Brooklyn rabbi says beaten by men who shouted 'Allahu Akbar'

25 March 2008

Brooklyn-A Brooklyn rabbi said Tuesday that he was beaten by two men screaming "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for God is Great) after a third man snatched his kippa off his head in a New York City subway station, CBS news reported.

It quoted Rabbi Uria Ohana as saying that Ali Hussein, 18, stole his kippa and fled the scene, with Ohana in pursuit.

Ohana told CBS that as he ran back down the station's stairs, two of Hussein's friends got up from a bench and chased him out of the station.

"They were screaming 'Allahu Akhbar (God is great) and punching my face," Ohana said.

CBS reported that Hussein has been charged with grand larceny, petty larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
--------

A Time of Hardship

By HRM Deborah

While, I do not know these young men’s background, other then from what I understand it is contrary to the true teachings of Islam. I am in no way going to condone what these young men did, but to the contrary, because they should be punished for what they did.

While we are at a time, we are trying to heal wounds, from something that was dreadfully done not just to the Jewish people, but us as Arab Palestinians, also. Something that was not only painful, but an atrocity done to two group’s of people, that should have been sharing dinner, then bullet’s.

Nevertheless, I will admit, even with the propaganda being so rampant and hateful, that I think it brings the criminal out in some people or at least gives them an excuse and I am finding many people are not immune from this problem and they come from various backgrounds.

For example, of something that happened to me yesterday, a woman calling herself Robin, sent me three* message’s that was slanderous and just outright Islamophobia. She accused me of things that showed me she believed the derogatory propaganda and does not wish to listen to the truth.

I cannot help thinking there is people, that truly wish to revive the war or believe that it is still going on and I find this appalling to say the least. While the victims may not always be in Palestine, they most assuredly are in the outside world with the rampant Anti-Semitism and Islamphobia.

With respect, I send my deepest regards to Rabbi Uria Ohana and his family with the hope that such as this never happen again, Allah willing.

*Note:
On 27 March 2008, I received another slanderous message from this Robin person. Apparently, she has alterative motives for sending her extremely slanderous messages.