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Video: Confrontation Over Hasid-On-Hasid Arson Attack
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 26, 2011
Modified May 26, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published May 26, 2011
Modified May 26, 2011
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Earlier this week, chaos reigned for one ostracized Hasidic family when they were attacked by another orthodox Jew who attempted to burn down their house, all because the family had started to go to a different synagogue. In the end, 43-year-old father of four Aron Rottenberg suffered burns on half his body. Yesterday, his lawyer held a press conference in front of the house, and ended up in a verbal confrontation with another orthodox Jew who shouted over him, "It's the wrong thing to go against the rabbi." Watch video from LoHud below:
Lawyer Michael Sussman, who was flanked by Rottenberg's son and son-in-law at the press conference, called for state and federal investigations into the arson attack. In particular, they condemned the Skver Hasidic sect, led by Grand Rebbe David Twersky, who they implied had ordered the attack. "This is nothing other than religious bigotry. If it doesn't stop, it will get worse," Sussman said.
But resident Shulem Sofer interrupted, and screamed that Sussman was lying, that Rottenberg broke the community's rules and that it was justifiable to try to burn down Rottenberg's home—but not to injure the man. "The rabbi never said to do fire to people. It's anti-Semitism. It's anti-New Square," he yelled. Sussman tried to argue that in America, people are free to pray wherever they want, but Sofer responded, "I am from Jew land."
Tagged
arson
Hasidic
hasidim
orthodox jew
rockland county
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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