Antisemitism is not hiding in the shadows. It is becoming increasingly bold, and what allegedly happened on the streets of New York City is another disturbing example.
Two visibly Jewish men were allegedly attacked within minutes of one another in Midtown Manhattan, and prosecutors say the woman accused in the attacks apparently wasn’t targeting people at random.
According to Fox News Digital, 32-year-old Brooklyn resident Anna Mochalova was arrested Saturday and charged with multiple hate crimes stemming from the Oct. 21 incidents.
The first victim, a 26-year-old man wearing traditional Hasidic Jewish clothing, noticed a woman following him near West 47th Street, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
He tried to get away.
She allegedly kept following.
After the man was cornered against a vehicle, he suddenly felt a sharp sting in his lower back. He was left bleeding and in substantial pain and was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
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The New York Post identified the victim as a rabbi and reported that he was stabbed with a syringe. Fox News noted that authorities have publicly described the object only as sharp and have not confirmed it was a syringe.
But the violence allegedly didn’t end there.
Approximately five minutes later, a 37-year-old man wearing a yarmulke was standing near Sixth Avenue and West 45th Street when a woman allegedly began pushing into him from behind. He then felt a painful sting in his forearm.
According to the complaint, the woman allegedly threatened him in Russian, claiming she had a gun and would shoot him if he didn’t leave.
Then came perhaps the most alarming detail.
The victim reportedly watched the woman approach another man and ask whether he was Jewish.
He told her he was Muslim.
She allegedly apologized and walked away.
Mochalova now faces charges including second-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree menacing as a hate crime. Her attorney has questioned whether authorities correctly identified Mochalova as the attacker, according to the Post.
The allegations come amid an already disturbing surge in antisemitism.
Fox News reported that through September, New York City recorded 463 confirmed hate crimes. Of those, 245 were anti-Jewish.
That’s more than half.
For Christians, this should set off alarm bells. Hatred of the Jewish people is not something believers can shrug off as another troubling headline. Scripture tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and when antisemitism becomes increasingly brazen in America’s streets, the church must refuse to remain silent.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. Learn more about Abby at abbytrivett.com.
