Indiana: Woman tries to ram her car into Jewish center – but ends up crashing into antisemitic group’s HQ

An Indianapolis woman who attempted an antisemitic assault ended up driving her car into the headquarters of an antisemitic group.

By World Israel News Staff

An Indianapolis woman was apprehended by authorities on Saturday after ramming her car into a Keystone Avenue building, which was known as “The Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge.”

Ruba Awni Almaghtheh, 34, admitted to the police that she intended to attack a Jewish organization in retaliation for Israel’s incursion into Gaza to fight Hamas.

However, the center was home to a group called the Hebrew Israelites, identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an antisemitic hate group. The Hebrew Israelites believe Jews are “satanic” and frequently engage in and encourage antisemitic harassment.

Although children and adults were inside the building at the time, there were no reported injuries.

The cause of Almaghtheh’s confusion were Jewish symbols used by the group and the fact that they referred to themselves as “Israelites.”

She told IMPD officers, “Yes, I did it on purpose” and her actions were on behalf of “her people in Palestine.” Almaghtheh was immediately taken into custody on charges of criminal recklessness.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis reported that a Jewish community security program, Safe Indiana was working closely with the police following the incident.