Beating in Williamsburg Targets Elderly Jew

An elderly Orthodox Jewish resident of Williamsburg was the target of a beating attack late on Motzoei Shabbos, as two assailants punched him in the head, knocking him to the ground.

The suspects, identified by the New York Police Department as Raven Small, 20, and 18-year-old Patyana Bone, were arrested and charged with assault. The two African-American girls live on Coney Island and were in the area Saturday night to visit with some friends.

The victim, Reb Naftoli Lebovits, 79, was not seriously hurt, a Shomrim official told Hamodia. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and was released on Sunday morning.

Mr. Lebovits, a respected member of the Satmar kehillah, was leaving his building on Taylor Street at around 1:25 a.m. when he was attacked by Small and Bone. The assailants then fled the scene. Passersby called Shomrim, who found them in a nearby building. As they kept watch on the two, police were called and the alleged attackers were arrested.

The Shomrim official said that there was no motive given, but it was not connected to a spate of knockouts that occurred late last year in Jewish neighborhoods.

“[Police] are still doing their investigation so they don’t have any motive yet,” the official said.

This article appeared in print on page 5 of the June 30th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.