A 60-year-old Jewish woman was stabbed and critically injured on Tuesday in Helsingborg, Sweden, where she is known to be a prominent member of the Jewish community.
Reports suggest the suspect, who is on the run, is Muslim and known to Swedish authorities.
While the Jewish community is viewing this incident as anti-Semitic, the police are currently treating it as an attempted murder.
A witness told Swedish media, “I heard her cry and plead for help after the attack. She spoke English and shouted, ‘Help me, help me!’ ”
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations offered their prayers for the Jewish community and unidentified victim.
“Once again, Jews in Europe are in danger,” said Rivlin. “Today’s brutal stabbing of a member of the Jewish community in Helsingborg, Sweden is yet another reminder that we cannot rely on fading memories of the Holocaust to keep Jewish communities safe, as our schools, synagogues and community centers are turning into fortresses.”
“We will fight anti-Semitism with all our might, and will speak out against these dreadful incidents,” he continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured, her family and community.”
“We are outraged by the brutal stabbing of a leading member of the Jewish community in Helsingborg, Sweden. We pray that she makes a full and speedy recovery,” said Conference of Presidents chairman Arthur Stark and executive vice chairman and CEO Malcolm Hoenlein in a statement. “The government of Sweden must take all necessary and proper measures to ensure the safety of Sweden’s Jewish population and to bring the perpetrator of this violent crime to justice.”
“This incident represents further evidence of the deteriorating situation for Jews in Sweden and much of Europe. We stand in solidarity with the Swedish Jewish community during this difficult time.”
