From Gates Of Vienna:

August 29, 2012

“Youths” Beat Rabbi in Berlin

Youths beat Rabbi in Berlin

A rabbi was beaten and insulted by youngsters in the heart of Berlin. His little daughter was threatened with death, presumably by youngsters of Arab origin. The state security (office) investigates.

A rabbi from the Jewish community in Berlin-Schöneberg was attacked by four youngsters and insulted by anti-Semitic insults, all this in the presence of his little daughter. On Tuesday the 53-year-old rabbi was walking evening in Becker Street with his 6-year-old daughter when, according to information given by the police, youngsters of presumably Arab origin attacked him, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

This case sparked horror. The mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit (SPD — German Socialist Part) labeled this as “cowardly attack”. The European Jewish Congress also stepped with a reminder of the attack against the Jewish school in Toulouse in March. On that occasion, an Islamist killed seven people.

Because the rabbi was wearing a traditional Jewish head cover (kippa), the youngsters asked him whether he was a Jew, and after this, they suddenly blocked the way of the father and his daughter, and injured him with multiple blows to the head. The youngsters insulted the victim and his faith, and also threatened his little daughter with death. All this happened on Tuesday at about 6:20 p.m.

Wowereit and Henkel are shocked

After this, the perpetrators escaped towards Ruben Street. The injured rabbi received outpatient treatment in a hospital. The State Security Police have initiated an investigation.

The mayor of Berlin expressed his shock at this case. The aggression was an attack against the peaceful coexistence of people in the capital. “Berlin is a metropolis open to the world in which we do not tolerate intolerance, xenophobia and anti-Semitism,” the mayor insisted.

The police will do everything in order to find and detain the perpetrators. The Minister of Interior Affairs of Berlin, Frank Henkel (CDU — German Christian Democratic Party) added that “This kind of act will be mercilessly prosecuted by the security forces.” No one should be afraid to profess his own religion.

The Jewish Democratic Forum complains about a problem of “massive” anti-Semitism

According to the Jewish Forum for Democracy and Against Anti-Semitism (JFDA), the rabbi was one of the first ones to be ordained in Germany after the Holocaust. The 53-year-old rabbi has been engaged for years in the dialogue with Muslims and Christians, and he said he had previously been insulted by anti-Semitic provocations in the open street. “This incident also shows how important the prevention of violence and the work of education is, which is absolutely essential to deepen,” said Lala Süsskind, the president of the JFDA.

The president of the European Jewish Congress (EJC), Moshe Kantor, complained that after the case of Toulouse it has still not been recognized that there is a “massive problem” in Europe. Any future anti-Semitic attack would increase the insecurity of the Jewish community.

The Paris-based EJC represents democratically-elected Jewish communities in Europe. Kantor announced a high-level meeting of representatives from European Jews and Muslims in the next week. He hopes that on this occasion there will be a common condemnation of violent acts.