Posted to Crown Heights News on

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [NY1] — On Tuesday, Brooklyn marked the 17th anniversary of the Crown Heights riots, one of its darkest episodes.

The violence was sparked by the death of a seven-year-old black boy, Gavin Cato, who was hit by a car driven by a Hasidic Jew.

When it was over, 29-year-old rabbinical student Yankel Rosenbaum was dead.

Brooklyn Marks Crown Heights Riot Anniversary

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [NY1] — On Tuesday, Brooklyn marked the 17th anniversary of the Crown Heights riots, one of its darkest episodes.

The violence was sparked by the death of a seven-year-old black boy, Gavin Cato, who was hit by a car driven by a Hasidic Jew.

When it was over, 29-year-old rabbinical student Yankel Rosenbaum was dead.

In the years since, the families of the two victims have come together and have become a symbol of the healing of racial tensions in the neighborhood.

This year, Rosenbaum family friend Isaac Abraham met with Carmel Cato, Gavin’s father.

“This being the 17th year of two tragic, tragic fatalities, Mrs. Rosenbaum called me from Australia, Yankel’s mother, and asked me if she sends a letter, can I deliver it to Mr. Cato,” said Abraham.

“Well, it’s a sympathy letter, expressing the feelings and the love to me on this day,” said Cato. “Because they also lose their child on this day.”

Lemrick Nelson served time on federal civil rights charges in connection with Rosenbaum’s death.

Another man, Charles Price, is still imprisoned.

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14 Comments

  • Milhouse

    “29-year-old rabbinical student Yankel Rosenbaum”

    I know this is a minor point, but for that very reason it’s irritating when people keep getting this wrong. Yankel was not a rabbinical student in 1991, he was a grad student in the history department at Melbourne University, and was in NY for a few weeks, doing research for his thesis on Jewish life in Poland between the two World Wars.

    Not that he wasn’t a yodea sefer. His brother Norman said that afterwards, when the family went through his seforim, they found many notes he’d made in obscure seforim, showing that he’d actually learned them, not just bought them to stand on the shelf as most people do. But at the time of his murder he wasn’t in yeshivah, and certainly wasn’t studying for the rabbinate.

    On his visits to NY he didn’t even usually stay in Crown Heights. Usually he stayed in Flatbush, but punkt that week his usual place wasn’t available, so he moved in with friends in CH.

  • Technical

    Anouther minor point missing is: car “accident” vs “intentional” organized violent riotting without any government protection.

  • CH

    Milhouse, was is the difference of where he lived, learned or even studdyed every lubavitcher is a chosid if the rebbe and every yid is a sad life lost no matter of where, how, when they lived, learn or even did.

    You are so petty with life.. look at the the main point of the story, a yiddishe life was lost and we all feel the lose in our nation.

    If you have nothing smart to say opr comment write it in a book and place that book on the shelf in your room for yourself to read and stop putting comments like your previuos one on a story whcih is NOt the place for that!

  • YIZCHAK

    THE RIOTS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH JUSTICE IT WAS AN EXPRESSION OF ANGER FROM THE BLACK COMMNITY.
    AFTER DEALING WITH THEM ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS ,I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT ALL THEY WANT IS SOME RECOGNITION.THEY LOVE WHEN WE ACCNOWLEDGE THEM.SO HOW HARD IS IT TO SAY“ HELLOW ” TO THEM THEY ARE HUMANS TOO.

  • Rifka

    I feel efforts should be made by our us to convince our judicial system to modifiy the laws of Double Jeopardy, urgently. When a person confesses to a crime after being acquitted there should be a way to get them found guilty of the crime and forced to serve a jail sentence. As we all know, while drunk, Lemerick Nelson confessed to a classmate to have cowardly stabbed Yankel Rosenbaum in the back and got away scott free.
    If anyone has ideas please post them.

  • Rise above

    Great! Another vehicle for people attempting to show how smart or compassionate they are by taking a stand! Sit down,people, re-read the article, take a minute or two to mourn the loss of a great man and then do something with your life that would honor his. Do something kind for someone else in Yankel’s honor and save your writing skills for sending his family a letter to tell them what you have done to perpetuate their son’s/brother’s memory. Probably arguing over the circumstances under which his life ended won’t do it.

  • CH

    I agree with Rise above!

    Amazing point!

    are the comments that milhouse, technical and other wrote, are these what values the Rebbe taught you.

    V’ahavtah Lrayacho C’omoyco. The rebbe said comoyco is just like yourself (like your hands)

    Think before you write, nariskayt!!!!!

  • Tonya

    No one here seems to realize that there was a young BLACK CHILD who was killed as a result of this “accident”. It’s not about being recognized. It’s about being respected. When I try to pull up GAVIN CATO’S name on the internet, I get very limited information. When I type in the name of the Jew, I get more information than I care to read. What does that tell you about hte value of a BLACK life in America?

  • Speaker

    I am studying the video production of “Fires in the Mirror” and came across this article during my research. I feel compelled to comment that while both the deaths of the young boy and the 29 year-old student were tragic, one was indeed an accident and the other was a blatant murder. In response to your comment Tonya the reason we don’t see much of the name of Gavin Cato is that his death was just an accident. But when a hate crime to the extent of a murder is committed, it will be publicized far more.
    And as far as Milhouse’s comment is concerned, I believe it is good to have clarification of any facts that may be connected to any story. When the facts are not clear, people will cling to rumors no matter how absurd. Yes two lives were lost during this riot and yes we should mourn their deaths, but we should celebrate their lives in truth, honesty and equality.

  • Sean

    Tonya, your key word is ACCIDENT!!!!! If you want a black life to be worth more in America then do something with your life and tell your “brothas and sistas” to stop gang banging and go get a job and go to school. That’s the only way you will eary your “respect.” We have been through so much more than you and all you do is cry. DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE!!

  • Don-t perpetuate the hate.

    Tonya,your comments radiate nothing but insecurity and hate. ‘The Jew’ has a name. More than you care to read about? Says it all really.

    We’ll never move forward from any hate based events while we have small minded, paranoid individuals like you. Get out and mingle. Learn a little about something outside your own bigoted world view. You never know, it may open your eyes.

  • Tzefira Borenstein

    I am studying Anna Deavere Smith’s play as well and the hate from this incident hurts my nashamah.

    6 מִשְׁלֵי
    ב נוֹקַשְׁתָּ בְאִמְרֵי-פִיךָ; נִלְכַּדְתָּ, בְּאִמְרֵי-פִיךָ.

    Proverbs Chapter 6
    2 Thou art snared by the words of thy mouth, thou art caught by the words of thy mouth–