Italian Rabbi Verbally Assaulted By Man Wielding a Screwdriver

An Italian rabbi, Rabbi Chaim Fabrizio Cipriani, faced a verbal assault in the city of Genoa from a man wielding a screwdriver, who unleashed an antisemitic tirade, including a death threat. Although Rabbi Cipriani remained unharmed, the assailant, reportedly homeless, was detained by police. He has been charged with making racial insults under aggravated circumstances.

During the attack, the suspect targeted Rabbi Cipriani, shouting, “Go away, you dirty Zionist …, otherwise I’ll open the door for you,” along with other insults. Rabbi Cipriani believes he was singled out due to his religious attire. This marked the first such incident for him in the city of his birth. Despite being deeply shaken, Rabbi Cipriani expressed that such incidents are increasingly possible, especially in the current hostile environment.

In response to the rise in antisemitic incidents globally, Rabbi Cipriani highlighted a noticeable escalation since October 7, citing a problem not confined to a specific region but prevalent on a global scale, including Italy. He emphasized that antisemitism often uses Israel as a pretext, clarifying that antisemitism is a form of baseless hatred. Reflecting on his first personal encounter with antisemitism in Italy, Rabbi Cipriani expressed concern for his children’s safety.

The European Jewish Congress and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) conveyed full solidarity with Rabbi Cipriani following the attack. This incident adds to the backdrop of a sharp increase in antisemitic occurrences worldwide, particularly in the aftermath of Israel’s conflict with Hamas. Last month, Italian officials launched an investigation into numerous antisemitic incidents in Milan, including a call for killing Jews in a nightclub bathroom. Additionally, Belgian police initiated an investigation into the vandalization of 85 Jewish graves in Charleroi, indicating an antisemitic hate crime.

{Matzav.com}