Please click here for a list of posts relating to cases in which Honenu provided legal counsel to victims of antisemitic attacks in Jerusalem.
Honenu Attorney Bleicher; Photo credit: Honenu
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 8:24 This week, the Jerusalem Magistrates Court awarded Avraham Ehrlich 2,750,000 NIS in compensation for an attack in the Old City of Jerusalem. Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher is representing Ehrlich. The sentence was handed down in the absence of a defense on the side of the defendants yesterday (Tuesday). Ehrlich filed a civil suit against his attackers following their conviction and penalization in a criminal trial. The attackers received suspended sentences.
After the sentencing, Bleicher stated, “Unfortunately, attacks on Jews by Islamic mobs have become routine, as if the victims are fair game in the eyes of the attackers. We will continue to do our utmost to exact a high price from terrorists and to put a stop to the frequent violent acts against Jews.”
In June 2015, Avraham Ehrlich was attacked when he participated in a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem in the framework of a tour guide course offered by the Ministry of Tourism and Haifa University. Ehrlich got around on an electric bicycle and therefore when the group had to use stairs, he separated from the group and cycled on the street. During the tour, Ehrlich purchased food at an Arab-owned restaurant and spoke to the staff in English. He left his bicycle outside of the restaurant. At the end of the meal, Ehrlich asked in English how much he had to pay, and one of the staff replied that he had to pay 200 NIS. Ehrlich took out his cell phone, set it to video camera, and asked again how much his meal cost, this time in Hebrew. The reply was 50 NIS.
Meanwhile, Arabs who worked at the restaurant started to push Ehrlich around and warned him that he should stop filming. One of the workers grabbed the cell phone out of his hand and broke its screen. Ehrlich fled but returned to the restaurant to take his bicycle, and then one of the attackers jumped on him and beat him with a stick. Other attackers joined in, some with sticks and some with baseball bats, and beat Ehrlich. After that, the Arabs dragged him to a side alley as they continued to beat him. Finally, Ehrlich broke free. As he was fleeing the scene and pleading for help, Arabs in the street took advantage of the situation and tried to beat him.
Ehrlich phoned the police, who helped him retrieve his bicycle and identify the attackers. Ehrlich suffered injuries to his forehead, legs, and arms. Since the attack, he has suffered severe symptoms of emotional trauma and post-trauma and has not returned to work.