Israel Matzav

Chabad rabbi lighting Chanuka menora attacked in Vienna

A 'misguided' adherent of the 'religion of peace' attacked a Chabad rabbi in Vienna as the rabbi lit a Chanuka menora on Saturday night (Hat Tip: Atlas Shrugs).

The attacker hurled himself at Rabbi Dov Gruzman, principal of the city’s Jewish school run by the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic movement, and began punching him, a local resident told Arutz Sheva.

As the rabbi tried to hold off his attacker, the Muslim suddenly bit his victim, severing part of his finger in the process. The Muslim was caught and arrested by police, and was held for questioning. The rabbi was evacuated to the hospital where doctors rushed to reattach his finger.

Gruzman told Arutz Sheva that the Muslim had raced towards the entrance at the beginning of the ceremony and began to curse the Jews who were there and the Jewish people in general. “I tried to hold him off, to keep him away from the entrance and he bit me really hard, and that’s how he injured me,” he said.

The event itself did not discourage Rabbi Gruzman, and in fact strengthened his resolve. “We are glad that such an event occurred,” he said. “Today, because of what happened, we are planning [a much larger event]. We increased the number of sufganiot [Chanukah jelly doughnuts] from 50 to 700 – and this is our answer to the attack and to anti-Semitism.”

Rabbi Gruzman was not planning on attending Sunday night's candle lighting: He's still in the hospital recovering from a bite wound.

I guess the Muslim thought Rabbi Gruzman is halal.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:58 PM