LAKE Charles, La. (AP) – The FBI is bringing in experts to help investigate the full extent of a brazen daylight attack on four Jewish men, including one wearing a kippa, at a New Orleans synagogue, authorities said Friday.
The assault, which left one victim hospitalized, has sent shockwaves through the city and wider community, with many calling it an anti-Semitic hate crime.
Details of the attack remained sketchy, but authorities said it unfolded about 6:45 a.m. Wednesday outside the Chabad House, a Jewish center and synagogue in the city’s Garden District.
The victims, all in their 20s and 30s, were punched, kicked and struck with a steel pole, authorities said. One, identified as 27-year-old Neriah Peleskim, was listed in stable condition at a hospital, a Chabad official said.
The FBI and local police have been investigating, scouring for surveillance video, talking to witnesses and analyzing evidence. Authorities said they’re exploring hate crime and whether bias motivated the attack.
“This was not just an act of violence, it was an attack on all of us,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. “We will do everything in our power to ensure justice is served and to support our city’s diverse communities.”
Hebrew School students from the Chabad House were on their way to services at the time of the attack, prompting concerns about the impact on the Jewish community.
Beyond the emotional toll, some locals saw the assault as a warning sign of growing anti-Semitism.
“It’s a clear signal that anti-Semitic sentiment is growing,” said state Rep. Mandie Miller, a Democrat who’s a rabbi’s daughter. “We can’t ignore it, we can’t wish it away.”
As the case unfolds, FBI officials are bringing in experts to help examine the evidence, including members from the Bureau’s Civil Rights Division, known for tackling hate crimes. The FBI is also looking into possible connections to other incidents in the region.
For now, the exact motive and identities of the attackers remain unclear, but the impact on the New Orleans Jewish community is palpable.
“It’s a very difficult time,” said Rabbi Zalman Buchwald, who leads the Chabad House. “We’re doing our best to be strong, to be resilient and to show that we’re not going to be intimidated by this.”
