(Aug. 15, 2026 \/ JNS)\n <\/p>\n
A 46-year-old man was arrested on Friday night for allegedly assaulting a Jewish worshipper and a security member at Central Synagogue, a reform congregation in Manhattan, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Named Larry Montes, the suspect was charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, among other charges, Tisch wrote on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs synagogue security was escorting him [Montes] out, he struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and headbutted a member of the security team,\u201d the commissioner relayed.<\/p>\n
The injured were treated at the scene and no one was seriously hurt, she said, adding that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand the sanctity of this space and its meaning for congregants,\u201d Tisch continued. \u201cCentral Synagogue is where I grew up. In joy and in sorrow, it has always been a place of comfort and peace. What happened there tonight is deeply painful. A place of worship should never be a crime scene.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NYPD has arrested Larry Montes, a 46-year-old man from the Bronx, in connection with this incident.<\/p>\n
Montes has now been charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, among other charges. https:\/\/t.co\/m8hzbYAx0x<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jessica S. Tisch (@NYPDPC) August 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n New York Gov. Kathy Hochul described the attack as \u201cappalling,\u201d adding that Jews in her state have \u201cevery right to worship openly, proudly, and without fear.\u201d<\/p>\n What happened at Central Synagogue tonight is appalling.<\/p>\n Jewish New Yorkers have every right to worship openly, proudly, and without fear.<\/p>\n I\u2019m grateful the suspect is in custody and that no one was seriously injured.<\/p>\n \u2014 Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) August 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon, in a Hebrew-language post, said the assault is \u201canother chilling reminder\u201d that antisemitism is not a phenomenon of the past but is happening \u201chere and now, in the heart of New York.\u201d<\/p>\n He moreover accused the anti-Israel mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, of spreading hatred that results in these types of incidents.<\/p>\n \u05de\u05ea\u05e4\u05e8\u05e2 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd \u05e0\u05db\u05e0\u05e1 \u05dc\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea \u05db\u05e0\u05e1\u05ea \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d9\u05d5\u05e8\u05e7 \u05d1\u05de\u05d8\u05e8\u05d4 \u05dc\u05e4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e2 \u05d1\u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd – \u05d5\u05e0\u05e2\u05e6\u05e8.<\/p>\n \u05d6\u05d5 \u05e2\u05d5\u05d3 \u05ea\u05d6\u05db\u05d5\u05e8\u05ea \u05de\u05e6\u05de\u05e8\u05e8\u05ea \u05dc\u05db\u05da \u05e9\u05d4\u05d0\u05e0\u05d8\u05d9\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05d0\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05d9\u05db\u05ea \u05dc\u05e2\u05d1\u05e8, \u05d4\u05d9\u05d0 \u05de\u05ea\u05e8\u05d7\u05e9\u05ea \u05db\u05d0\u05df \u05d5\u05e2\u05db\u05e9\u05d9\u05d5, \u05d1\u05dc\u05d1 \u05e0\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d9\u05d5\u05e8\u05e7. <\/p>\n \u05db\u05d0\u05e9\u05e8 \u05e8\u05d0\u05e9 \u05e2\u05d9\u05e8\u05d9\u05d9\u05ea \u05e0\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d9\u05d5\u05e8\u05e7 \u05de\u05e4\u05d9\u05e5 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d0\u05d4, \u05d0\u05dc\u05d5 \u05d4\u05ea\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0\u05d5\u05ea. <\/p>\n \u05d0\u05e4\u05e1 \u05e1\u05d5\u05d1\u05dc\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05d0\u05e0\u05d8\u05d9\u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea. \u05d0\u05e4\u05e1 \u05e1\u05d5\u05d1\u05dc\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05de\u05d5\u05ea \u05e0\u05d2\u05d3 \u05d9\u05d4\u05d5\u05d3\u05d9\u05dd. pic.twitter.com\/BXpokc1lvz<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Danny Danon \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf1 \u05d3\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d3\u05e0\u05d5\u05df (@dannydanon) August 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Mamdani, meanwhile, tweeted he was \u201chorrified\u201d by the assault.<\/p>\n \u201cI can only imagine the pain and fear an attack like this, during Shabbat services, causes for the congregation and for Jewish New Yorkers across our city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added that every New Yorker must be able to observe his or her religion \u201cwithout fear of violence.\u201d<\/p>\n I am horrified by the assault at Central Synagogue during services today. I can only imagine the pain and fear an attack like this, during Shabbat services, causes for the congregation and for Jewish New Yorkers across our city.<\/p>\n Every New Yorker must be able to observe their\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) August 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Mamdani has called Israel an apartheid state that is committing genocide in Gaza\u2014allegations disputed by the U.S., Israel and its allies. During last year\u2019s mayoral campaign, Mamdani repeated and defended the slogan \u201cGlobalize the intifada,\u201d before saying he would discourage it following a backlash.<\/p>\n Last month, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar blamed<\/a> Mamdani for \u201ccreating the climate in which Jews are targeted\u201d following the stabbing<\/a> of two people, including one Jewish man, by an assailant who reportedly shouted \u201cAllahu akbar.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAppalled but sadly not surprised,\u201d Sa\u2019ar wrote on X. \u201cThis violence did not happen in a vacuum. Months of incitement against the Jewish state from Mamdani have helped create a climate in which Jews are targeted.\u201d<\/p>\n Following Mamdani\u2019s recorded message on July 21 in which he said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a> was unwelcome in the Big Apple, the leader of the Jewish state said, \u201cNo one will stop me from fighting for Israel\u2019s truth,\u201d referring to his expected attendance at the U.N. General Assembly\u2019s annual debate in New York in September.<\/p>\n The New York mayor is \u201cfoisting hate and fear\u201d among American Jews, the prime minister said on July 29.<\/p>\n Anti-Jewish hate crimes up 53.3% in NYC<\/p>\n Netanyahu accused Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, of \u201ccelebrating\u201d the Hamas-led invasion and massacre in Israel\u2019s south on Oct. 7, 2023.<\/p>\n