Israeli Tourist Assaulted in Midtown NYC in Suspected Antisemitic Attack

Rami Glikstein, a 59-year-old Israeli rabbi visiting New York City for the first time, was violently attacked in Midtown Manhattan after a stranger confronted him about his religion, forcibly removed and spat on his yarmulke, and punched him in the face. The assault, which occurred in broad daylight near a kosher deli, left Glikstein with facial cuts, a broken nose, and internal bleeding in the brain, requiring hospitalization. Despite the severity, Glikstein expressed determination not to be deterred from returning to New York, emphasizing that most people in the city are good. Law enforcement is investigating the incident, collecting surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts, but has not officially classified it as a hate crime, although the attack's antisemitic nature is apparent. Community leaders and the Israeli Consul General condemned the attack, linking it to a broader rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence in the U.S. and calling for condemnation from public officials. The attacker remains at large as authorities continue their investigation.