Israel honors two American heroes who helped foil Jerusalem terror attack

Two Americans were honored by Israel for helping police officer during Jerusalem terror attack.

By Barney Breen-Portnoy, The Algemeiner

Two American men were honored at a ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Thursday for the aid they provided to a police officer during a May 2017 terrorist attack in Jerusalem.

After praying at the Western Wall in the Old City, Simche Czin and Mordechai Lichtenstadter — both Jewish residents of Brooklyn’s Borough Park neighborhood — came upon an assailant stabbing policeman Naaman Fares.

Lichtenstadter jumped into action, pulling the terrorist off of Fares, who, despite being wounded, managed to shoot the attacker dead.

As they waited for emergency responders to arrive, Czin used his tallit to stem Fares’ bleeding.

The terrorist was a 57-year-old Jordanian national who had entered Israel several days earlier.

On Thursday, Czin and Lichtenstadter were presented with a Civil Exemplary Decoration by Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer and Police Attaché Commander Yitzhak Almog.

“It’s fitting that the first non-Israelis to ever receive this citation would be two Americans,” Dermer said. “From the Holy Land came the Good Samaritan. America has been the Good Samaritan among nations. There is no nation that has been a greater force for good in the world than the United States of America. And the Jewish people have been blessed that this great and powerful and just country has been by our side.”

Appearing live via a video link from Israel, Master Sergeant Fares — a member of the Druze community — told Czin and Lichtenstadter, “From me, my family, and the Druze people of Israel, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You put your life in danger to save mine.”

American JewsIsrael-Jordan relationsJerusalem terror