How the Murder of 8 Year Old Leiby Kletzky z"l Changed Borough Park

The death of Levi Aron, the convicted murderer of Leiby Kletzky z”l, last week in a U.S. prison has stirred memories of one of the ultra-Orthodox community’s darkest days. Yet in Borough Park, the Brooklyn neighborhood at the heart of the tragedy, the response has been muted. In an exclusive interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Rabbi Yonatan Schwartz, whose own son sat in the same class as Leiby, reflected on the lingering pain, the lessons learned, and the changes that have reshaped the community in the years since.

Rabbi Schwartz explained: The news that came out last week from the United States, about the death in prison of Levi Aron, the despicable murderer who cut short the life of the righteous child Leiby Kletzky z"l more than a decade ago, brought many back to those terrible days of anxiety and shock. But precisely at the epicenter of the disaster, in the heart of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Borough Park, the response was surprising.

"The truth is, almost no one talks about it here," said Rabbi Schwartz when asked about the reaction to the murderer's death. "Back then it was a terrible shock, fear gripped everyone, but now? People have moved on. We're talking about a person who everyone knows was not sane in his mind. He worked for years with ultra-Orthodox people, and never harmed a fly, until that terrible moment."

For Rabbi Schwartz, the tragedy was personal and particularly painful. "My son sat with Leiby z"l in the same class in cheder," he recalls in a cracked voice. "We prayed in the same synagogue. My seat was next to his seat. How do you explain to a child that his friend, who sat next to him yesterday, is gone? It was the hardest thing. There was a period when the children were afraid to go out to the street. But our answer was and remains one: 'Mentaleh', you can't argue. It was a terrible decree from heaven, beyond our understanding."The Miracle That Saved Lives: The Camera Revolution

But out of the great darkness, Rabbi Schwartz seeks to illuminate the positive points that grew from the disaster, and foremost among them, the personal security revolution. "The most important thing that happened following the murder is that almost every house in Borough Park installed security cameras," he states decisively. Rabbi Schwartz explains that the tragedy of Leiby z"l could have been prevented or ended differently if there had been cameras like today.

"For long hours, they searched for Leiby in the wrong direction, because they thought he went east. Only one single camera, at the corner of 18th Avenue, captured him for a second and a half and proved he went west. That's what ultimately led to the case being solved, but the critical hours were already lost."

Rabbi Schwartz adds a fascinating story about the importance of cameras: "A friend of mine was saved from life imprisonment thanks to a neighbor's camera. He was attacked by an antisemite and had to defend himself, and only the documentation proved it was self-defense. The cameras are 'eyes' that prevent crime and save lives, and this is a lesson learned in blood.""

In conclusion, Rabbi Schwartz asks to convey a message to parents: "We must not take anything for granted. Our children are a gift from the Holy One, Blessed Be He. We need to hug them, give them warmth and love, and not get angry over nonsense. Everything is temporary in this world."

And there is also a small consolation. The noble Kletzky family, who stood heroically in the face of the disaster, has since been blessed with family expansion. "Blessed be God, more children have been born to them," Rabbi Schwartz recounts with emotion. "A daughter who was born and named 'Bat Sheva' on the advice of Maran Sar HaTorah Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky ztz"l, and after her another son. Life is stronger than everything."