In the wake of the horrifying machete attack in Monsey, the New York Post is reporting that police are checking into whether suspect Grafton Thomas may have been part of an earlier antisemitic attack.

By Howard M. Riell

According to the Journal News, a November 20 attack in Monsey saw a Jewish man beaten and stabbed on his way to early morning services at the Mosdos Meharam Brisk Tashnad religious center. The victim of the attack is said to be a father of four. His injuries were so grievous that police initially reported that he had been run over by an automobile.

Journal News quoted Ramapo Police Chief Brad Weidel as saying that the victim had been “approached from behind by one or more individuals,” The weapon used in the attack was not identified, not recovered at the scene.

Reaction to the most recent attack by local officials was immediate. “Orthodox Jews are being regularly assaulted, menaced, stabbed and murdered in increasing numbers,” says a letter that was signed by city councilmen Chaim Deutsch and Kalman Yeger, plus state Sen. Simcha Felder and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein. It was delivered to Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday morning. “Simply stated,” it continued, “it is no longer safe to be identifiable Orthodox in the State of New York. We cannot shop, walk down a street, send our children to school, or even worship in peace.”

“With respect to the local DAs, what they are doing isn’t helping,” Deutsch told The New York Post, a reference to changes to the bail laws that are allowing those arrested for antisemitic and other crimes to walk free without bail. “When anti-Semitic attackers are released just hours after they are arrested, it sends a message that New York City doesn’t take hate crimes seriously. With no visible consequences, what’s preventing others from attacking us?”

Fox News reported that New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday night’s attack was the 13th anti-Semitic attack in New York since Dec. 8 and endemic of “an American cancer on the body politic.”

“This is violence spurred by hate, it is mass violence and I consider this an act of domestic terrorism,” Cuomo said. “Let’s call it what it is.”

Ramapo Police Chief Brad Weidel said it was unclear why the rabbi’s house was targeted or if a specific ideology motivated the suspect. According to the official briefed on the investigation, authorities do not believe Thomas is connected to recent anti-Semitic incidents in New York City.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., called on the FBI to investigate possible links between the Monsey stabbing spree and other recent attacks. The Simon Wiesenthal Center said it wants the FBI to create a special task force.

“Enough talk, it is time for action to deter those who propagate this hatred,” Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said.

A survivor of the machete attack said in the New York Post (read the full story at https://nypost.com/2019/12/29/monsey-stabbing-survivor-describes-confrontation-with-attacker/) of the horror he saw unfold. In a video posted on the Voz Is Neias website,

Yosef Eli Glick recounted: “I grabbed a small coffee table that was by the door. I threw it at him. I kept on screaming, ‘He’s coming! Run away! Run away, everybody! He’s coming! He’s coming!’ He said, ‘Hey you, I’ll get you!’”

Glick noted: “He came into the front room, the coat room, and I was in the dining room, on the left side. And the guy came in with a big machete or a sword, and he started swinging, back and forth, to try to hit people. And I started pushing out people. We all started to run out.”

He added: “I saw an old guy, bleeding from his head. I said, ‘Come out.’ He said, ‘I’m bleeding, I can’t.’”

City launching new Neighborhood Safety Coalitions based on a successful model used to drive down gun violence 

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Sunday the creation of new multi-ethnic interfaith Neighborhood Safety Coalitions, increased NYPD presence, and new Department of Education  lesson plans and curriculum as part of the City’s commitment to the prevention of hate crimes and anti-Semitic attacks. In addition to an immediate increased NYPD presence, the new Neighborhood Safety Coalitions will have physical presences in the community with neighborhood safety walks and corner watches. They will also offer ongoing programming designed to promote tolerance and break down stereotypes. 

“Fearing the next act of terror will not become the new normal for our Jewish neighbors. In New York City, diversity is our strength and we respect the traditions of all who call New York City home. Intolerance will never take hold here,” said Mayor de Blasio. 

Increased NYPD Patrols and Safety Measures 

The NYPD will increase resources and patrols to precincts in Borough Park, Midwood, Crown Heights, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and Williamsburg. Each precinct will have an additional 4 to 6 officers per tour. In addition to an increased NYPD presence at houses of worship and during local events, six new light towers will be posted in Borough Park and additional security cameras will be installed throughout these neighborhoods. 15 light towers have already been installed this month.  

Neighborhood Safety Coalitions 

Neighborhood Safety Coalitions will launch in Williamsburg, Crown Heights, and Borough Park, and will be overseen by the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. These individual coalitions will identify and address issues that drive hate-based crimes, bringing together stakeholders from across their communities. They will meet community members where they are — in schools, on street corners, in religious institutions — to be a regular presence to deter acts of hate. 

Each coalition will gather regularly to strategize about ways to interrupt hate acts before they happen. The coalitions will identify and offer programming within their neighborhoods that foster community and connect directly with local youth in and after school hours.  

The coalitions are based on a successful model already used by residents in East Flatbush and Williamsburg/Bushwick through the Mayor’s Office to Prevent Gun Violence, in which community groups, neighborhood leaders, and clergy have worked together with local police precincts to dramatically reduce gun violence in their communities. 

DOE Curriculum 

The DOE is committed to ensuring schools are welcoming, inclusive environments for all students and will be implementing hate crime awareness programming next month for middle and high schools in Williamsburg, Crown Heights and Borough Park, including workshops with community partners and leveraging existing social studies curricula and resources. Curriculum on hate crimes will be launched at middle and high schools in these neighborhoods beginning in the 2020-21 school year. These curriculum resources will also be available to middle and high schools citywide. 

Citywide, the DOE will distribute resources to facilitate important conversations in the classroom in January, and the annual Respect for All week in February will focus on preventing and addressing hate crimes. Schools are encouraged to develop opportunities for students to discuss what discrimination and religious intolerance might look like in a school and collectively explore the positive actions they can take to promote acceptance, inclusion, and the diversity of their communities. 

Citywide Advertising Campaign 

The City will launch a series of advertising and social media campaigns to highlight the City’s diversity and encourage respect for all communities. 

“The NYPD stands with members of the Jewish community. We will continue our increased patrols and the targeted deployment of Counterterrorism officers at key locations to ensure that everyone is safe,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea. “We also need the public’s help—if you see anything suspicious, call 911 or flag down a police officer right away. There is no place for hate in NYC, or anywhere.” 

“Safety, for every community, remains the City’s highest priority. The Neighborhood Safety Coalitions announced today are grounded in the strength of New Yorkers themselves, working together to prevent the acts that hurt us all. This neighborhood-based work is key to us remaining true to who we are: a safe city that celebrates diversity and condemns hate,” said Liz Glazer, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. 

“A critical part of our work is engaging directly with the communities impacted by anti-Semitism,” said Deborah Lauter, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. “The neighborhood coalitions will help further New York City’s commitment to diversity and respect for all and ensure every New Yorker feel safe in their community.” 

“Schools are safe havens, and all students deserve a learning environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and free from discrimination. We’ll be providing programming and resources to schools in order for students and school communities to engage in thoughtful and respectful dialogue, and to advance learning about hate crimes through historical context and current events. We look forward to partnering with city agencies and community organizations on this critical work. There is no place for hate in our schools,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. 

“These further actions by Mayor DeBlasio are necessary and helpful as an urgently needed response to the appalling spate of anti-Semitic attacks in and around New York City. I spoke earlier today with the FBI and urged them to work with NYPD and other law enforcement to fully investigate the series of hate crimes and to decipher if there is any connection between them. I will work with the mayor and community leaders to face down this hate and to protect all New Yorkers from unacceptable threats,” said Senator Chuck Schumer. 

“A bias attack against any of our Jewish neighbors is an attack against us all. I stand with the Jewish community and will do everything I can to fight against the anti-Semitism and hatred that can never be allowed to fester unrestrained,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. 

“These strong measures are essential to combat the wave of anti-Semitic incidents that has swept our city in recent weeks. It is important now more than ever that we stand together to protect each other from hate and, at the same time, send a clear message that an attack against one community is an attack against all,” said Assembly Member Steven Cymbrowitz. “A multi-faceted approach encompassing public safety, community empowerment and education is the best chance we have to battle hate-motivated violence and encourage a dialogue of tolerance that will help us find common ground and create a safer world for our younger generations.” 

“We must take swift and strong action against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate. Anti-Semitic acts have proliferated and come from haters at both ends of the political spectrum. All stakeholders, elected officials, and people of good faith must unite and stand up to evil people who perpetrate these despicable acts,”  said Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz. 

“I commend law enforcement for their quick response and apprehension of the assaliant. We all need to come together to protect our fellow neighbors and strategize how to prevent these henious, despicable and cowardly acts. I want to thank the administration for their commitment to preventing future hate crimes; their efforts to enhance public saftey during times of heightened fear. We all need to focus on promoting diversity and inclusivity among students within our NYC school environments as an early intervention measure,” said Assemblyman Charles D. Fall 

“Thank you to Mayor de Blasio and his Office for taking immediate action to establish initiatives to address the rise of anti-Semitism in New York, and demonstrating the City’s serious commitment to preventing hate crimes and anti-Semitic attacks. I am profoundly saddened and concerned about the recent attacks in Jewish communities across New York this week and send my deepest condolences to those who have been harmed, their loved ones, and the myriad of impacted communities across the City and State. I hope that we can begin to heal and come together as a community to work towards ensuring the safety and humanity of every New Yorker,” said Assembly Member Mathylde Frontus. 

“I join my colleagues in city and state government in condemning the recent spate of attacks, and in calling for a more robust response to combat hate crimes and anti-Semitism.  New York’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and we must do all we can to ensure the safety and well-being of all our communities, ” said Assembly member Deborah J. Glick.  

“There is something terribly wrong in the world. There are people who unfortunately do not believe we all should have the privileges of basic human rights, religion and economic growth. Because of these truths, it is so important that those of us who will constantly fight for right ensure to spread it far and wide. I stand with Mayor De Blasio and his new crime prevention efforts based on Hate & anti-semitism. We will not and do not condone such acts to our communities,” said Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman. 

 “As the steady surge of anti-Semitism across New York becomes an undeniable wave of hate, there is no room for complacency,” said Assembly Member Nily Rozic. “I commend Mayor de Blasio for taking steps to prevent and address hate crimes in New York City. We will continue taking action until it is undeniably clear that New York will not tolerate hate.”  

“Anti-Semitism and Hate have no place in our society, in our country, and in the world. We must stand together against each and every act of Anti-Semitism, with attacks against Jewish people on the rise across the country, and continue our work combating hate in all forms,” said Assembly Member David I. Weprin. 

“The continued tragedies tied to anti-Semitism reinforces the need to do more to ensure we are proactive in combating hate crimes,” said Council Member Donovan Richards. “Education and outreach is key in addressing intolerance and I’m confident the new Neighborhood Safety Coalitions will assist in building bridges and tearing down walls between communities.” 

“This past week’s string of anti-Semitic attacks brings to light the stark reality that more must be done to support and ensure the safety of our Jewish brothers and sisters,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso. “Mayor de Blasio’s plan to create Neighborhood Safety Coalitions is the type of swift action that we need to eradicate hate crimes in our communities. I welcome the program’s launch in Williamsburg and look forward to engaging with all involved stakeholders. Our community and city must be tolerant and welcoming for all.” 

“We must not be afraid to stare hate dead in the eye and call it what it is. This is not normal and we cannot allow it to be. A core principle of the Jewish faith is a commitment to justice and fighting for what’s right, regardless of whether or not it directly impacts you. Antisemitism isn’t just a problem for Jews, it’s a problem for all of us. Because, make no mistake, where antisemitism exists, so does hate, hostility, prejudice, and discrimination of all kinds. The rise of antisemitic attacks is a national emergency. But talk is cheap. We must act. I support Mayor de Blasio’s efforts to combat hate and antisemitism through a holistic community-based approach as well as a focused education campaign in our schools,” said Council Member Justin Brannan. 

“Combating antisemitism requires an all-hands-on-deck approach that weaves increased law enforcement, intense coalition-building, and focused education efforts into a sustained and integrated strategy to defeat hate and eliminate violence, and the mayor’s agenda is a step in the right direction,” said Council Member Rory Lancman.

“This spate of despicable attacks goes against the spirit of New York. Everyone should be able to live their lives without fear of being targeted for who they are or what they believe in. In a time of rising anti-Semitism, we need to not only call out hate when we see it, but address and prevent it. I will work with my colleagues in the City Council and City Hall to root out these actions, and thank the Mayor for working to find solutions through prevention efforts,” said Council Member Keith Powers. 

“There is no room for intolerance and antisemitism in our great diverse City,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “Our police officers will patrol the streets, additional resources will be added to neighborhoods at higher risk to ensure our Jewish residents are safe. I commend the various neighborhood coalitions gathering to make a difference and the Department of Education for their commitment to inclusivity and there programming to raise awareness against hate crimes. Thank you to Mayor de Blasio for launching this new anti-hate crime initiative designed to keep New Yorkers safe.” 

“This is not the first time hate has found its way into the lives of a peaceful people, we have seen it time and time again over the years,” said Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel. “To live in a society where the Jewish people must fear for their lives by virtue of having their faith is no different to being black in the south and gunned down in the serenity of Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. So long as hate is not countered boldly with unity and compassion for our fellow person we will not be able to endure a union more perfect amongst people so different in color, culture, religion, and creed. Hate in my council district, borough, city and country will not be tolerated. While I pray for a peaceful and prosperous new year I endeavor with my colleagues and advocates to act in full measure to end this era of domestic terrorism and hate.”

On Sunday, December 29th, hundreds of Jews gathered in Monsey to participate in a very special Hachnosas Sefer Torah that was sponsored by Suffern residents, Lazer Scheiner and his wife. 

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The celebratory procession which including lively singing and dancing took place at 1 pm from the Scheiner residence to Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim at 18 Forshay Road in the Forshay district of Monsey.

Monsey is an Orthodox Jewish enclave in Rockland County; about an hour north of New York City. On Saturday evening, the 7th night of Chanukah, an anti-Semitic attacker entered the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg on Forshay Road and began to stab the Jews attending a Melava Malka and Chanukah party there. In the end, 5 Jews were stabbed and one remains in critical condition at an area hospital.

The suspect,  Grafton Thomas of Greenwood Lake was driving a Nissan Sentra across the George Washington Bridge into New York City when his car’s tag was captured by a license plate reader at about 11:45 p.m. Saturday, about an hour after the attack, authorities said.

This marks the 13th anti-Semitic attack in the last several weeks in the NY/NJ area.

The Hachnosas Sefer Torah represents the power of resilience, strength, unity and the determination that is entrenched in the Jewish DNA to continue to serve Hashem with joy and alacrity.

When a borough president in New York City goes on a rant, it’s news – and usually portends some major action.

Eric Adams, the Brooklyn Borough President, had lots to say when speaking at the launch of a new senior center for poor and LGBT residents. The facility sits on land that belongs to the New York City Housing Authority.

By: Richard Melouse

“I can’t celebrate a building that is not going to be inclusive. That is not who I am. Those who know me, they know who I am. And I’m unapologetic about who I am,” Adams said, according to the New York Post. “Because if you have a body of people over there that feels as though this place here is not for them — we’re going to have incidents in this community that will be disruptive. And I don’t want that to happen. I didn’t put on a vest for 22 years to protect the children and families of this city to watch us be divided.”

“It’s not clear exactly what the 2021 mayoral hopeful meant when he claimed the new Stonewall House building at Fort Greene’s Ingersoll Houses is not inclusive,” the Post noted (see the full story at https://nypost.com/2019/12/25/brooklyn-borough-president-eric-adams-goes-on-bizarre-rant-at-affordable-housing-opening/). More than three-quarters — 77 percent — of the new residents are African American, Latino or Asian. Each tenant in the new building is at least 62 years old and makes less than $40,000 a year. More than a third of the building’s new apartments will be filled by NYCHA tenants — a quarter of its 145 units are reserved for once-homeless New Yorkers.”

Grace Bonilla, who heads the city’s Human Resources Administration, said this after Adams spoke, reported the Post’s Nolan Hicks: “I can’t follow the Borough President without addressing what he had to say. Our hope is that every single client has a place like this to live in, to actually talk to the people that are going to get a key and say ‘you no longer have to be homeless… So, I echo what the Borough President said, we do have more to do, but I do want to celebrate today because today is an accomplishment.”

According to GayCityNews.com, Adams also said,
“I don’t want to see beautiful floors like this and lead paint over there. I don’t want to see rodents over there and comfort here.”

“The borough president segued from his comments about diversity into a discussion about slavery,” the web site added. “I think about Frederick Douglass and the conversation about fighting for the independence of America,” Adams said. “He said ‘the arrogance of that those want me to fight for independence when I’m still a slave.’ I can’t celebrate a building that is not inclusive.”

A New York Post expose had led to action by New York City’s Department of Buildings.

Thanks to the Post’s reporting, the department has given a summons to the owners of 1627 Amsterdam Ave. In addition, a trio of other buildings that the Post had also reported on are said to be due for new inspections.

By: David MacGuire

“In the wake of architect Erica Tishman’s death last Tuesday, when she was struck by a chunk from a crumbling facade, The Post launched a review of city records and found that thousands of buildings have been cited for unsafe exteriors, including some with open violations more than a decade old,” Post reporters Joseph Konig, Kevin Sheehan and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon noted (https://nypost.com/2019/12/23/nyc-hits-unsafe-building-with-summons-after-post-expose/).

“One, a seven-story mixed-use building on Amsterdam Avenue, already had a summons slapped on its window Monday morning — fewer than 24 hours after The Post published its story. Department officials said three other properties — 254 Seaman Ave. and 201 W. 145th St. in Manhattan, and 14-20 Boerum Street in Brooklyn — are scheduled for visits before the end of the week.”

“Another structure identified, a five-story Bronx building next to a daycare center on East 150th Street, was cited in 2008 for a collapsed rear retaining wall that blocked a rear entrance for years,” the Post reported. “Building owner Earl Bailey claimed Monday that the wall had been fixed but that paperwork confirming the repair had not yet been filed with the DOB. “The retaining wall has been fixed,” he told the Post. “There is a structural wall in the back. Before it was stone. We paid a lot of money to have it built.”

The greater than usual sense of urgency is no doubt the result of the tragic death of architect Erica L. Tishman, 60, who was struck by a piece of debris from a 17-story building near Seventh Avenue and 49th Street.

“By the time emergency responders arrived, minutes after being called at about 10:45 a.m., she was dead, the police said,” according to the New York Times. “While the authorities have not said what hit her, an inspection by the Department of Buildings after the accident found cracks in the building’s facade and terra cotta pieces missing.”

On Saturday night, yet another anti-Semitic attack occurred in the Forshay district of the Orthodox Jewish enclave in Monsey, New York. Five Jews were stabbed at the residence of the Kossoner Rebbe, Rav Chaim Leibush Rottenberg, on Forshay Road in Monsey, NY after 10 pm. Monsey is about an hour north of New York City.

By: Fern Sidman

The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council said the five victims, all Hasidic, were transported to local hospitals with stab wounds. Yossi Gestetner, a co-founder of the OJPAC for the Hudson Valley region told the New York Times that one of the victims was the son of the rabbi. “The house had many dozens of people in there, Gestetner said. “It was a Chanukah celebration.”

NBC News reported that Ramapo Police Chief Brad Weidel said the suspected attacker entered the residence around 10 p.m. armed with a knife. Saturday was the seventh night of Hanukkah.

The NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau said it’s “closely monitoring” the situation, according to the NBC News report.

A senior law enforcement official told NBC New York that the FBI is sending criminal and counter-terror investigators to Rockland County to assist local authorities.

According to the Matzav.com web site, eyewitnesses at the scene say that a masked African-American man drove up to the rebbe‘s home in a silver car as the rebbe finished lighting the Chanukah menorah.  The report added that man pulled out a machete knife and began stabbing people who were leaving the rebbe‘s house to go next door to a melava malka at the shul.

Matzav reported that the man tried entering the rebbe‘s home, but was stopped when someone threw a small table at the attacker, forcing him back outside.

*BREAKING NOW* Multiple people stabbed inside Rabbi Rottenberg Shul in Forshay (Monsey). Reports a black man armed with a knife began stabbing people.

Credit – Monsey News. pic.twitter.com/butbeZmSYf

— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) December 29, 2019

BREAKING: suspect wanted in connection with Monsey stabbing arrested by NYPD in 32 Precinct. @lohud pic.twitter.com/NgEZLUyQJc

— Chris Eberhart (@ChrisEberhart2) December 29, 2019

The attacker then tried entering the shul, but was stopped because the door was locked, according to the Matzav web site.

The man was able to escape in a getaway car on Orchard Hill Road, reportedly assisted by an accomplice. The car was a Nissan Sentra with plate number HPT 5747. A report that one arrest has been made at Walmart parking lot on Route 59 has been confirmed to be unsubstantiated, as was reported by Matzav.

Hatzolah paramedics were called and began treating the victims. The rebbe was not injured in the attack. A shootout on the Palisades related to the attack is being reported but this update cannot be confirmed.

Sources have confirmed to Yeshiva World News that the vehicle is registered to a Greenwood Lake address. Police reportedly also have interviewed the father of the suspect.

YWN also reported that the vehicle crossed the George Washington Bridge into New York at about 11 pm. The 32nd Precinct was able to track down the suspect’s car in the Bronx a short while later.

A suspect was taken into custody from the vehicle matching the description in Monsey at 7th Avenue and West 177th Street in Harlem. Only one person has been arrested so far. Another suspect is still on the loose.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the stabbing was “the latest in a string of attacks against members of the Jewish community in New York this week.”

“Let me be clear: anti-Semitism and bigotry of any kind are repugnant to our values of inclusion and diversity and we have absolutely zero tolerance for such acts of hate,” the Governor said in a statement.

The New York Attorney General Letitia James said there was “zero tolerance for acts of hate of any kind. … I stand with the Jewish community tonight and every night.”

The Times of Israel reported that Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said that he was “shocked and outraged by the terrible attack in New York. We are praying for the rapid recovery of those injured. The rise of anti-Semitism is not just a Jewish problem, and certainly not just the State of Israel’s problem. We must work together to confront this evil, which is raising it head again and is a genuine threat around the world.” 

Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, executive vice-president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, stated, “It is frightening that during Chanukah, a holiday which symbolizes the victory of good over evil we are sadly experiencing a rising tide of anti-Semitism and hate. This is the eighth reported attack over Chanukah this year. These anti-Semitic hate crimes are in direct opposite of what we as Americans stand for and believe in namely freedom, liberty and respect.

“We need to move beyond condemnations by elected officials and law enforcement, and see action to prevent these recurring anti-Semitic attacks. It is important that all political, law enforcement and religious officials condemn these attacks, but that is only the beginning. As a society, we must use every resource to combat these vicious and vulgar anti-Semitic hate crimes, both through prevention and punishment.”

Around New York City, there have been eight recorded anti-Semitic attacks since December 13th. 

Please say Tehillim for Yosef ben Perel, who is undergoing a heart surgery due to his injuries, Shlomo ben Vittel, Naftali Tzvi ben Gila and Meir Yehosef ben Vittel.

On Saturday, a woman accused of slapping three Orthodox Jewish women in another anti-Semitic attack in New York City was charged with attempted assault as a hate crime, according to a report on the Vois Es Nais web site. 

Edited By: TJVNews.com

Tiffany Harris, 30, was released without bail following her arraignment before a Brooklyn judge on 21  menacing, harassment and attempted assault charges.

Police said Harris slapped, punched and cursed the three Jewish women, ages 22, 26 and 31 in the face and head on Friday after encountering them on a corner in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights area, according to the Vois Es Nais report. The victims sustained minor injuries.

According to a New York Post report, Harris shouted at the victims “F-U, Jews!”  “Yes, I was there,” Harris later admitted to cops, according to the criminal complaint against her. “Yes, I slapped them. I cursed them out. I said ‘F-U, Jews.”

The Post reported that Harris has a criminal record as she still has an open harassment and assault case on the Brooklyn docket from November 2018. Moreover, the Post reported that Harris was sentenced last month to no jail time for felony criminal mischief in Manhattan, court records show — a case for which she had repeatedly failed to make court appearances.

The new bail reform law which was approved in April does not take effect until January 1st, however prosecutors in Brooklyn did not request bail of Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Laura Johnson. 

“So I’m releasing her on consent and also because it will be required under the statute in just a few days,” the judge said.

“Ms. Harris you’re being released on your own recognizance.”

The legislation requires arraignment judges to set free suspects in any non-sexual assault that doesn’t actually cause a physical injury, even in cases of hate crime attacks, according to the NY Post report.

“The de Blasio administration has made it clear that we all need to get into compliance with bail reform now,” said a law enforcement source, according to the Post report. “If prosecutors had asked for bail, corrections would release them immediately,” or they would be sprung on Jan. 1, the source said.

“You have to beat the hell out of somebody — or murder them — for there to be any consequences,” said former state lawmaker Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Anti-Semitism. “Otherwise, you are set free.”

He continued: “It’s open season in New York — open season on innocent people. On Jews, on Muslims, on gay people. It applies to anybody. But it’s the Jewish people in particular who have been targeted.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that police presence would increase in Crown Heights and two other Brooklyn neighborhoods with large Jewish populations, according to the Vois Es Nais report.

In New York City last week, eight anti-Semitic attacks were reported and one of them resulted in an actual physical injury.  A 65-year-old Jewish man was brutally punched and kicked on Monday morning at East 41st Street and Third Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Post report. The victim of the midtown Manhattan attack told the NYPD that his attacker shouted,  “F–k you, Jew bastard!” The victim was checking his cell phone when the attacked occurred. 

A suspect was apprehended by police in the hours subsequent to the attack. The suspect was identified as Steven Jorge, 28, from Miami, Florida. He was arrested with no bail pending, according to the Post report, pending a psychological examination.

“I’ve talked to the mayor. He doesn’t know what to do,” Hikind said. “We’ve presented a plan to the mayor. Right now, anti-Semitism, it’s not being dealt with. ‘You condemn, you move on, you condemn the next one.’ I wanted the mayor to declare a state of emergency because of these hate crimes.”

The NYPD reported 166 anti-Semitic incidents from January through September this year, according to a CNN report. The vast majority of the crimes do not involve assault, but rather acts of vandalism, with graffiti or swastikas being scrawled on places that include synagogues, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in September, when he was the department’s chief of detectives.

The upcoming 13th global Siyum HaShas sponsored by the Agudath Israel of America will unite worldwide Jewry in an unparalleled display of achdus (unity). Jews from all walks of life will, IY’H, join together at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in pursuit of a common goal – the completion of Shas, in its entirety. 

By: Fern Sidman

In countries spanning the globe, the dedicated ranks of Jews who have devoted themselves to learning Shas and achieving greatness in the Torah HaKadosha of Hashem will join others in working toward the upcoming 13th Siyum HaShas. The singular allegiance to Torah will once again be apparent, when hundreds of thousands gather on the 4th of Teves, January 1, 2020 to strengthen themselves and the world in a united expression of k’vod shamayim. 

The pre-Siyum program begins at 11:00. The Siyum itself will begin with Minchah promptly at 1:00 pm and the program is expected to conclude between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. The organizers of the Siyum HaShas have strongly suggested that ticket holders arrive at MetLife Stadium as early as possible to allow for ample time to go through security and still enjoy the pre-Siyum program. The stadium parking lot will be open from 9:00 am.

Siyum HaShas is the celebration of the completion of the Daf Yomi (daily Talmud folio) program, a seven-and-a-half-year cycle of learning the Oral Torah and its commentaries, in which each of the 2,711 pages of the Babylonian Talmud are covered in sequence. 

Daf Yomi can be studied alone, with a chavrusa (study partner), in a daily shiur (class) led by a rabbi or teacher, via a telephone shiur, CD-ROM, or audio and online resources. Typically, Daf Yomi shiurim are held in synagogues, yeshivas, and offices. They also take place in Wall Street board rooms, and on the Long Island Railroad, in the last car of two commuter trains departing Far Rockaway at 7:51 am and 8:15 am, respectively, for Manhattan. Daf Yomi shiurim have been piped into the in-flight sound system of El Al flights. A typical Daf Yomi shiur lasts one hour. Participants study the text together with the commentary of Rashi.

The Schottenstein Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, an English-language translation and interpretation published in 73 volumes between 1990 and 2004 by ArtScroll, has been credited with significantly increasing the number of English-language participants in the Daf Yomi program. 

The Schottenstein Talmud has also been translated into Hebrew. Additional resources to assist those endeavoring to complete the cycle for the first time are audiotapes, online websites, and iPods preloaded with lectures covering every page of the Talmud. The Daf Yomi Advancement Forum, founded by Kollel Iyun Hadaf in 1996, is a free resource center offering English-language translations, outlines, charts, analyses and lectures on every daf, as well as answers to any question by email. Meoros HaDaf HaYomi, founded in 1999, disseminates a weekly Daf Yomi study sheet in both Hebrew and English available by email and regular mail. It has recorded shiurim on the daf on CD-ROM in English, Hebrew, Yiddish, and French.

The first Daf Yomi cycle began on the first day of Rosh Hashanah 5684 (September 11, 1923); the twelfth cycle concluded on August 2, 2012 and the next day began the thirteenth cycle, to be concluded on January 4, 2020. The Siyum HaShas marks both the end of the previous cycle and the beginning of the next and is characterized by inspiring speeches and rousing singing and dancing.

Early Siyum HaShas celebrations also took place in December 2019 in Melbourne and Vienna.

For Jews for whom Torah study is an essential part of their lives, the publicity and excitement surrounding the Siyum HaShas has resulted in more participants, more Daf Yomi shiurim (lessons), and more Siyum locations with each cycle. Since 1990, attendance at the main Siyum HaShas in America, organized by the Agudath Israel of America, has increased dramatically, necessitating the booking of larger arenas and stadiums. 

The 12th Siyum HaShas on August 1, 2012 took place in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was the most monumental event in recent Jewish history. It impacted, inspired and uplifted over 120,000 participants across 80 cities and 18 countries. The special moments and experiences of the last Siyum HaShas left a lifelong imprint on the collective memory of generations of Klal Yisroel. Other celebrations that took place in the United States, Israel, Canada, Europe, and Australia in 2012 attracted hundreds of thousands.

According to a report on the Jewish Insider web site,  Yossi Gleiberman, a lecturer and the composer of the “Songs of Shas” musical video series said, “In the 1930s, it was Rabbi Meir Shapiro’s idea to start a program where people would be studying the same page on a daily basis — approximately between 40 minutes and an hour a day — throughout the whole world — so that if a person in New York travels to London or somebody from London travels to Japan, he’d meet the fellow participant of the Daf Yomi cycle and they can study together and share their thoughts. And today… we are able to share with people from around the world or other study groups daily lectures and commentaries via social media.” 

Rabbi Gleiberman also told Jewish Insider that at his two daily lectures,  fellow attendees are mostly “practicing good-standing members of the community — it can be from a lawyer to a doctor or people involved in retail or any other kind of labor — and they’re able to juggle and balance a life of studying along with the life of having a family and enjoying and taking advantage of all the great things that the world has.” 

In November of 2019, Shlomo Gertzulin, Executive VP of The Siyum exhorted those interested in attending the Siyum HaShas to order their tickets as soon as possible. 

“Once the Siyum seats are gone, they are gone,” said Rabbi Gertzulin. “There are only limited seats available, and many sections are already completely reserved. Once the remaining seats sell out, it will just be too late. Please, don’t wait any longer to get your seats, so you will not be disappointed.” 

“There is nothing more rewarding than hearing the excitement Klal Yisroel has in coming to be inspired at The Siyum. Tens of thousands were motivated to start learning Daf Yomi last time, and they have been waiting more than seven years to come celebrate with their children and families,” said the long time Agudath Israel executive and son-in-law of the late Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, of blessed memory.  “Of all the siyumim I have been a part of, this is by far the most exciting,” Rabbi Gertzulin added.    

Said one long-time member of the Agudath Israel regarding the future of the Daf Yomi program and the upcoming Siyum HaShas, “I have been participating in Daf Yomi for almost three decades. Each year, more and more people begin learning and they participate in the Siyumin and for that we must thank the Ribono Shel Olam that this incredible program has taken off in such a spectacular manner. Im Yirtze Hashem, I can visualize Daf Yomi reaching places and people that hitherto we thought would be impossible to connect with. We are seeing great Kiddushei Hashem every moment of every day and I would not be surprised if learning Shas will someday come to the halls of Congress and even the White House.”      

The pre-Siyum events include a Yikra D’Oraisa Yarchei Kallah which will be held at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel in New Jersey from December 30 – January 1 as well as a pre-siyum inspirational program at the same hotel from December 31 – January 2. IY’H, there will also be inspiring women’s programming, exciting children’s activities, and a gala seudas mitzvah with music and dancing.

The Siyum HaShas will take place on January 1st at both MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, and at the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn as a livestream venue. Most of the program at the Barclays Center will be a live video feed of the program at MetLife. HaModia reported in November that “Barclays will have one unique speaker, its own minyanim for Mincha and Maariv, its own kaddish following the siyum, and possibly its own hadran. Barclays will also have its own live musicians and singer.” The vast majority of seats at the Barclays Center will be priced at $36 or $54.

To order tickets or for further information about the 13th Global Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi, please visit their web site at:  https://www.thesiyum.org/. You can also contact the Agudath Israel of America at 1-877-SIYUM-13 (749-8613) or by e-mail at: [email protected]. 

By Ellen Cans

Winter would not be complete without ice skating.  The Big Apple is the place to be, with more outdoor and indoor ice skating rinks in place than ever before.  A broad range of choices include the iconic Rockefeller Center, JFK Airport, and a makeshift patch of ice in the midst of Brooklyn’s old factory buildings.

Here is a list of some of the best rinks for family ice skating fun this summer, as per a recent article in the NY Post.

American Dream mall rink

In October, the highly-anticipated New Jersey mall opened up an indoor rink to go alongside the Nickelodeon theme park and ski slope.  This is an oversized rink with NHL-size sheet of ice is massive (17,000 square feet), and American Dream’s glass-ceilinged, giving New Yorkers and tourists the extra  space they crave. Admission is $19 for adults and $10 for kids; skate rental is $6.

TWA Runway Rink

Designed to be a blast from the past, this indoor rink is situated between Terminal 5 and the newly revamped TWA Hotel.  The smallish 2,500 square feet rink emits vintage vibes with its golden oldies playlist, kaleidoscope lighting of colors, and a nightly ice show featuring skaters in old-school flight attendant and pilot costumes.  Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for kids; skate rental is $10 for adults and $8 for kids.

Industry City Ice Rink

Brooklyn would not be left behind, so it opened its own outdoor rink.  Opened in November, a concrete courtyard between old Brooklyn warehouse buildings on 35th St. in Sunset Park has been revamped into a small 2,100-square-foot rectangular rink complete with festive lights snowmen, Santa, elves and human-size gingerbread house for purchasing refreshments.  On the weekends there are also A cappella concerts and oldies music-themed skating. Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for kids. Skate rental is $9.

The Rink at Rockefeller Center

Of course, the list could not be complete without the legendary ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center, which was first established more than 80 years ago in 1936.  Roughly 150,000 visitors lace up their skates here annually. Fifth Avenue’s landmark wonderland includes the famous 77-foot-tall Christmas tree. Admission is $25 for adults and $17 for kids, and skate rental is $18.

The Rink at Winter Village

Bryant Park’s17,000 square foot rink between 40th and 42nd Street is also an old popular favorite.  Admissions is free but bring your own skates or go before noon for better rental rates because skate rental fees can be up to $33 on peak days and hours.  

The Rink at Brookfield Place

If you are looking for a good view, consider this FiDi rink at 230 Vesey St. and North End Avenue.  The windy experience is usually worth the beautiful views of the Hudson River. Admission is $15, and its $5 for skate rentals.

LeFrak Center at Lakeside

Brooklyn’s Prospect Park also offers two arenas, one with a starry-patterned roof and one open air. Admission is $7.50 for weekdays, $11 for weekends, and skate rentals cost $8. 

Winterland Rink 

South Street Seaport’s Pier 17’s rooftop rink, opened last winter is also a good option.  Admission is $15 on weekdays, $18 Friday to Sunday and $27 on “peak days.” Skate rental is $8.

Wollman Skating Rink

Central Park’s largest of two outdoor rinks is located on 59th Street and Sixth Avenue. Admission is $12 on weekdays, $19 on weekends; skate rental costs $10.

Riverbank State Park Ice Rink

A great option for the budget conscious is the Rink on Riverside Drive and West 145th Street.  Harlem’s covered rink usually has long lines and wait times, but admission is $6 for adults, $3 for kids, and skate rental is $6.