An Orthodox Jewish man was stabbed in a suspected antisemitic hate crime in the Selnau area of Zurich, Switzerland, shortly after Shabbat ended, according to the Zurich canton police.
A 15-year-old Swiss assailant stabbed a 50-year-old Orthodox Jew, critically wounding him.
City Councilor Jehuda Spielman, who knows the victim, said that bystanders rushed in to restrain the attacker, and that “without a doubt, they saved his life.”
“We were really lucky that people fought back,” said Spielman, who said that he doubted the victim would have survived from the multiple stab wounds. He praised the citizens of Zurich who intervened.
The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG) stated that the Jewish community’s security arrangements were being reviewed after the attack, though “It is assumed that no further threat to Jewish people and institutions is expected at the moment.
Nevertheless, all members of the Jewish community are “called upon to behave cautiously and prudently until further notice.”
“The SIG is deeply shocked that a community member fell victim to such an attack. Physical attacks on Jewish people in Switzerland are very rare. The Jewish community has been spared from such life-threatening attacks for the past two decades. However, there has been a significant increase in such physical attacks since October 7,” added the federation.
“The SIG’s thoughts are with the victim and his relatives. We pray for a full and speedy recovery.”
