Burned Orthodox Jew: My Old Rabbi Ordered My House Burned Down

Aron Rottenberg after the fire (CBS 2)

The Rockland County man who has been hospitalized with third-degree burns over half his body following a crazy arson attempt last month has filed an $18 million lawsuit against the powerful local rabbi, whom he accuses of ordering the attack on his house. You may recall that Aron Rottenberg and his family have been subjected to violence ever since they left the village’s main synagogue to worship at Friedwald Nursing Home, instead of at the synagogue in town where Grand Rabbi David Twersky presides. And if you leave Twersky's fold for a rival flock, you'd better watch out for wolves, the lawsuit alleges.

After Rotternberg's car and house windows were smashed, he installed surveillance cameras on his property, which is how he discovered 18-year-old Shaul Spitzer allegedly pouring flammable liquid around his house, at approximately 4 a.m. on the morning of May 22nd. Rottenberg confronted Spitzer in his backyard, and in the ensuing tussle, a long, improvised fuse in Spitzer's hand sparked flames. Both men were hospitalized, and Spitzer was ultimately charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted arson and first-degree assault.

At a press conference yesterday, Rottenberg's attorney, Michael Sussman, accused Spitzer of attempting to "set on fire a private home, kill those who were in that home and send a message to everyone else in that community that what the rabbi says, rules." To bolster his allegations, Sussman pointed out that Spitzer was living with Rabbi Twersky, "and an 18-year-old boy in that community does not act independently. Anyone who knows anything about the community knows that there's no way he would have done this on his own."

Rotternberg also explained that the $18 million sum sought in the lawsuit "was selected to ease Rottenberg's situation and for its meaning in Judaism... Giving money in multiples of 18 is common during special occasions like births and bar mitzvahs," LoHud.com reports. Grand Rabbi Twersky has stated publicly that the use of force "is never permissible," but you can see from this video how strongly people in this community feel about "going against the rabbi."

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By John Del Signore in News on June 14, 2011 5:18 PM

Comments [rss]

MermaidFornicator

savages!

Google Santorum

I'd like to see the Feds involved at this point.

schmeep

The FBI is 'assisting' the local police. I believe this is because the police were extraordinarily quick to announce that this was an 'isolated incident', along with the Town Supervisor (who is in the voting pocket of the bloc). This was despite numerous calls last year from the Rottenberg family complaining of ongoing harassment, as well as other 'dissidents'. Hopefully they will make some difference.

fosiacat

religion is awesome!!

LICnative

If their names ended in vowels, they'd be looking at RICO indictments. Because their names look like eye charts, no one will say a word.

JPeditor

You're a moron, Jews went to jail in NJ last year on fraud charges.

schmeep

If anyone questions whether this could remotely happen in this day and age, I welcome you to accidentally drive your car into New Square. We're talking large rocks thrown by children, not just little stones. There is a systematic pattern of disregard to the outside community, just google East Ramapo School District (you can use altavista or askjeeves as well).

stoop_pooper

These people don't consider themselves Americans. Watch your back in their hood if you are an outsider. You think it's bad driving through South Williamsburg on a Friday night, imagine that times 10.

Jax

I too have been in that neighborhood at the wrong time and it gets very ugly. If you ever get to actually speak to them, they arent all bad, some even practical human beings. They are just out numbered by radicals