Brutal antisemitic knife attack in Brooklyn

A Jewish man was the victim of a knife attack that nearly cost him his life in Brooklyn, New York, in what appears to have been a brutal antisemitic assault. The New York Police Department is investigating the incident as a hate crime.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Sadya Liberow, the victim of the attack, claimed he was approached by a man shouting "F*** you guys," in a likely reference to the Jewish community, and then slashed him in the face.

The attacker then fled the scene and Liberow, a father of two 3-year-old girls, called police and removed his shirt, which he then tied around his face to stop the bleeding, his mother Nechama told the Jerusalem Post.

Liberow's mother further said her son needed 18 internal and external stitches and two hours of facial surgery to close the wound, which extends from the corner of his mouth to his ear.

The attacker could not yet be identified.

Concern over rise in antisemitic attacks

Liberow called the attack a "vicious act of hate" and expressed concern about the rise in antisemitic attacks in New York and in the United States in general.

According to data from the New York Police Department, 312 antisemitic incidents have been reported in the state so far in 2024, which represents a significant increase from 2023, when 230 were reported.

In addition, the United States recorded an alarming increase in incidents against the Jewish community, with more than 10,000 cases reported since the October 7 massacre. These incidents include assaults, insults, harassment and vandalism directed at Jewish people or their places of worship. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which has been documenting these events for more than 40 years, this is the highest number recorded in a single year since they began counting them in 1979.

According to the ADL report, between October 7, 2023 and September 24, 2024, incidents of harassment, vandalism and hate crimes against the Jewish community increased in the United States by more than 200% compared to the same period the previous year. This increase was largely attributed to escalating tensions stemming from the war between Israel and Hamas.