Explained What We Now Know About the Attack on ultra-Orthodox Jews in Monsey

NEW YORK – The latest violent attack targeting New York’s Orthodox Jewish community, during the festival of Hanukkah, has deeply shaken the community. As community leaders and politicians discuss measures to combat anti-Semitism, here is the latest information on the knife attack in Monsey that took place on Saturday evening.

1. What happened?

Just before 10 P.M. on December 28, a man with a scarf covering his face walked into the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg in Monsey, New York, and began stabbing people with what witnesses described as either a “very large knife” or a machete.

The criminal complaint states that the assailant entered the rabbi’s home as dozens of congregants from the nearby Congregation Netzach Yisroel were celebrating the seventh night of Hanukkah by lighting candles and reciting prayers. The federal criminal complaint said the suspect told the group, “No one is leaving,” and proceeded to stab and slash them. He reportedly fled the scene after the congregants fought back using furniture.

2. Where is Monsey?

Monsey, a hamlet located within the town of Ramapo in New York state, has a population of 22,043 people, according to the American Community Survey from 2017. It is located in Rockland County, northwest of Manhattan.

The county has seen its Hasidic Orthodox Jewish population grow over recent years. According to the New York state website, Rockland has the highest Jewish population per capita of any U.S. county, with 31.4 percent, or 90,000 residents, being Jewish.