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 Chayim Bleicher; Photo credit: Honenu
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 12:02 Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher wrote a letter to the police demanding the arrest of a priest who attacked a Hareidi Jew in the Old City of Jerusalem in late January. After filing a complaint with the police, the victim found himself interrogated under warning. The priest has not yet been arrested, despite documentation of the incident.
In his letter, Attorney Bleicher described the incident: “My client, who has a traditionally Jewish appearance, was on his way to work from the yeshiva where he studies. He was minding his own business, walking on the sidewalk, when a tall, well-dressed man came up in front of him, pulling a wheeled suitcase. Because the sidewalk was narrow and the man was pulling a suitcase, my client moved to the side towards the street out of respect for the man and to allow him ample passage. At this point, the man intentionally swerved in my client’s direction and collided with him, knocking my client backwards. My client found it difficult to regain his composure as a result of the blow. A bystander assisted him.”
Attorney Bleicher underscored that there were no grounds for excusing the assailant because of his status: “After the incident, my client found out that his assailant is a priest by the name of Abbot Nikodemus who holds a senior position at a local church. My client feels that because of the assailant’s status, he received treatment that is not appropriate for someone who was suddenly attacked for no reason other than his Jewish appearance. This was a serious attack on an individual for no reason other than his appearance and faith. Needless to say, everyone is equal before the law. The law must be enforced against every individual regardless of his status. Being a priest in a church does not exempt the assailant from penalization for his antisemitic act. I demand a thorough investigation and the transfer of the case to the State Attorney’s office so that they can indict the assailant for racially motivated assault.”