Latest news with #Chabad
New York Post
a day ago
- General
- New York Post
Jewish firefighter runs into burning Long Island Chabad, pulls Torah out as crowd prays outside: ‘A miracle'
A Long Island firefighter ran into a burning Chabad to save a sacred Sefer Torah from the flames on Tuesday — as members of the local Jewish community raced to the scene in prayer. Firefighter Michael Farca, who is Jewish, ran into the Chabad of Greenville to save the sacred religious scroll shortly after a fire tore through the building at about 7 a.m. Farca emerged with the Torah from the smoke-filled doors like a super hero in a movie scene, said Chabad member Igor Shamlov — who said the hero didn't have as much as a scratch on him — or the Torah — in a symbolic moment that brought the crowd to tears, Shamalov said. 3 Farca ran into the Chabad of Greenville to save the sacred religious scroll shortly after a fire tore through the building. Chabad of Greenvale 'The Torah scroll, for us, is priceless,' Shamalov told The Post, — adding that the faithful crowd erupted in tears at the sight. 'It is like saving a human life.' He explained that for the past two days, they have been celebrating Shavuot, which is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the Torah, making the scroll's rescue even more faith-confirming to him and others. The building was scorched, prayer books soaked and blackened, and much of the sanctuary left in ruins — but the Torah survived, which was enough for some to feel optimistic. 'The Torah is more than a book, it's our heart and soul,' said congregant Yuriy Davidov. 'Seeing it carried out safely felt like a miracle.' 3 The building was scorched, prayer books soaked and blackened, and much of the sanctuary was left in ruins. Google Maps Fire departments from across Nassau rushed to the scene around 7 a.m. and managed to stop the blaze from completely gutting the structure. Crews stayed on site for hours hosing down hot spots and assessing the damage. No injuries are reported, and the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, according to first responders. 3 Fire departments from across Nassau rushed to the scene around 7 a.m. Facebook Members said the synagogue suffered damage but not defeat — and that they're already planning to rebuild, calling the Torah's rescue a sign that their faith is stronger than ever. But until the rebuild is complete, Shamalov said they are looking for a new, temporary home to worship.
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Suspect in Colorado fire attack planned for a year, FBI says
WASHINGTON — A man accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at demonstrators attending a march for Israeli hostages in Colorado on Sunday planned the attack for a year, investigators say. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 45, who is charged with a federal hate crime as well as state charges of attempted murder, assault and use of an explosive device, made a brief appearance in court on Monday. Officials say the Egyptian national targeted a group of pro-Israel protesters at an outdoor mall in Boulder and shouted "Free Palestine" as he threw incendiary devices, injuring eight of them. At least 16 unlit Molotov cocktails were found nearby afterwards. Investigators say he targeted the group after finding them online. The weekly demonstration was organized by Run for Their Lives, which raises awareness about Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Officials say Soliman threw two incendiary devices into the gathering at the Pearl Street Mall, with eight of the victims suffering burns. Twelve people, including four men and four women between the ages of 52 and 88, were taken to the hospital, with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Officials previously said there were eight victims, but on Monday four more came forward with minor injuries. The eldest of the victims is a Holocaust survivor, Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado Boulder, told the BBC's US partner CBS News. The attack happened on the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. The suspect appeared in court on Monday via a video feed from the Boulder County Jail for less than five minutes, standing and wearing an orange jumpsuit. He answered "yes" to some procedural questions from the judge, but otherwise did not speak. The court scheduled a date for the formal filing of charges this Thursday. Officials said on Monday they believe he acted alone. In an interview after his arrest, Soliman told police he had been planning the attack for a year, to take place after his daughter's high school graduation, according to an arrest warrant affidavit from the FBI. He told police he wanted to "kill all Zionists" and would carry out the attack again, the court documents stated. In addition to the unlit Molotov cocktails, backpack weed sprayer containing octane gasoline was found nearby. Soliman dressed up as a gardener with an orange vest to get as close to the group of people as possible, according to police. He said he had been watching YouTube videos on how to make Molotov cocktails, according to the affidavit. Investigators say he told them he learned to shoot a gun in hope of obtaining a concealed-carry permit, but ended up using Molotov cocktails because his immigration status prevented him from accessing firearms. Soliman drove from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder, arriving five minutes before the group's meeting, according to court documents. He allegedly said he bought petrol on his way to the attack. According to the FBI, throughout the interview, Soliman said he hated Zionists and targeted them because they need to stop taking over "our land", which he said was a reference to the Palestinian territories. Soliman allegedly told officials he left his iPhone hidden in a desk drawer with messages to his family, wife and five children. His wife later brought the iPhone to officials, according to court documents. Law enforcement officials said on Monday there was no previous indication that the defendant was a threat. "We fully intended to hold Soliman accountable for his actions, and these charges are the first step," Acting US Attorney for the District of Colorado J Bishop Grewell told a press conference on Monday. Soliman moved to Colorado Springs three years ago and previously spent 17 years living in Kuwait. In 2022, Soliman arrived in California on a non-immigrant visa that expired in February 2023, multiple sources have told CBS News. Homeland security officials said he filed for asylum a month after arriving, but did not provide details about the outcome of that immigration case or whether it was resolved. President Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, said on X that Soliman was given a work permit by the Biden administration after he had overstayed his visa. "In light of yesterday's horrific attack, all terrorists, their family members, and terrorist sympathizers here on a visa should know that under the Trump administration we will find you, revoke your visa, and deport you," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X. Soliman has been working as a food delivery driver for Uber since 2023, a company spokesperson told CBS. According to the company, when he began working for them, he met all Uber requirements, including passing a criminal and driving history background check, providing a photo ID and holding a valid Social Security number. Trump said in a social media post that attacks like the one Soliman allegedly carried out would not be tolerated. "This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland," he said. The Jewish community in the US has faced a series of attacks during the Israel-Gaza war, which erupted on 7 October 2023 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, triggering an Israeli military campaign that is ongoing. Last month two Israel embassy aides were shot and killed outside Washington DC's Capital Jewish Museum. Investigators said the assailant shouted "Free Palestine". In April, a suspect firebombed the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish. Officials said they were considering hate crime charges. — BBC
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Suspect in Colorado fire attack planned for a year, FBI says
A man accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at people attending a march for Israeli hostages in Colorado on Sunday planned the attack for a year, investigators say. Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 45, who is charged with a federal hate crime as well as state charges of attempted murder, assault and use of an explosive device, made a brief appearance in court on Monday. Officials say he targeted a group of pro-Israel demonstrators at an outdoor mall in Boulder and shouted "Free Palestine" as he threw incendiary devices, injuring eight of them. At least 16 unlit Molotov cocktails were found nearby afterwards. Investigators say he targeted the group after finding them online. The victims were a group gathered for their weekly event at the Pearl Street Mall, organised by Run for Their Lives, which raises awareness about Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Officials say Mr Soliman threw two incendiary devices into the gathering, with eight of them suffering burns. Twelve people, including four men and four women between the ages of 52 and 88, were taken to the hospital, with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Officials previously said there were eight victims, but on Monday four more people came forward with minor injuries. The eldest of the victims is a Holocaust survivor, Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado Boulder, told the BBC's US partner CBS News. Mr Soliman appeared in court on Monday via a video feed from the Boulder County Jail for less than five minutes, standing and wearing an orange jumpsuit. He answered "yes" to some procedural questions from the judge but otherwise did not speak. The court scheduled a date for the formal filing of charges this Thursday. In an interview after his arrest, Mr Soliman told police he had been planning the attack for a year, to take place after his daughter's graduation, according to an arrest warrant affidavit from the FBI. He told police he wanted to "kill all Zionists" and would carry out the attack again, the court documents stated. In addition to the unlit Molotov cocktails, backpack weed sprayer containing octane gasoline was found nearby. Mr Soliman said he had been watching YouTube videos on how to make Molotov cocktails, according to the affidavit. He said he found the group Run for Their Lives through an online search. He drove from his home in Colorado Springs to Boulder, arriving five minutes before their meeting and waiting for them, court documents state. Mr Soliman allegedly said he bought petrol on his way to the attack. According to the FBI, throughout the interview, Mr Soliman said he hated Zionists and targeted them because they need to stop taking over "our land", which he said was a reference to the Palestinian territories. Mr Soliman allegedly told officials he left his iPhone hidden in a desk drawer with messages to his family, wife and five children. His wife later brought the iPhone to officials, according to court documents. Law enforcement officials said on Monday there was no previous indication that the defendant was a threat. "We fully intended to hold Mr Soliman accountable for this actions, and these charges are the first step," Acting US Attorney for the District of Colorado J Bishop Grewell told a press conference on Monday. In 2022, Mr Soliman, an Egyptian national, arrived in California on a non-immigrant visa that expired in February 2023, multiple sources have told CBS News. Homeland security officials said he filed for asylum a month after arriving, but did not provide details about the outcome of that immigration case or whether it was resolved. President Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy, Stephen Miller, said on X that Mr Soliman was given a work permit by the Biden administration after he had overstayed his visa. Mr Soliman was working as a food delivery driver for Uber since 2023, a company spokesperson told CBS. According to the company, when he began working for them, he met all Uber requirements, including passing a criminal and driving history background check, providing a photo ID and holding a valid Social Security number. What we know about the attack in Colorado
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Eldest Colorado terror attack victim is a Holocaust refugee: She's a ‘very loving' woman
The eldest victim of Sunday's antisemetic terrorist attack in Boulder was an 88-year-old Holocaust refugee, according to a local rabbi who knows the 'very loving' woman. The woman was one of the eight people who were wounded when an Egyptian national blasted a group of Israel supporters with a homemade flamethrower and Molotov cocktails outside of the Boulder County Courthouse in a hate-fueled attack. The 88-year-old victim had fled Europe during the Nazis' rise to power, Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, the Chabad director at the University of Colorado Boulder, told CBS Colorado. 3 Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, originally entered the country through the Los Angeles International Airport on Aug. 27, 2022. 3 The Department of Homeland Security is working alongside the FBI to investigate the 'terrorist attack.' She is a 'very loving person,' the rabbi said. The victims, four men and four women between the ages of 52 and 88, were attacked while they peacefully participated in a 'Run for their Lives' walk to show solidarity with the Israeli hostages still being held captive by Hamas. They were rushed to local hospitals for treatment, with at least one person in critical condition as of Sunday evening. 3 A victim is seen being stretchered out of the scene. CBS News Police arrested terror suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national who had overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally. The FBI confirmed it is investigating the firebomb assault as an act of terrorism.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
New York City's Jewish community in shock over killing of Israeli embassy employees
New York City's Jewish community came together Thursday to mourn the loss of two Israeli embassy employees shot dead as they left an event in Washington, D.C. Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim were killed leaving the Capital Jewish Museum Wednesday night in what officials are calling a targeted attack. Officials say the suspect shouted "Free Palestine" as he was being taken into custody. "It just hurts" With so many ties between Washington and New York, hearts are heavy here. A sign reading "I am proud to be a Jew" hangs in bright lights outside Chabad Young Professionals of the Upper East Side. The rabbi told his community the sign will stay up and support will be constant. This undated handout photo provided by the embassy of Israel in the U.S. shows staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Israeli citizen Yaron Lischinsky, right, and U.S. citizen Sarah Milgrim, who were shot and killed while leaving an event at a Jewish museum in Washington. Embassy of Israel in the US / AP "It just hurts," Maskit Matityahu said. "There's such a small percentage of us in the world." Matityahu said just last month she was at an American Jewish Committee event in New York and victim Sarah Milgrim was there. "It was numbing, to have such a bright personality, just having fun, celebrating her Judaism and who she is, and then hearing headlines about how she's gone," Matityahu said. "We cannot color code hatred" Ofir Akunis, consul general for Israel in New York, says the assassination is a wake-up call for all that words can escalate to violence. "When people are saying 'globalize the intifada,' my American friends must know that intifada is destruction, and they are saying death to America," Akunis said. At an interfaith vigil, New York City Mayor Eric Adams echoed that sentiment. "We have heard so many people claim these protests aren't antisemitic, they're just anti-Israel. We cannot color code hatred. Today's proof of what I have been saying the whole time - they are one and the same, and they must stop," Adams said. "We shouldn't be afraid" Greg Ferenstein attended the event in Washington but left before the shooting. "It was a normal, D.C., chill, networking event. No one thought much of anything," Ferenstein said. "Do I feel a little hesitant to go out around other Jewish events ... there are now discussions in groups about how we are managing our safety as Jews in D.C." People CBS News New York spoke with said this is a reason to embrace their identity even more, not shy away from it. "We should maybe even show it more, because we shouldn't be afraid. We should be proud," Upper East Side resident Menucha Wilhelm said. "We need to continue showing our Jewish pride because once you do, then people who are not Jewish are going to show their pride for you, too," Upper East Side resident Yair Klyman said.
