A rabbi in northern New Jersey was assaulted outside his home Sunday in an attack police described as an isolated incident, as Jewish leaders in the United States and Canada warn of growing antisemitic hostility.
Rabbi Avraham Wein, assistant rabbi at Congregation Keter Torah in nearby Teaneck, was struck by a man who got out of a vehicle in Bergenfield, police said. A bystander intervened and helped restrain the suspect until officers arrived.
Wein and the bystander suffered minor injuries and did not require hospitalization, authorities said. The suspect, identified as 40-year-old Jeffrey Zicchinella of Ridgefield Park, was arrested and charged with two counts of simple assault.
Bergenfield Police Chief Mustafa Rabbo condemned the incident as “a disgraceful act of violence that has no place in our community.” He said the attack appeared to be isolated but ordered additional patrols around synagogues.
Initial reports suggesting that Wein was attacked while building a sukkah — a temporary outdoor hut used during the Jewish festival of Sukkot — were later corrected by local officials.
The Bergenfield mayor’s office also denounced the assault and thanked neighbors who stepped in to help, calling their actions “a reflection of the courage and solidarity that define this town.”
The attack comes amid heightened anxiety over antisemitism in North America, with Jewish community leaders citing a sharp rise in incidents since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
In a separate incident, on Oct. 3 in Toronto, a Jewish woman said she was harassed by anti-Israel demonstrators near the Israeli consulate and took refuge in a restaurant restroom. The video, first shared by journalist Dahlia Kurtz, shows the woman visibly upset and saying she was filmed and mocked as she fled.
Toronto police said they are aware of harassment linked to anti-Israel protests and are monitoring large gatherings near diplomatic sites. Some online posts claimed the restroom was defaced with antisemitic graffiti, though that allegation has not been independently confirmed.
Jewish organizations in both countries have urged authorities to strengthen security at synagogues and Jewish institutions and to hold accountable anyone involved in intimidation or violence.