A Rabbi's Brave Stand Against Hate

In a shocking incident, a rabbi was violently attacked while walking to his synagogue in Queens. The assault happened near Queens Blvd. and 71st Ave. in Forest Hills around 3 p. m. on Tuesday. A stranger approached the 32-year-old rabbi, hurled antisemitic slurs, and punched him in the face and chest before fleeing. Thankfully, the rabbi suffered only minor injuries and was treated at the scene. The police quickly apprehended the suspect, Eric Zafra-Grosso, also 32, at a nearby subway station. Zafra-Grosso, a resident of Corona, has no prior criminal record. He now faces charges of assault and aggravated harassment as hate crimes. His arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was pending as of Wednesday. This disturbing event occurred on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day dedicated to honoring the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi persecution. The day commemorates the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.The attack sparked outrage among city officials. Mayor Mamdani took to X to condemn the act, stating, \"New Yorkers were confronted with a painful truth: antisemitism is not a thing of the past — it is a present danger that demands action from all of us. \" He emphasized that there is no place for antisemitism in the city and pledged to combat this hatred. Other officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Comptroller Mark Levine, also expressed their outrage. Levine called the attack \"yet another sickening reminder of the scale of the hatred we are confronting. \" He urged everyone in the city to unite against this growing threat. This incident is not an isolated event. Last Thursday, police arrested two teens accused of vandalizing a Brooklyn playground in a Jewish neighborhood with over 50 swastikas. The swastikas were drawn in red, yellow, and blue paint on playground equipment and surfaces at Gravesend Park. Despite a 12% decrease in overall hate crimes citywide last year, antisemitic incidents remain a significant issue. In 2025, antisemitic incidents dropped by 3%, but they still accounted for 57% of all reported hate crimes. Jewish New Yorkers, who make up about 10% of the city's population, continue to face disproportionate levels of hatred and violence.