Orthodox Jew Beaten With Belt in Front of Synagogue

An Orthodox Jewish man in New York City was beaten in the face with a belt in front of a synagogue Saturday night.

According to CBS New York, the 45-year-old alleged victim said he was walking home when he saw two men drinking and arguing near the synagogue. He then claimed one of the men pushed him down and hit him in the face with his belt several times.

The man suffered cuts on his face and head.

The alleged incident is not yet being called a hate crime. However, CBS noted that former New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind wrote on Twitter that the alleged assailants shouted "f***ing Jew" at the man.

There have been three attacks on Orthodox men in Brooklyn over the last week.

According to The New York Times, meanwhile, a private beach club in Queens had to shut down its playground during the long Labor Day weekend because anti-Semitic phrases were spray painted at a playground on the club's property.

"Heil Hitler," "gas chamber," and red swastikas were discovered at the playground. There also were racial slurs targeting African-Americans.

The Anti-Defamation League said 237 anti-Semitic hate crimes were reported in New York in 2017. The Jewish Telegraph Agency said earlier this year that reported anti-Semitic incidents in New York City totaled 103 from Jan. 1-May 19, a more than 100% jump from the same period in 2018 (50).

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