Jews in the quiet suburb find it difficult to digest what happened at the rabbi's Chanukah party • Yosef Glick, today's hero, said: "The terrorist ran after me and threatened to catch me, I shouted for everyone to flee" • The US Jews, who have felt safe until recently, talk about a new reality • We wrote In a special report from the scene

• Anti-Semitic attack on New York Jews // Photo: Islands Nose. Phi, ay. times

The people of the quiet suburb of Monsey are having trouble digesting what happened to them the previous day. Rabbi Chaim Leibish Rutenberg's traditional Chanukah party ("the Rebbe of Kuson") became a scene of terrorism, with wounded, blood and shouts. At one point, residents of the area were exposed to what they call "the new reality" - bursts of anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews everywhere. There is no Jewish community missing from San Diego, California to Brooklyn, New York.

The attacker - who was meanwhile caught by Manhattan police for being resourceful by one of the event attendees who fueled and was able to record the license plate number of the vehicle he fled - lives in Orange County, a 20-minute drive from where he chose to execute his diabolical plan. The residents do not have an explanation of how Rabbi Rotenberg's Chanukah party actually arrived, he may have searched the synagogue next to the house, but found out on the way that the real feature is happening next door.

A stabbing event against ultra-Orthodox Jews in Monsey Township in New York State // from Twitter

Approximately 100 people came to the rabbi's house, from Little Chasun Chassid, who runs the regional synagogue on Pacific Porsche Street, to the Chanukah party, which is organized every year. If the terrorist had arrived a short 20 minutes earlier, all attendees would still be at home, singing in the candles and tasting the donuts. But the terrorist was late, and most people immediately left after the fire.

We were sent at the entrance to the rabbi's house

"I prayed for my life. He started attacking people as soon as he entered the house. We didn't have time to respond at all. We saw him pull a knife out of a holster. He was the size of a broom." This is how Aron Cohen, 65, described the moments of terror in the home of Rabbi Haim Leibish Rotenberg ("The Rebbe of Kosson") at the height of Saturday's Melva celebration, which included candle lighting and a Chanukah party attended by dozens of followers and acquaintances in the city of Monsey in New York York.

Panic in New York // Photo: Islands. times

The attacker, Thomas Grafton, 37, an African-American with a criminal record from Greenwood Lake, New York, was masked to the house where Chanukah's seventh candle was lit. He pulled a machete and began a deadly stabbing campaign that ended with the injury of five people, one in serious condition - an elderly man who could not escape.

The guests tried to flee to the synagogue of the "Eternal Israel" community, led by Rabbi Rotenberg. Some of the devotees threw the attacker from all over - a coat rack, chairs and a small table, while others locked the synagogue's front doors.

Stabbing event against the ultra-Orthodox community // Photo: IP

Then, seeing that he could not enter the synagogue, Grafton returned to his vehicle and was apprehended about an hour later in the Harlem neighborhood, blood-curdled. Grafton has a rich criminal record, and he was arrested many times. He was remanded to the New York State Police and is expected to be charged with five counts of attempted murder. Last night, he was brought to court, where he claimed to be innocent.

According to reports on the local sites, no less than 15 people, all ultra-Orthodox Jews, were evacuated to hospitals, but finally only five needed hospitalization. On the site of the Chabad movement, they sought to pray for the peace of the identified identified as Joseph Ben Pearl, Chaim Ben Vital, Shlomo Ben Vital, Naftali Zvi Ben Gilo and Nachman Ben Elka.

"Intolerant hour"

During the police chase, in Monsey - a city with a large ultra-Orthodox community - they tried to get back to normal. Rabbi Rotenberg also held a conversation with his followers immediately after the incident, and yesterday morning (US time) a prayer synagogue was held in which the survivors blessed the blessing of the reciprocal. In the afternoon, dozens of mobs and crowds arrived at the rabbi's house. Another in the city decided to change the planned route and move into the rabbi's house to send him a powerful and unifying message.The excited rabbi went out dancing with the crowds outside his home.

Israel Kahan, a Monsey resident and Jewish Council director, was one of the first to receive the report of what was happening near his home. "People are scared," he says, "everyone here in the market. We're glad the police caught him, which at least gave us the opportunity to sleep more quietly at night."

More on:

A stabbing incident at a New York state home: two injured were hospitalized in critical condition

Due to rising anti-Semitism: Security in neighborhoods with Jewish population in New York will be increased

Governor of New York for the stabbing in Monsey: "American Terrorism against Americans

Kahan talks about the "new reality" of the Jewish community in the US, but does not know why they landed right now. "We have no explanation," he sighs, "we have a new reality, anti-Jewish attacks, and we have to deal with the deployment Cameras, synagogue closures, security enhancement. I am in close contact with authorities such as the federal police and the police, as well as the Israeli Consulate General in New York, and everyone now understands that there is a new reality that needs a whole new and different preparation. "

Haim Cohen, a resident of Monsey, came to the scene of the attack to strengthen and support the family. "In my opinion, the US is still a safer place than Israel," he says. "But in my opinion, a firearm must be led in the community. As in Israel, "he adds. Although the attack has not yet been formally declared a hate crime - a racially charged crime - it is widely believed that the attacker acted on anti-Semitic motives. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who met with Rabbi Rotenberg yesterday morning, called the incident a local terror . ”This is an intolerant hour in our country. It was a despicable and cowardly act. Anti-Semitism and all forms of racism contradict our values ​​of bride and diversity, and we have zero tolerance for hate crimes. ”New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who most of the recent anti-Semitic incidents in his city, called the attack" monstrous ".

It was a scornful and cowardly act // Photo: EI. Nose. times

US President Donald Trump responded to the incident on Twitter, writing: "The anti-Semitic attack is appalling. We must all unite to fight, confront, and eradicate the terrible scourge of anti-Semitism. Melania and I wish the victims a speedy recovery. "President Reuben Rivlin strongly condemned the attack." I am shocked and shocked, "Rivlin wrote." Rising anti-Semitism is not only a problem of the Jewish people. "

Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the opening of the cabinet meeting, wished the wounded recovered and said that Israel would cooperate "in every way with the local authorities to help eradicate this anti-Semitism." Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said: "The time has come to act against those who spread anti-Semitism."

Graffiti against Jews

In London, graffiti inscriptions were sprayed on 12 shop windows of Jewish-owned businesses as well as on public walls in the north of the British capital.

Police in the kingdom are investigating suspicions that the motive for the acts is anti-Semitic, as the caption contents included a Star of David and the date of the September 11 disaster. It may be a reference to the conspiracy theory that Jews are the ones behind that murderous attack in 2001, and not the al-Qaeda organization.

Either way, according to British media reports, the illustrations were sprayed in the area of ​​Hempstead and Blasize Park. One of the anti-Semitic addresses was sprayed outside a Jewish and other restaurant near cafes, shops and a local synagogue. Police were called to the area Saturday night but did not make any arrests.

* Yesh Hers participated in the preparation of the news