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The chief rabbi of the French city Orléans, Rabbi Aryeh Engelberg, was assaulted on Saturday while walking home from synagogue with his son. According to French media reports, the rabbi was kicked, punched and bitten on the shoulder. He filed a complaint with the Orléans police. The attacker, a 16-year-old boy, was arrested.
The incident took place around 1:30 p.m., as Engelberg was returning home from synagogue accompanied by his 9-year-old son. Reports say he suffered injuries to his head in addition to the bite on his shoulder. A passerby intervened to help the rabbi, prompting the attacker to flee the scene. He was apprehended several hours later.
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Chief rabbi of the French city Orléans, Rabbi Aryeh Engelberg
(Photo: From Rabbi Aryeh Engelberg's YouTube channel)
The Orléans public prosecutor, Emmanuelle Bochenek-Puren, has opened an investigation into "intentional violence committed because of the victim’s religious affiliation."
Orléans Mayor Serge Grouard condemned the attack in a statement posted on social media platform X, calling it a "despicable and intolerable act." He expressed his full support for Engelberg, his family, and the entire Jewish community.
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According to French media, the attacker was identified by security camera footage and arrested at 9:45 p.m. Saturday night. A source told BFM TV that the suspect is "a 16-year-old with no prior record and unknown to intelligence services."
Yann, a local resident who witnessed the assault, told reporters he saw the attacker land “three or four violent blows” on the rabbi. “I saw him kick the rabbi’s hat,” he added. The witness also described seeing blood on the rabbi’s neck and said the rabbi appeared to have injured his hand while trying to defend himself.
France has seen a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents since October 7, 2023. According to a study published earlier this year by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in France, 61% of French Jews reported experiencing antisemitic acts in person, often while being blamed or held responsible for the actions of the Israeli government. A separate survey published several weeks ago found that nearly one in five French citizens under the age of 35, and 12% of the general population, said they “would be happy if Jews left France.”