Jewish man describes bias attack in Brooklyn

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - New York City police detectives are looking for suspects in two recent anti-Semitic hate crimes.

The latest happened Saturday around 12:30 p.m. Menachem Moskowitz was walking home from Shabbat services at a nearby synagogue at 46th Street and Rutland Road in Crown Heights. He said he casually said "Hello" to a man smoking a cigar. That man then began yelling anti-Jewish slurs and curses at him.

Moskowitz said he tried to ignore the man and kept walking but the man then punched and choked him, held him in a headlock, and cursing at him, saying he hates Jews and they don't belong here.

The attacker ran away only when passersby confronted him.

Moskowitz said he has a broken rib and several bruises.

Police released security camera video of the suspect and described him as black, in his 40s, about 6 feet, and around 230 pounds.

"I am disgusted and saddened by the vicious attack that occurred on Saturday in Crown Heights," City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said in a statement. "This is not what our city is about, and my heart breaks that New Yorkers have endured this kind of abuse and violence. Hate has no place here, and I pray those responsible are quickly brought to justice."

This happened a week after several assailants attacked a 42-year-old Orthodox Jewish man on Eastern Parkway near Brooklyn Avenue in the early morning hours. The man suffered a broken nose in the attack.

The Anti-Defamation League is offering $5,000 rewards for information leading to the arrests and convictions in the incidents.

The ADL said that 11 assaults were motivated by anti-Semitism across New York State in 2017; seven of which occurred in Brooklyn. Statewide, incidents of anti-Semitism jumped over 90 percent in 2017.

The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the attacks. Anyone with information about the assaults is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.