Tensions are running high within the Jewish community following a possible hate-crime attack Saturday night during which a man riding a bicycle physically assaulted a local Chabad Center student while shouting anti-Semitic slogans.
WPTV.com reports that the 19-year-old victim told police he was walking home in the 300 block of Northeast Second Street when a man on a bike passed him screaming, “Jews go back to Auschwitz. Hitler was right.”
The student said he shouted back, “Why don’t you come back here and say that,” after which the man reversed direction and started punching him after shoving him to the ground.
The victim, who claims he was unharmed in the melee, said he is “doing better,” but admitted it was ” bit nerve-wracking having someone scream at me these things.”
Rabbi Ruvi New, spiritual leader of Chabad of East Boca, was interviewed about the incident.
Thank you for pointing out that small oversight on my part regarding the variance between the Castle Doctrine and the “Stand your ground” laws. In the legal code of my home state the Castle Doctrine and stand your ground laws I believe are consecutive sections and are often referred to by many as “The Castle Doctine”, as there is no “law of retreat” (thank goodness) in my state. I am not an attorney, and as such my opinions should not be construed as legal advice but where I believe that you need some clarification regarding the above mentioned incident is… Read more »
Thanks, 16, for sharing what works in a truly anti-Semitic country. And it’s certainly a good way in a country like the U.S. in which racism is so strongly condemned today. Guns and martial arts are good for protecting ourselves from similar physical attacks. But from verbal attacks? Are we supposed to shoot people or break their bones for insulting our religion? That puts us at the same level as religious extremists from other religions who we are condemning for doing the same thing. The proper response to prejudiced attitudes is to try to correct the attitudes. Jews are supposed… Read more »
i live in a very anti-semitic cuntry, Hungary and we get comments quite often. (most often anti semitic, someetimes ignorant or just trying to be ‘cool’) (we are often ‘told’ to ‘go back to aushwitz’ or ‘its a shame hitler didnt finish his job’, ‘heil hitler’ ‘go back to Israel’ once someone even spat at us in my fathers face…) i find that the best response to that is smiling back at them and not let it bother you just smile at him and walk on proudly. the best way to ‘kill’ your enemy is by smiling at him/her. they… Read more »
I love the answer in Comment #6, titled, The Shvigger
Izzy Kalman
it is not wise to be provocative and confrontational in return. it is counter-productive. i would not teach my children to return an insult with “come on over here and say that” – clear invitation to fight. sign me “Izzy Kalman’s Student”
Live loud as Jew and armed! Enough this is not Germany 1939 we will fight and not get pushed into cattle cars. Not me. Teffilin in one hand a gun in the other.
Why is it so easy to pick on us
Why don’t we do what’s needed and be smart
Please yodden
Yes, Kraft Magazine is an excellent system for open hand combat, as is the Russian Systema, Brazilian Jujitsu and a number of other fighting systems. But, as someone who has studied many of these, the same stills holds true day in, day out: Don’t bring a fist or a knife to a gun fight!!!!!
I am also a gun owner, I train regularly, and I strongly support all Jews who live where it is legal to own a firearm to acquire one and get proper training. A critically important part of being a responsible gun owner is accurate knowledge of the applicable laws. In every state in the US, you are only allowed to use deadly force if a reasonable person in your position would perceive the situation as threatening his or her life or serious injury (including rape). You are only allowed to use as much deadly force as is needed to stop… Read more »
Agree 100% that Jews need to know how to defend ourselves. Having all yeshivas AND GIRLS’ SCHOOLS teach Krav Maga is a fantastic idea!!! While unfortunately many Jewish areas are located in anti-gun jurisdictions, Krav Maga can be used anywhere. How can we get this rolling?
I dont think its smart to answer back unless u are prepared to block and hit first
Maybe Yeshivahs should make it mandatory to teach something like Krav Maga to defend ourselves.
I grew up in an anti semitic country and always stood up and answered back. sometimes i got a beating sometimes the other guy got what he deserved. Enough swallowing down WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES. Learn some martial arts etc. and stand up
The Rebbe’s approach is to increase awareness and the observance of Sheva Mitzvos Bnai Noach. If someone would say that to me, I would tell him “I want to give you a blessing” and hand him a sheva Mitzvos card (which I carry for all occasions)
It is terrible that anti-Semitism still exists. However, we should not be surprised that it does. When I was growing up in the Bronx in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, such attacks were extremely common. If you were easily identifiable as a Jew, you could expect to be a target. I had been attacked a couple of times far worse than the young man in this story and no one thought it was newsworthy. Today, any type of racial or religious attack, even verbal, becomes a big story on the news. We can either see these attacks as something horrific… Read more »
To # 2…… The only way that you are going to put an end to antisemitism (other than Moschiach coming) is when the Jews finally come up with the where-with-all to make the Goyim so petrified of them that they wouldn’t dare to even so much as think of saying something of this sort to a Jew!!!! Florida has the first and one of the strongest “Castle Doctrine” laws in the country. If this Jew would have presented a concealed firearm during this altercation and told the aggressor that he was going to have an “early rendezvous with kingdom come”,… Read more »
“Why don’t you come back here and say that?” is quite an invitation.
I do not believe it to be a coincidence that an attack took place in the very spot where the News and Chabad are planning to build a center to educate people, to stop the epidemic of senseless hatred and antisemitism.
The silver lining behind this horrible story is to show that there is indeed a need for this center, in Boca. Kudos to the News, Chabad of Boca, and the Bochurim who are now literally learning with Mesiras Nefesh.!!
nowhere is safe