A Jewish man was stabbed in the chest by an antisemitic attacker who declared he was “going to kill a Jew today” in broad daylight on a Brooklyn street, marking another alarming escalation in the surge of hate crimes targeting Jewish Americans. This vicious assault in Crown Heights, home to a large Orthodox Jewish community, underscores the vulnerability of American Jews and highlights the ongoing challenge for law enforcement to address the root causes of escalating antisemitism.
Story Highlights
- 35-year-old Jewish man stabbed multiple times in chest on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
- Attacker hurled Holocaust-referencing slurs before fleeing the scene.
- NYPD Hate Crimes Division investigating as antisemitic attack with suspect still at large.
- Attack occurred near Chabad world headquarters, heightening symbolic impact.
Vicious Antisemitic Attack Rocks Crown Heights
On December 16, 2025, at approximately 5:00 p.m., a 35-year-old visibly Jewish man became the target of a ruthless antisemitic assault on Kingston Avenue near Lincoln Place in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood. The attacker approached the victim while screaming horrific slurs including “F*** these Jews” and “it would be alright if the Holocaust happened today” before producing a knife and stabbing him multiple times in the chest. Despite his injuries, the victim courageously pursued his attacker across the street and down another block before the suspect fled southbound.
WATCH: Jewish man brutally stabbed multiple times in the chest in an unprovoked antisemitic attack on Kingston Avenue, Crown Heights, Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/I2Fmucg4lE
— Video Forensics (@Video_Forensics) December 17, 2025
Alarming Pattern of Rising Anti-Jewish Violence
This attack represents a disturbing continuation of the antisemitic violence plaguing New York City since October 7, 2023. The NYPD reported over 300 hate crimes against Jews in 2024 alone, marking a staggering 335% increase since 2022. Crown Heights, home to a large Orthodox Jewish community and the global headquarters of Chabad-Lubavitch, has become a focal point for such attacks. The neighborhood carries painful historical significance as the site of the 1991 Crown Heights riots, where antisemitic violence resulted in the death of a Jewish child.
Law Enforcement Response Falls Short
While Mayor Eric Adams condemned the attack, stating “Evil, hateful, antisemitic violence must come to an end,” his administration’s response highlights the ongoing failure to protect Jewish communities effectively. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Division has released suspect photos and increased patrols, but the attacker remains at large. This reactive approach does little to address the root causes of escalating antisemitism or provide adequate security for vulnerable Jewish neighborhoods. The victim was treated at Kings County Hospital and released the same day, but the psychological trauma and community fear persist.
Community Under Siege
The timing and location of this attack underscore the vulnerability of Jewish Americans in their own neighborhoods. Crown Heights serves as a hub for Jewish life, yet residents now face the reality of antisemitic violence in broad daylight. The Combat Antisemitism Movement has launched reporting initiatives, but grassroots efforts cannot substitute for robust law enforcement and political leadership that takes this crisis seriously. Similar attacks across NYC, including stabbings in Washington Heights and verbal assaults near synagogues, demonstrate a coordinated pattern of hate that threatens the constitutional right of Jewish Americans to practice their faith freely.
This attack serves as a stark reminder that American Jewish communities face unprecedented threats to their safety and security. The brave victim’s pursuit of his attacker despite being stabbed demonstrates the resilience that has sustained Jewish communities through centuries of persecution, but no American should have to endure such violence simply for their identity or faith.
Watch the report: NYPD investigating stabbing of man in Crown Heights as possible antisemitic attack
Sources:
- Jewish Man Stabbed in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights Neighborhood, NYPD Investigates Antisemitic Motive – Combat Antisemitism Movement
- Brooklyn stabbing victim speaks out; police investigating attack as hate crime – CBS News
