DC Rabbi Levi Shemtov Accosted by Antisemite – On Video

By VIN News

A rapidly-spreading video, showing a Washington D.C. Rabbi being verbally assaulted by a pro-Hamas protester from the “Palestine News Network,” is getting hundreds of thousands of views on social media.

In the video, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, the well-known Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch, gets followed and accosted by an angry man about the Jews’ right to what the protester called ‘Palestine’.

Amazingly, despite being grilled and cut off numerous times, Rabbi Shemtov kept his cool and composure throughout the ordeal, and gave intelligent and articulate responses to the protesters’ vicious, irrational questions and accusations.

The Rabbi explained that “G-d gave it to Abraham and was promised that his descendants would inherit it.”

The questioner, who admitted that he had no interest in the Rabbi’s responses, said that Jews ‘Steal, rob and lie.”

At one point he said, “Stop lying bro, stop lying…You’re jealous that my grandfather was born in Palestine and yours was not.”

He called the Rabbi a slimeball and accused him of “gaslighting”.

VINnews spoke exclusively with Rabbi Shemtov, who said that the protester was trying “to evoke a reaction and stir up trouble’, and was certainly disappointed that he refused to take the bait.

“I had nothing to be ashamed of. He asked about our claim to Eretz Yisrael and I told him,” the Rabbi explained. “He picked the perfect week, since in last week’s parsha we read about G-d promising the land of Israel to Avraham Avinu.”

At one point two police officers are seen approaching the Rabbi and speaking with him. Rabbi Shemtov clarified to VINnews that they were making sure that he did not feel threatened, and he assured them that he did not.

“I could see a look of disappointment on his face when I reassured the officers,” the Rabbi told VINnews. “He was hoping that I would feel threatened.”

Rabbi Shemtov had been leaving the Jewish unity event at Nationals Park baseball stadium on Sunday when he was accosted.

It was organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Rabbi Shemtov is the Chabad Shliach in the D.C. area and is known to be connected with many Jewish politicians, lobbyists, and government officials.

"Palestinians have to accept that Israel is the land of the Jewish people."

Rabbi Levi Shemtov debates the man behind the Palestinian News Network on the streets of DC. pic.twitter.com/avPPfYNlqH

— Frum TikTok (@FrumTikTok) November 11, 2024