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Video: Confrontation Over Hasid-On-Hasid Arson Attack

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Earlier this week, chaos reigned for one ostracized Hasidic family when they were attacked by another orthodox Jew who attempted to burn down their house, all because the family had started to go to a different synagogue. In the end, 43-year-old father of four Aron Rottenberg suffered burns on half his body. Yesterday, his lawyer held a press conference in front of the house, and ended up in a verbal confrontation with another orthodox Jew who shouted over him, "It's the wrong thing to go against the rabbi." Watch video from LoHud below:

Lawyer Michael Sussman, who was flanked by Rottenberg's son and son-in-law at the press conference, called for state and federal investigations into the arson attack. In particular, they condemned the Skver Hasidic sect, led by Grand Rebbe David Twersky, who they implied had ordered the attack. "This is nothing other than religious bigotry. If it doesn't stop, it will get worse," Sussman said.

But resident Shulem Sofer interrupted, and screamed that Sussman was lying, that Rottenberg broke the community's rules and that it was justifiable to try to burn down Rottenberg's home—but not to injure the man. "The rabbi never said to do fire to people. It's anti-Semitism. It's anti-New Square," he yelled. Sussman tried to argue that in America, people are free to pray wherever they want, but Sofer responded, "I am from Jew land."

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Comments [rss]

  • pmb1414

    American Taliban Hasid style. Just their version of Sharia law superseding the law of the land. The screaming one wouldn't even acknowledge the country that allows him to make a complete fool of himself. 

  • "Jew land" sounds like the saddest place on earth.

  • evbo

    "You don't go against the Rabbi!"

    Yeesh. Talk about sheeple! What a bunch of fucking losers.

  • Guest

    These people are acting like this German guy I once heard about. He didn't like some people's religious preference - he used fire, violence and intimidation to try to get them out of his community too.

  • yetanotherdamneduselessaccount

    Just another example of chosen people-on-chosen people crime. Nothing to see here.

  • Guest
  • JeRsEy JiM

    I have to say that this ones going to be fun to watch .

  • groganz

    Savages.

  • MermaidFornicator

    i came here to say that!

  • glen_glenn

    Religious fanatics of any faith are very dangerous people.

  • Sofer responded, "I am from Jew land."

    Jesse Jackson, nodding furiously.

  • Burning down a house if you don't like your place of worship is JUSTIFIABLE?  Lawyer is right, this is a hate crime, and Sofer just proved it.

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