By Hartmut Kascha and Michael Behrendt
He was on the phone in Hebrew when Ariel Kirzon (43), state rabbi of the Jewish community in Potsdam, was attacked.
He was on his way to the doctor with his son Levy (13) on Monday at 10:30 a.m. “We got off the U6 in Westphalweg, were a little late and had to hurry,” he says.
“But before that I had to make an urgent phone call to the Israeli embassy. I spoke Hebrew, wore the tzitzit,” he continues. Tzitzit (or scabbard thread) is a Jewish accessory, a bundle of long, white, multiply knotted wool or synthetic fiber threads. It is worn by men.
“So I was clearly recognizable as a Jew when suddenly an Arab-looking man insulted and attacked me. He screamed Jude, raised his hands, grabbed me. Every moment I thought he would strike,” says the rabbi. It didn’t come to that.
Ariel Kirzon: The attack should be documented. There are several cameras at the scene.”
Shortly after 1 p.m. he wanted to report the incident to the police section in the Berlin district of Wilmersdorf. “‘You must wait an hour. The staff are busy,’ I’m told.”
In the end, a criminal complaint was filed for bodily harm and insult (BZ is available). Upon request, the police confirmed the process. Now the camera recordings are to be evaluated and the state security agency is investigating.