New York: Rabbi Punched in the Face on Holocaust Remembrance Day
A Rabbi was punched and threatened in an unprovoked antisemitic attack in Queens. While Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the hate crime, local leaders are criticizing the new administration's past rhetoric amid a surge in New York City bias attacks.
On International Holocaust Remembrance Day (yesterday), a Rabbi, was the victim of a violent, unprovoked antisemitic attack in Queens, New York.
The assault occurred around 2:30 p.m. in the Forest Hills neighborhood. According to witness reports and the NYPD, the assailant approached the Rabbi, shouting antisemitic slurs and "Death to Israel." He then punched the Rabbi in the face and head, knocking him to the ground, before fleeing the scene.
Volunteers from the Queens Shomrim safety patrol tracked the suspect to a nearby subway station. They alerted the NYPD, who performed a swift arrest. The suspect is currently being held as authorities investigate the assault as a hate crime.
The attack has become a major test for New York City’s newly inaugurated leadership. Zohran Mamdani, who was sworn in as the 112th Mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, issued a statement condemning the violence and pledging resources to Jewish communities.
However, the Mayor’s response has faced backlash from some community members. Critics point to Mamdani’s past as a Democratic Socialist and his previous refusal to condemn controversial anti-Israel slogans during his time in the State Assembly, arguing that his policies have created a permissive environment for antisemitic rhetoric to escalate into physical violence.