

  • mc

    nice to see young blood repersenting the community. thank you berel sugar and levi frielech. we have leaders whom look presentable for a change…talk the talk and walk the walk…yasher koach…when are you guys running??

  • TO WARY

    JUST CUZ U DONT C THE BRUISES ON HIS FACE DOESNT MEAN HE DIDNT GET HURT SOMEWHERE ELSE (ma hakasher bichlal)

  • leah

    to sholom: all you did was run away fro m the problem and admit defeat!!! if everyone took your example, what will become of the center of lubavitch??? it might be hard to see young kids leaving the torah path, but running away like you did will do nothing for the nation as a whole.
    ps. take a look at other cassdim. its every where . we aren’t the only ones with this problem

  • gehaktebeiner

    this must be the worst written piece of journalistic drivel I’ve read. Grammar and spelling is obviously not the forte in Lubavitch reporting. Last time I checked we weren’t living in China, so please don’t write in Mandarin.
    Let’s try and show the wider community that our leadership is not run by an illiterate bunch of morons.

  • CC Bilo

    @ wary

    I think that if you watch all the video clips they will show you a pic of that sam really got stiches to his head

  • CROWN HEIGHT JEW

    IF AND WHEN WE GET RID OF THE CONVICTED CRIMINAL THAT RUN A SO CALLED SHMIRA PATROL (CAT WATCHING THE MILK ECT.)THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL CROWN HEIGHTS BE A SAFER PLACE TO LIVE.

  • Ben

    Dear Mr. Sugar.
    I just want to say, I hope you know what you are doing!
    I know you have a great intentions but would hate to see this go the wrong way.
    Are you willing to go all the way which may take years and years???
    Or will you drop this once you get tried and burnt out?
    we all want to live here in crown heights side by side with our neighbors, and
    With good relations with the 71st Pct.
    Please be careful and know what you are doing. Ben

  • hello!!!

    To Wary…
    the article says “I have a lot of deep holes in my head, one deep gash,” he said. it is UNDER HIS HAIR!! duh, you can’t see it!

  • THE BIGT BAD ......... AND CO.

    Why do they always start with people who are alone or smaller then them? Let on of them try someone thier own size and see what they get in return!!

    A good old fashon self defence butt wooping!!!

    Please bring it on!!!!!!!!!

  • g-d help us.

    The crime will never stop altogether. It goes up and down with the summer months usually being the worst. and as someone before wrote, it takes a kid who has a political connection for something to be done. too bad it had to be Balkany, maybe they will pick on a rubashkin or sperlin kid next…look out you guys!
    and as for moving out of crown heights my neighbout is moving out in a few months and my family is seriously looking into things elsewhere too. The police don’t care and neither does anyone else in the blessed community. Move to a nice quiet place with no niggers who bother you, and a friendly community who knows how to be one.

  • resident

    Brookyn is crazy , just today in Boro Park they tied up a family and stole thier stuff in broad day light.Check out the story on http://www.theyeshivaworld.com .We need Guliani back now . Now the chasidishe get a little taste of what it will be like with Hillary .Hashem Yishmor for all those Chazeirim who vote for that dirty rag.

  • sara

    sorry to say that I watched the clip of fox news and was extremely unimpressed with Beryl Sugar’s little speech. The bringing out of the yellow star- was totally uncalled for….. the whole thing was creepy

  • angry at the police

    Trust me, the police will be around for two weeks and then they will return to normal- giving out as much tickets as possible during the day, while at night sitting at the there desks at the 71st eating doughnuts…

  • eli mendel

    what happened??? everyone spoke and talked and what was the result something abt a “education initiative”? what happens now??? noone spoke abt doing anything

    and i think that this guy berel sugar made a big chillul hashem talking soo unprofessionaly yelling like a violent maniac in front of cameras and then waving a star high up above his head like he lost his senses and composure like he wqas brandishing a sword he should of showed it outwards to the camera and spoke with conviction not yelling like a lunatic

  • BAUCHER FROM o . t . 73-----76

    wary ;

    yr a idiot would u like to take his place ? or maybe the next ….victim
    maybe u want him to strip 4 u ?

  • to Ben

    Ben!

    Polotitions come polotitions go, but history is here to stay, what would you want to be remembered for, lecking, lecking leckeing.

    or standing up for yours and everyones rights.

  • fed up

    To Eli Mendel,
    You think Berel Sugar made a chillul hashem? I think he talks with passion and conviction. He’s not a polotician and never claimed to be one. He is just a citizen of CH who is concerned about the safety of the Jewish people and has the guts to say the truth. So until you get yourself up there and start taking some action why don’t you keep your opinions to yourself.

  • Some thoughts

    Beryl Sugar:
    I used to live in CH, right next to you.
    I just want to say thank you. I don’t give a hoot what the rest of the detractors here say (wait till they get mugged and let’s see if they sing the same tune), to me, you are the only person (together with your group) that is willing to take a stand and say things for what they are. Sure, it not politically correct to call out the NYPD for being afraid to death of the criminal black youth in CH, but someone has be have the guts to call a spade a spade.

    May Hashem bless you with abundance of health, wealth, happiness, and security. I wish others would have the geon yaakov that you have to be able to tell people without being ashamed: the black peopl ein CH are a problem that everyone is afraid of facing. We NEVER hear of a Jew or white person or Asian person or any person mugging black people or even other Jews/whites/Asians in CH. The obvious question is WHY? and since we all know the answer, it is high tome to say LOUD and CLEAR: The black community is to blame for the crime and attacks, don’t let them get away with it.

    Just because they were subject to slavery does not mean they get a free pass to plunder, mug, beat, steal, rob etc. Sorry, but they’ll get no sympathy from Jews who were without doubt persecuted for much longer and much worse than blacks ever were (I don’t recall the Germans (or any other nation) killing six and a half million black people). Yet, with all our persecutions (even these very days on CH), do you ever see Jews resort to violence? NO. Jews move on with their life and faith and try to work their tushes off o that they can have a normal, functioning family life so that they can be productive members of society.

    It is high time for people in this country to stop pandering tot he blacks because of fear of black riots and violence and DEMAND the blacks to get educations, jobs, and to become productive members of greater society. Isn’t it funny how the criminals themselves blame everyone but themselves for the crimes they commit?

  • always a mommy

    I hope the Shluchos will be safe as they go to & fro the Kinnus. I’m afraid for my daughter to walk at night; I’d give her the car, but she’d only end up parking back home.

    Does anyone have any info on extra security/safe passage for these ladies?

  • ACHDUS!

    HELLO! when will you people get it through your heads! this community is in shambles.

    there is no achdus and when the community is divided, we are vulnurable.
    the politics in ch are pathetic and only when we are all beachdus will things get better!

  • another view

    To Baruch …Hoffinger:

    I took it just the opposite- i thought he was talking to the black people, bystanders to all the crimes who don’t do anything to stop them. He was saying that if ordinary citizens would care a bit more, the ones filled with hatred wouldn’t have as much power. I thought it was very nice, and not at all blaming the Jewish community. I guess you can look at it both ways…

  • Berel, u r my hero

    Reading the comments that are against Berel Sugar really make me upset. I know Berel personally, and I can tell u when I was younger, and we hung out at the same persons house Shabbos, he enjoyed taunting me, and teasing me, but at the same time, I was never in doubt of the fact that should I need him for real, he would be there for me. So this does not come from someone who thinks Berel is without his chisroinois. That notwithstanding, I would like to see his critics get up, and do something instead of talking,, and being afraid that the 71 might retaliate. A person does not have to cower and let the monsters take over,, thats what happened with the NAZIs and I say NEVER AGAIN! and I hold from you Berel, despite the teasing of my teenage years, because you are showing the cops we will not allow this garbage to go on,,, MAY HASHEM BE WITH YOU!

  • these are bad times

    meg and Wary,

    The only way you will be satisfied is to see the victims so beaten up in a coma? Even if it was just racial slurs, that is bad enough!! Are you waiting for someone to get killed to believe that these are violent hate crimes? I don’t know where you come from, maybe you are from the black community and know about this website.