Anti-Semitism in Mezhibuzh. Attacked while praying Shabbos night

The anti-Semitism in the Ukraine did not skip over the quiet village of Mezibuzh, to which hundreds of people travel every Shvuos.

Many of them who participated in the central Seudah in the large dining room of the Ba'al Shem Tov's hall on Friday night, did not understand why suddenly the dining room almost emptied out.

About an hour after the Friday night Seudah started, a youngster of 25 arrived at the dining room with his face bleeding: "I was attacked by goyishe drunkards", he related. The Bochur was treated on the spot by one of his friends.

Within a few minutes, the square in front of the "Ba'al Shem Tov Hall" filled with hundreds of Bochurim and Avreichim who went out to check what was happening.

Harav Yaakov Zilberman, the chairman of the Jewish community in Kiev, and a member of Zak"a in the Ukraine, updated: "A bochur who had returned from davening at the Baal Shem Tov's shull, which is a little further from here, arrived.

On his way back, he was attacked by a group of drunk goyim. This is the first time that such an event takes place in Mezibuzh. We have gathered here now in order to react immediately, so that such a story does not occur again."

Those present started searching after the group of attackers in order to get hold of them and hand them over to the local police. The police was called by the non-Jewish guard, and was on its way to handle the event. The attackers were not found, and those searching, returned. On their way back, they met the police car.

Harav Zilberman talked to the policemen, and after a long conversation with the local chief, he instructed those present to return to the Shabbos table.

The next day, during the morning Seudah, Harav Zilberman said: "The event which occurred yesterday is not simple, it is unconceivable that a Jewish Bochur will go to daven at the ancient shull of the Ba'al Shem Tov and be attacked by drunkards.

"But I would like to announce to you that the Bochur who was attacked understands Russian. During the attack he heard one of the men call his friend. He gave over the name to the police. We are dealing with a very small village, everyone knows each other, and therefore the person was located and arrested by the police.

"His father and family came a few minutes ago to R' Yisrael Meir Gabbai, the chairman of the Ohalei Tzadikim which activated the site of the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh, and pleaded with him to instruct the police to release him, promising that such an event will not take place again in the village". Harav Zilberman ended his words, to the clapping of those in the Seudah.

In a talk with Behadrei Hareidi, Harav zilberman tells: "In a consultation we held tonight (Mon.) with Harav Gabbai, and with the businessman Aharon Meinberg, one of the owners of Aerosite Airlines, who was a guest of the kehilla over the Yomtov and saw the locals provoking the Jewish Mispalelim, we have decided to meet tomorrow with the district governor, Chamilnetzky, in order to discuss future cooperation, for the sake of the thousands of mispalelim who arrive here during the entire year".

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!