(December 29, 2019 / Chabad News) During a Hanukkah event on Saturday night at the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg in the Forshay neighborhood in Monsey, N.Y., an individual with his face covered entered just before 10 p.m., brandishing a knife (later confirmed as a machete). He then began slashing at some of the Chassidic Jews there for the celebration, according to Chabad.org.
The Dec. 28 attack took place after Rottenberg had lit the menorah on the seventh night of the holiday.
As those gathered began to make their way to the synagogue next door, witnesses say the attacker calmly walked in, drew his weapon and said “no one is going anywhere.” He then began swinging the knife wildly at people in the room.
A Chassidic man threw a coat rack, table and chair at the assailant, and chased him from the home. The attacker then attempted to enter the adjacent synagogue, but was locked out by those who barricaded themselves inside.
Five people were stabbed, with two in critical condition.
The assailant apparently fled in a gray car and was arrested two hours later in New York City.
The attack comes on the heels of the deadly anti-Semitic shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City on Dec. 10.
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