Rabbi reportedly stabbed outside Jewish building in Boston

A rabbi was stabbed outside a Jewish building in Brighton this afternoon, sources tell the Herald.

Rabbi Shlomo Noginski was stabbed multiple times outside the Shaloh House Jewish Day School in Brighton at around 1 p.m.

He suffered non-life-threatening injuries to his arm, and a suspect was placed under arrest, according to police.

Noginski is a rabbi and teacher at the Chabad institution. He’s an Israeli citizen who came to the Boston area for a short period of time as an “emissary” to spread the Chabad message, Consul General of Israel to New England Meron Reuben told the Herald.

“We are horrified by what has happened,” Reuben said. “We are very concerned, and we are following the situation very diligently.”

Rabbi Dan Rodkin of the Shaloh House reported that Noginski was in stable condition and “in good spirits” at the hospital.

“We are all very shaken by what happened and ask for you to please keep Rabbi Noginski in your prayers for a refuah sheleima, speedy and complete recovery,” Rodkin said in a statement. “We are heartened by the outpouring of concern and compassion we have received in just the last hours since the incident.”

Shaloh House went into lockdown once its staff learned of the stabbing outside. There were children and staff members inside the facility.

“At no point during the incident were any of the children in danger,” Rodkin said. “The safety of our children and staff is of the utmost importance to us and we will be increasing security at the Shaloh House throughout the remainder of the summer.”

The motive has not been determined, emphasized Robert Trestan, New England regional director of the Anti-Defamation League.

“Let’s find out what happened here,” Trestan said. “It’s really important for us to let Boston Police do what they do best, and let’s get the answers. Right now the community is looking for answers as he makes a recovery.”

This stabbing comes in the wake of the shooting in Winthrop last weekend. The killings are being investigated by state, local and federal authorities as hate crimes, and District Attorney Rachael Rollins said the intended target could have been a nearby synagogue.

Trestan said of Thursday’s incident, “When a rabbi is stabbed in a Jewish neighborhood in the middle of the day, it sends shockwaves of fear.”

“This area where it occurred, there are hundreds of people who are working, living, going to school. There are summer camps in close proximity. It sends a sense of fear,” he added.

Brookline Police after the stabbing wrote in an email, “Boston PD is currently investigating a stabbing at the Hasidic Center Brighton… We are placing special attention on Brookline Temples and Synagogues. You will see a police presence very shortly.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3haqyxl