Monsey stabbing: Five people attacked during Hanukkah celebration
At least five people have been stabbed at the house of a rabbi in New York state.
People in the house were celebrating Hanukkah last night when the attacker burst into the property wielding a machete.
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The attack happened in Monsey, located north of New York City, which has a large orthodox Jewish community.
The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council said that one person was stabbed at least six times.
The attacker reportedly tried to enter a synagogue next door to the house, however it was locked.
He fled the scene after wounding the five people, but was later placed into police custody.
Yossi Gestetner, co-founder of the Hudson Valley region’s Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council, said there were dozens of people in the house at the time.
Speaking to the New York times, Aron Kohn, who was in the house at the time, said: “I was praying for my life. He started attacking people right away as soon as he came in the door.
“We didn’t have time to react at all.”
New York governor Andrew Cumo called it a “despicable and cowardly act”.
“Anti-Semitism and bigotry of any kind are repugnant to our values of inclusion and diversity and we have absolutely zero tolerance for such acts of hate,” he said.
Israeli president Reuven Rivlin also released a statement.
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“The rise of antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, and certainly not just the State of Israel’s problem,” he said.
“We must work together to confront this evil, which is raising its head again and is a genuine threat around the world.”