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Jewish groups remember victim of Chanukah Monsey stabbing on first anniversary of attack

In the incident, Rabbi Josef Neumann was critically wounded, and he died several months later at the age of 72.

By Algemeiner Staff

Leading U.S. Jewish organizations on Monday commemorated the one-year anniversary of the anti-Semitic stabbing attack at a Chanukah party in Monsey, New York.

In the incident, Rabbi Josef Neumann was critically wounded, and he died several months later at the age of 72.

The perpetrator, 38-year-old Grafton Thomas, was arrested several hours after the attack, which took place in the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg. In April, Grafton was found mentally unfit to stand trial on federal hate crime charges.

“One year ago, on the 7th night of Hanukkah, a machete-wielding assailant entered the home of a rabbi in Monsey and attacked a gathering celebrating the holiday,” tweeted the American Jewish Committee (AJC) on Monday. “We will never forget.”

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) CEO Jonathan Greenblatt pledged to “continue fighting the vile antisemitism & #hate that fueled this tragic incident.”

The World Jewish Congress (WJC) tweeted, “It’s been one year since the Monsey Hanukkah stabbing in New York. An attacker wielding a machete entered the home of a rabbi during Hanukkah celebrations, stabbing several people. Joseph Neumann, 72, died of his wounds several months later. May his memory be a blessing.”

Earlier this month, at Rottenberg’s synagogue, Netzach Yisroel, a menorah stand fashioned from the broken marble table used to subdue the attacker was unveiled.

“Yes we lost a life, Josef Neumann sadly passed away, but the miracle that so many other people were spared,” Rabbi Yisrael Kahan told CBS New York.

The New York State Legislature passed the Josef Neumann Hate Crimes Domestic Terrorism Act in April in the victim’s memory.