By Arutz Sheva
Yossi Wolfe, the man who last week patiently suffered an aggressive anti-Semitic harangue on a Brooklyn train in an incident that has made ample rounds on social media, spoke to Arutz Sheva about the attack, his life in Israel and Brooklyn, fighting anti-Semitism, and Aliyah.
Wolfe, 31, works as a software engineer for the Wall Street Journal. Raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Wolfe is back in the United States after a stint living in Jerusalem for seven years during which he volunteered in the Israeli Air Force for two. He currently lives in Brooklyn, where he has been for a year-and-a-half.
Wolfe is soft-spoken and cerebral. His answers are weighed and considered, and there is no trace of personal hostility or grudge, even after an attack that would have left many sorely shaken. “This happened sometime last week. I hadn’t really mentioned anything to anybody because I didn’t want to make a big deal about it.
“An African-American lady got on with three kids, and then another African-American lady got on. I was standing, and no-one was really getting up for this lady with her three kids. So this other lady started screaming at everyone around her, saying ‘Why are you guys not getting up? This lady’s here with her three kids,’ and then she finally said, ‘If it was a Jewish family y’all would have gotten up!’, at which point I said to her, ‘Can we please not make this a racist thing?’ And then she started going on a tirade about how it’s not racist.
“She was yelling for a good amount of time, and we were going back and forth and I said, ‘We’re individual people. You can’t say these things apply to all Jews’ as she was yelling. Eventually after a while an elderly African-American lady tapped me on the shoulder and she said to just put my headphones back in and it wasn’t worth arguing with her about it.
“Before that lady who was yelling had gotten off the train, she said the reason she was in such a bad mood was because her husband had just gotten arrested the day before. I did feel a little bad for her after that, but at the same time it doesn’t excuse anti-Semitism, just because you’re having a bad day.”
Asked whether he personally is aware of such attacks occurring frequently Wolfe says, “There have been recent attacks here in Crown Heights. There have been some attacks on Jews lately; there was one who got attacked in southern Crown Heights when an African-American was upset about something and attacked this totally innocent Jewish man.
“I’ve heard people mutter things on the train before, but it was never anything definitive that I heard the whole thing that they said, so I’ve never really said anything in the past. This time I wasn’t in the mood to let someone get away with saying something so anti-Semitic.”
“We used to have attacks in Arizona when I would walk with my father and brothers to shul, in a mile-and-a-half walk. People used to yell things out at us. That happens a lot, but nothing major or physical ever came out of it.”
Being a Lubavitcher Chassid, Wolfe is familiar with the chassidic saying “One doesn’t chase away darkness with a stick”.
Asked whether in his experience groups whose mission it is to “fight anti-Semitism” are effective in light of that aphorism, Wolfe replied, “It’s tricky to answer that. I think that a lot of it boils down to education. This isn’t just a problem in the African-American community, I’m sure it’s also a problem in our communities, because I know obviously racism exists in our communities as well, but unfortunately in the churches and other places of the African-American community I think this hatred has spread, ‘The Jew does this, the Jew does that’. That’s where I think a lot of this is coming from, I think it’s just a lot of ignorance that’s being repeated, things that are heard from community leaders that are being taken in and absorbed by people who, maybe they just want to go about their day as well, and then when they’re angry there’s this hatred that they’ve been taught comes out.
“As far as defending against anti-Semitism, I think continuing to educate people is an important thing, but I don’t think we’re reaching enough places with our education as far as the Holocaust and the horrible atrocities that happened, which also affected people of color.
“Then there is the physical defensive part which I think is necessary sometimes, to be prepared. Know some self-defense, because there are some physical situations that happen as well, and it helps to be prepared against that.”
Regarding his thoughts and feelings immediately after the incident, Wolfe maintained characteristic circumspection: “I did ask my colleague right after whether he thought what she said was racist after the fact. I had a teeny discussion with him but after that I just let it go and didn’t discuss it with anybody.
“This isn’t just a one-time incident. This hatred is coming from somewhere. All the things that she said when she got all riled up and she started spewing all that stuff – it wasn’t coming from nowhere. It’s coming from somewhere, and I think it’s deeply rooted in certain rhetoric that’s being taught in certain communities. And I think we know who the leaders are who are teaching that in the African-American community, all this hatred. Unfortunately there’s not much we can do about it, because we are not part of that community.
“We can do things in our own community to try to be more loving towards people who are not our own, that’s something that we can do; it’s not easy because unfortunately there are a lot of incidents that make us want to not do that, but I don’t know what we can do about other communities and changing those communities. I don’t know.”
Do such incidents make him think of moving back to Israel? “I love Eretz Yisrael, I think every Jew should try to live there at some point. I had to come back here for various reasons. I do feel that there are things in Israel that make life not so easy, and I don’t know if just because there’s anti-Semitism here, it’s worth just totally dropping everything and going to Israel. I think we should continue to stay where we are if that’s where life takes us, and continue to stand up against anti-Semitism. I think it’s important to do that, and I think it’s important that we have a louder voice.
“A lot of people in Brooklyn have told me ‘We always just kind of sit on the sidelines when we hear something like that, and we have this mentality like we don’t want to say anything because there could be cameras blah blah blah… But they said ‘Thank you for doing this, Yossi; not a lot of people would do that’. And to me it just seems like a no-brainer, when someone is attacking your people you have to do something about it. We say ‘Never Again’ but do we mean it? That’s something that’s stuck in my mind.”
Video: WARNING – GRAPHIC LANGUAGE
MTA, you never disappoint. pic.twitter.com/QpFx81klcG
— Harry Plotter (@chrisfrench_) May 24, 2018
It sickens you? That seems to be a slight overreaction…perhaps priority is given to children so they don’t fall when the subway makes sudden stops? Just a suggestion. Look for the positive instead of getting sick over such things, it’s a much healthier way to live. All the best.
she should get a life ASAP
Years ago there were placards in the subway cars that said “Little enough to ride for free. Little enough to ride on your knee.”. Since when do kids have a priority for seats. It sickens me when kids sit and there mother stands. No one needed to give up there seats for this women and her brood.
Why doesn’t anyone take Farrikan to court for bigotry like they did to Henry Ford. Farrikan is inciting violence and worse. A lot of this video is a result of his false, evil and unchecked rhetoric
her kids had to listen to this crazy lady screaming.
you are not going to change anything if the leaders of the African community make speeches about the evil jews. it starts and ends at the top!!! get Al Shapton, Farrakahn etc to change their rhetoric !!!! as if that’s going to happen!
BS”D you have to be kidding 24 how to you compare the Warsaw ghetto to mere verbal abuse by an unstable women, and if the getto Chas v Sholem was today would you back your big talk with a call to arms
BS”D I had the same sentiment all day as 22 and in fact just saw 22 comment as i went to write. I have been yelled at anti Semetic remarks but just refrained from responding, what is gained. I could understand his reaction, sometimes it is spontaneous, but what did it accomplish and Chas v Sholem could be dangerous
We’re not in the Warsaw Ghetto 1938.
It’s people like Yossi with Geon Yakov that keep us safe on the street.
These are not sleeping tigers, the only language they respect is a response, otherwise, the next step is to tear you apart.
Perhaps the Israeli Army should have not responded this evening, because it’s a sleeping tiger as well.
My friend you’re 75 too late, the days of turning the other cheek is gone, wake up and wake up quickly.
Good job Tsadiq. We can all learn from you.
am I the only who thinks he should have backed down and just ignored her? why even respond? No matter what he said she got even more worked up.
also why did he even make his comment in the first place? of “dont turn this into a racist thing” he just provoked her. never poke a sleeping tiger.
Growing up as a teenager, my identity card said RACE: JEW
I was actually very proud of it, as we Jews were highly respected for the good our parents did for the country.
But since this woman says we are not a race cv”s, she should be held about for anti-Semitic tirade.
What a dope she is.
Yossi, is definitely one of the finest around, Very smart and very kind, although at times it seems to contradict each other, but not with Yossi, he has them both! I could honestly say a walking Kiddush Shaim Shomayim.
I’m happy to put my name as a reference as well!!!
Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov
±972528726600
±9174567658
Hatzlocho btov Hanireh vhanigle.
Thank your for your thoughtful post regarding this young man and a shidduch. Mitzvah gorreret mitzvah
My friend you acted with class all the way in addition to making a kiddush Hashem. I am sorry you had to go through this nasty event. Your comments are right on the money. Stay safe.
Rabbi Zalman and Tzippy Levertov
Chabad of Arizona
2110 East Lincoln Drive, Phoenix, AZ
602-944-2753
[email protected]
Who do we contact?
I think it’s about time someone takes on the Daily News which has become a barbaric Antii Semitic paper especially against Orthodox Jews Read the Headlines Orthodox Jew and a woman get into Profane laced attack I heard the tape 10 times not once does the Eidel Chassidusher boy say one word of Nivel Peh Chas Vesholom instead it’s Doin Lehashem Veischoulei Loi like the Gemara in Gitin enough is enough of this Daily News garbage
Reflects the double standards of the media at play.
While I am disappointed in one African-American woman’s behavior, I am comforted that the young man who posted the video , which portrays the black woman in a negative light, appears to be himself African-American or a young man of color.
I am waiting for the Mariachi Band who showed up at Attorney Shlossberg’s home to show up at that lady’s doorstep and play Hava Nagila. I won’t hold my breath.
This is what they are constantly told by the media, academia and their leaders. This is classical leftist regressive trash that unfortunately many ignorant people believe. A wise man once told me that the best advice for such a situation is to listen. These people just want validation, a listening ear. These people probably won’t change their mind based on your arguments, as was the case here. This lady was clearly angery and had a bad day. if you listen, let them finish and try to understand where they are coming from, even if you end up saying nothing there… Read more »
Don’t know if it was worthwhile confronting this woman because she had a chip on her shoulder and was looking for an argument. She wouldn’t let you reason with her. There’s a lot of tension between us and our neighbors and it would be nice if there were a means of rational, meaningful dialogue between us. Community leaders just getting together with local political representatives and complimenting each other just isn’t cutting it!!
great idea, but the last person in this neighborhood who said good morning to a black man, got beaten up very badly
Now that he has demonstrated what an admirable person he is, who is interested in this fine young man for their daughter or friend?!
Let the hashgacha pratis of this sad event be that a shidduch results from it.
Exactly, was thinking the same thing.
If you ever read the book “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” it’s a mashal for people who are on welfare, section 8, foodstamps, etc. You the offer them, the more they want and the more they feel they are entitled to it.
BS”D there is very little logic to her rant, in my experience on the trains the passengers are all black, thus was she yelling at a black for not getting up for a Jew, hardly think so ps:I have gotten up for black people
Please pay attention to the flashing sign on top of the train as the are arguing. The sign flashes in red “Last stop”. Perhaps it is an omen that this out “Last Stop” and soon we will all go to Eretz Yisrael. Omein.
You should get a job in CH.
B”H the loudmouth thought she was a super genius winning a confrontation, these kinds of things tend to escalate, and the people on the train, well, they aren’t your friends.
“Eventually after a while an elderly African-American lady tapped me on the shoulder and she said to just put my headphones back in and it wasn’t worth arguing with her about it.”
This lady knows Brooklyn. And Subways.
Its imoortant to teach our kids to make a Kidiush Hashem.
So that the black community will learn to respect us.
Saying Good morning, Holding a door, speaking quietly on the st. not littering……
And when I was highly pregnant and got on the train after a long day work, there was never anywhere to sit, so I used to stand. It was a predominately African American route and NOBODY, not even once would get up for me. But, if ever a black pregnant woman got on the train, 2-3 sitting people would immediately get up and offer her their seats.
will the authorities do the same to this “loser” like they did
to that lawyer guy.
In 1980 the US Supreme Court ruled that Judaism is a race… in regard to anti-discriminatory laws.
Great job keeping your cool. This lady is obviously just a bitter ignorant woman