Jewish Groups Condemn Attack of Jewish Man at Kentucky Chabad

Several Jewish groups condemned the attack against a Jewish man at a Kentucky Chabad during a menorah lighting on December 12.

[additional-authors]

Aaron Bandler

December 14, 2020

Chabad of the Bluegrass in Lexington, Ky. Source: Screenshot via Google Maps.

Several Jewish groups condemned the attack against a Jewish man at a Kentucky Chabad during a menorah lighting on December 12.

Rabbi Shlomo Litvin of the Chabad of the Bluegrass in Lexington issued a media advisory on December 13 explaining that just before they lit the menorah, an unidentified male drove up to the Chabad House and started shouting cuss words and anti-Semitic slurs from his car. A community member then stepped in between the driver and the house, prompting the driver to grab the member’s arm, drag him for a block and then run over his leg before driving away. The community member insisted that the menorah be lit before seeking medical help; his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

“We appreciate the quick response of the Lexington Police Dept, and EMS, and the attention paid to this by law enforcement,” Litvin said in a statement. “We also are grateful for the outrage shared by leaders including Mayor [Linda] Gorton, the Attorney General, Treasurer [Allison] Ball, and others.”

He added: “The Lubavitcher Rebbe, the inspiration for our center, and the foremost leader of world Judaism in the modern era, often remarked that in a place of great darkness a small flame cast a great light. We take great comfort in those words this week.”

Jewish groups weighed in on Twitter.

“We’re horrified by the attack at #ChabadOfTheBluegrass,” Anti-Defamation League Cleveland tweeted. “There’s no place for hate & antisemitism in KY. We’re heartened by support from the community, [government] leaders, & law enforcement. We stand with the Lexington Jewish community & are here to assist.”

We're horrified by the attack at #ChabadOfTheBluegrass. There's no place for hate & antisemitism in KY. We're heartened by support from the community, govt leaders, & law enforcement. We stand with the Lexington Jewish community & are here to assist. https://t.co/LVITYHlvwa

— ADL Cleveland (@ADL_Cleveland) December 13, 2020

The Simon Wiesenthal Center also tweeted, “First #Kiev now #Kentucky. #Chanukah menorah — symbol of light defeating darkness — attacked by anti-Semites. Jew haters will not prevail. Am Yisrael Chai!”

First #Kiev now #Kentucky. #Chanukah menorah – symbol of light defeating darkness – attacked by anti-Semites. Jew haters will not prevail. Am Yisrael Chai!https://t.co/UDOhEBp1tN via @jtanews

— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) December 14, 2020

The Kiev part of the tweet is a reference to the Hanukkah menorah in the middle of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, being pulled down on December 10.

The Stop Antisemitism.org watchdog tweeted, “This is the 4th time an antisemitic incident has happened at this Chabad Jewish Center THIS YEAR. We are being told this particular incident was caught on film; local authorities SHOULD be able to catch the person/people responsible.”

This is the 4th time an antisemitic incident has happened at this Chabad Jewish Center THIS YEAR.

We are being told this particular incident was caught on film; local authorities SHOULD be able to catch the person/people responsible. https://t.co/rRwzd4zWPi

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 14, 2020

State and local leaders have also denounced the attack.

“The anti-Semitic attack reported Saturday night outside of the Jewish Student Center is an outrage,” Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, tweeted. “This hate has absolutely no place in the commonwealth as we build a better Kentucky that is fair and equitable for all of our people.

“That this attack occurred on the third night of Hanukkah, during menorah-lighting celebrations, makes it all the more hateful, hurtful and cowardly. I ask all Kentuckians to join me in praying for a quick recovery and join me in rejecting hate.”

The anti-Semitic attack reported Saturday night outside of the Jewish Student Center is an outrage. This hate has absolutely no place in the commonwealth as we build a better Kentucky that is fair and equitable for all of our people. (1 of 2) https://t.co/0g2pfp6gHB

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) December 13, 2020

That this attack occurred on the third night of Hanukkah, during menorah-lighting celebrations, makes it all the more hateful, hurtful and cowardly. I ask all Kentuckians to join me in praying for a quick recovery and join me in rejecting hate. ^AB (2 of 2)

— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) December 13, 2020

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened to learn of the hate incident last evening at the Chabad of the Bluegrass near our campus, ironically occurring in the midst of Chanukah. The person who was injured is in our thoughts and prayers for a full recovery. As the latest lights of Chanukah shine forth, let us be reminded of our mutual responsibility to seek, each day, to let the light of religious freedom and liberty shine brightly for everyone. Hate will have no harbor in our community.”

On December 13, Litvin gave a message to the community stating that despite the attack, the menorah lighting each night at the Chabad will continue as planned.

“Darkness, contrary to popular opinion, is not a force,” Litvin said. “When you have light and dark in the same room, the room is lit up. The second light appears, darkness ceases to be there, and if there is darkness, then it’s because someone is not shining their light. So each of us have a responsibility to shine our light, and light up the darkness.”

The Rabbi of the Chabad of the Bluegrass gave this inspiring message on the fourth night of Hannukah. It was just one night after the center was attacked by an antisemite. Listen to his message. pic.twitter.com/zcqWkGiGcP

— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) December 14, 2020

UPDATE: Litvin told the Journal in a phone interview that the last thing he had heard the driver say were the words “f—ing Jew” and that the community member stood in the way of driver because the community member knew that Litvin’s children were inside the Chabad House. He added that it’s hard to know the full extent of the community member’s leg injury at this point in time, but the community member did avoid the worst-case scenario of never being able to walk straight again.

Litvin praised the university for speaking out against the attack, as “they’ve never done that before” and that the response from various individuals “has been absolutely amazing. I’ve been getting calls, texts, emails from Jews, non-Jews, people from all across Lexington and people in other places just wanting to express care for [the community member]. It’s been really uplifting.”