Hasidim Beaten Up in Bnei Brak, 2 Hospitalized, Haredi Leadership Says "No Comment"

A night of brutal violence has rocked the ultra-Orthodox community in Bnei Brak, leaving two individuals hospitalized. The incident, described by witnesses as a "night of blood and violence," unfolded late Tuesday near the Vizhnitz Merkaz Hasidic center, where rioters allegedly attacked wedding guests, including former members of the group.

The fighting erupted outside the Heichalei Malchut event halls, adjacent to the Hasidic center, during the wedding of the son of Rabbi Ephraim Eskel, a defector from the Vizhnitz Merkaz Hasidut. The groom, who had completed studying the entire Talmud in his youth, was meant to celebrate in an atmosphere of joy, but the event quickly descended into chaos.

According to eyewitness accounts, a group of rioters affiliated with Vizhnitz Merkaz had earlier tried to sabotage the wedding by posting false notices claiming it had been relocated. When those efforts failed, they gathered near the venue and targeted arriving guests, particularly those who had left the Hasidut over the years.

"They brutally beat elderly Jews, violated their dignity, tore their clothing, and ruined their shtreimels," one witness recounted. "The ordeal lasted a full hour. It felt like total terror."

Two victims required hospitalization, including the son of Rabbi Aharon Tosig, a prominent Hasidic spiritual leader. Rabbi Tosig has remained by his son's bedside since the attack, praying for a full recovery.

In response to the backlash, Vizhnitz Merkaz issued a clarification letter overnight, distancing itself from the violence and stating that such actions do not align with its values.Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Weiss, the chief rabbi of the Satmar community in Antwerp and an activist against the Lev Tahor cult, sharply criticized the perpetrators.

In a recent talk in the United States, he labeled those involved as "apikorsim" (heretics), emphasizing, "This is not about Hasidut but about apikorsim."Police were called to the scene and managed to restore order after about an hour, but no arrests have been reported in connection with the assaults.Adding to the public fury, family members of one seriously injured victim, Rabbi Tosig's son—revealed that Israeli police have yet to collect testimony from him, despite his ongoing hospitalization.

Sources close to the family expressed frustration, saying, "The fact that no arrests were made and the police didn't even bother to take a statement from the head of the family attacked by the rioters points to a disturbing indifference toward violent crimes in the Haredi community or perhaps external pressure blocking an effective investigation."

"An elderly man was beaten until he bled and is suffering severe injuries that require hospitalization, yet the police are ignoring the basic need to hear his account," a family member added from the hospital. "This sends a clear message to the rioters: You're untouchable."

The incident comes during a sensitive time for Vizhnitz Merkaz, as the group prepares for its major annual commemoration on the 12th of Shevat, including planned conferences in Eilat drawing participants from around the world.

Sources within the broader Vizhnitz Hasidut told Kikar HaShabbat that the storm is intensified by what they see as systematic avoidance by parts of the Haredi political and media leadership. "This isn't the first time severe violence has erupted in this Hasidut," they said. "The political silence stems from narrow interests: the need for their votes in national and local elections. The Haredi public demands that leaders prioritize community peace and human dignity over coalition politics."