The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in New Jersey against two pro-Palestinian organizations and several activists over their role in a violent protest at the Ohr Torah synagogue in West Orange in November 2024.
The complaint accuses the defendants of using threats, force and physical obstruction to interfere with Jewish worshippers and participants at a community gathering, and goes further by asking the court to impose broad restrictions on future demonstrations near synagogues. The government is seeking permanent injunctions, damages for victims and civil penalties.
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Protester Altaf Sharif slams 65-year-old David Zilberberg’s head into the ground
(Photo: From federal complaint)
According to the filing, the demonstration escalated after protesters forced their way through police barricades, entered synagogue property, and chanted antisemitic and threatening slogans including “Zionists are Nazis,” “Intifada,” and “From the river to the sea.” Protesters used high-decibel bullhorns and vuvuzelas at close range to drown out prayers and speeches, and one participant, 65-year-old David Zilberberg, was physically assaulted. He was held in a chokehold, thrown to the ground, and dragged across the synagogue lawn before other attendees intervened.
The event at the center of the case was initially scheduled to take place at the home of Dr. Moshe Glick, a local dentist and long-time community volunteer, who had hosted gatherings combining prayer, memorial services, and real estate presentations promoting housing projects in Israeli settlements. After threats and harassment directed at his home, including the delivery of a signed letter from anti-Israel activists, organizers moved the gathering to Ohr Torah synagogue in an effort to protect attendees. Despite efforts to keep the location confidential, demonstrators arrived and staged the protest.
The complaint singles out Tova Fry, also known as Terry Kay, accusing her of photographing Glick’s home and distributing the address online, which allegedly helped mobilize the protest. Other named defendants include Altaf Sharif, Matt Dragon, and Eric Camins.
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Protester Tova Fry takes photos of Dr. Moshe Glick's home
(Photo: From federal lawsuit)
The DOJ says Sharif and Fry blasted vuvuzelas inches from Glick’s ears before Sharif charged at him. Zilberberg responded with pepper spray, prompting Sharif to turn on him, place him in a chokehold, and drag him down a slope toward the parking lot. At that point, Glick struck Sharif on the head with a flashlight, drawing blood and freeing Zilberberg.
The incident has had wide repercussions in the community. Glick was later indicted by the county prosecutors on felony assault charges for his role in the confrontation, a move that triggered outrage among Jewish organizations. Zilberberg also was charged with bias intimidation and weapons offenses. Both men have pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers say the actions were self-defense in the face of escalating violence.
The federal government, in contrast, is focusing its case on the pro-Palestinian groups. The DOJ argues the protest was not protected political expression but a deliberate campaign of intimidation aimed at silencing Jewish worshippers and disrupting religious practice. The lawsuit cites previous incidents linked to the same organizations, including violent demonstrations in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and outside Adas Torah synagogue in Los Angeles, to argue that without court-ordered restrictions the behavior is likely to recur.
Among the remedies requested are buffer zones of 50 feet around Ohr Torah synagogue and Glick’s home, a prohibition on unpermitted demonstrations within 500 feet of any house of worship in New Jersey during prayer or religious services, statutory damages to victims, and penalties of $31,670 for a first violation and $52,786 for each additional violation.
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Protester Eric Camins points to David Silberberg shouting 'The Jew is here!'
(Photo: From federal lawsuit)
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Dr. Moshe Glick grabs and swats away Altaf Sharif’s vuvuzela
(Photo: From federal lawsuit)
Legal observers note that, if the court agrees to impose such restrictions, it would mark a precedent-setting use of the FACE Act, which has traditionally been enforced against individual acts of obstruction at abortion clinics or houses of worship rather than through blanket bans on demonstrations across an entire state. The proposal raises constitutional questions about the balance between safeguarding religious freedom and protecting First Amendment rights to protest.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement that “no American should ever be threatened, harassed or obstructed in the practice of their faith.” U.S. Attorney Pamela Bondi added that the government “will enforce, with full determination, the right of every American to worship peacefully and without fear.” The DOJ stressed that the lawsuit is a civil action and that the defendants are not charged with criminal offense.
At the same time, the parallel state criminal case against Glick and Zilberberg continues in Essex County Superior Court, underscoring the complex legal fallout from the November 2024 clash. While prosecutors argue their use of force crossed a legal line, supporters in the Jewish community insist the two men acted to protect lives during an assault inside synagogue grounds.
The federal complaint emphasizes that the use of vuvuzelas and bullhorns as “weapons of auditory assault,” combined with physical aggression and antisemitic rhetoric, crossed the threshold from protest into unlawful coercion. It asks the court to find that the defendants violated the law and to impose sweeping restrictions to prevent similar disruptions of religious services in the future. If the judge accepts the DOJ’s request, it would establish new legal ground in applying federal civil rights law to protests near synagogues.
The civil case will proceed separately from the state prosecution, which continues on a criminal track.