New Jersey rabbi assaulted outside his home on eve of Jewish holiday
By Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN
(CNN) — A rabbi was assaulted in New Jersey Sunday afternoon ahead of a weeklong Jewish holiday, prompting police to add extra patrols while they investigate the motive.
Avraham Wein, the assistant rabbi at Congregation Keter Torah, was assaulted outside his home in Bergenfield, New Jersey, just 15 minutes outside Jersey City, he told CNN on Monday, declining to comment further about the incident.
Jeffrey Zicchinella, 40, was driving Sunday around 2 p.m. when he got out of his car and assaulted the rabbi, according to a Facebook post from Bergenfield Police Chief Mustafa Rabboh.
A nearby resident came to help the rabbi, the chief said, adding both the rabbi and the resident suffered minor injuries.
It’s unclear why Zicchinella pursued Wein or whether the two knew each other.
The incident happened amid a rise in antisemitic incidents, one day before Sukkot, known as “the Time of our Happiness” and one of three major holidays on the Jewish calendar, according to the American Jewish Committee.
The assault also occurred during a time of heightened tension around the world. Last week, at least two Jewish worshippers were killed and three others seriously injured in a car ramming and stabbing attack outside a synagogue in Manchester, England, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism. The assault in New Jersey came two days before the second anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza.
Zicchinella was taken into custody and charged with two counts of simple assault. He is being held at Bergen County Jail, according to jail records. It’s unclear whether Zicchinella has an attorney.
CNN has reached out to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
No motive has been established, Keter Torah Rabbi Shalom Baum wrote in a message to his congregation, and Wein was not hospitalized for his injuries, he said.
“We take all reports of bias-motivated or hate-related incidents seriously and remain dedicated to ensuring that everyone in our Borough feels safe and respected,” Rabboh said on Facebook.
While police have said the incident appears to be isolated, Rabboh “ordered our officers to conduct extra patrols around residences and synagogues” in an abundance of caution.
“This was a shameful act that has no place in Bergenfield,” its mayor, Arvin Amatorio, wrote on Facebook. “I strongly condemn this attack and make it clear that we will not tolerate violence in our town, against anyone, under any circumstances.”
The-CNN-Wire
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