In an attack that has caught the attention of French President Emmanuel Macron, Orléans rabbi Arié Engelberg was attacked in the street on Saturday in front of his 9-year-old son. The two had been on their way home from synagogue.
A 16-year-old is now under arrest for the attack, which was partly caught on film. The victim was reported bitten, hit on the head and shoulder, and insulted.
A witness who saw part of the attack described what he saw. “I was returning from a walk with my dog, and from a distance, I saw what looked like a fight between two drivers,” explains Yann Chailloux, a resident of Orléans, who was present near the scene of the attack. He walked closer and saw “someone punching someone else, trying to defend themselves.” Other witnesses were also present.
“There were also young men who intervened and tried to push the attacker away.” All the witnesses checked Arié Engelberg’s condition after the attack.
“There was truly this moment of brotherhood, I had this glimmer of hope,” said Yann Chaillou.
The attack is being described as an anti-Semitic crime because the assailant allegedly asked the victim: “Are you Jewish?” After the rabbi said he was, the attack began.
“I recognized the rabbi,” Chailloux said, “and in particular his hat, which was kicked away by the assailant.”
Wearing a traditional Jewish hat, Engelberg was returning from a Shabbat celebration at the Orléans synagogue with his 9-year-old son.
After the attack, the assailant fled but was later arrested by Orléans Anti-Bac (BAC) officers at 9:30 p.m., which used the video footage to identify him. The suspect allegedly told the police that he was Palestinian, but France 3 said that checks are still being performed to confirm his identity and nationality
A police source told France 3 that caution is still necessary, as all the details of the case are unclear. The rabbi has since filed a complaint with the police about the incident.
The event has become a national news story, with President Emmanuel Macron posting on Sunday morning: “Antisemitism is poisonous. We will not give in to silence or inaction.”
Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), said the attack was “cowardly and violent.” A march is now being organized against anti-Semitism on March 25, 2025, in the city.
