It’s past 5 PM, you haven’t heard from your son since school ended. You know that he should be home by now, but you can’t find out where he is. Your phone rings, it’s his best friend on the caller I.D. Finally, it must be your son! But that is odd, why would he be calling from his friend’s phone? You pick up the phone and you hear your son’s friend say, “Please come to the hospital, there is something you need to see….” Silence. Your voice is caught up in the breath which suddenly stops. “What do you mean?” you ask him. He responds “There was a group of them, all yelling ‘kill the Jews’. They grabbed him and… please come to the hospital, I will text you the room number.” With a pounding heart and shaking hands, you hang up the phone and reach for the car keys. Your mind is in shock, but the words keep crossing your mind "Why my son? He is a good, simple boy that keeps himself clean…why?”
This may sound like a scenario in a darker time period. Unfortunately, though it is a fictional scenario, it was heavily based on the events of a recent Thursday in Forest Hills, Queens. On November 29th, the NYPD received a call to 108th street. A Bukharian Yeshiva boy was severely beaten and left on the pavement for the police to discover. This is not a joke. It is a horrible situation that makes one wonder what his place may be in a community that once felt safe. As of this writing, the case is being investigated by the NYPD. They have not yet acknowledged the boy, who was allegedly identified by the Kipah on his head and beaten to a pulp, as the victim of a hate crime.
That’s fine. The police need time to run a proper, thorough and necessary investigation. But the community cannot sit on its hands and wait for another occurrence, G-d Forbid. That’s why on December 3rd, The Alliance of Bukharian Americans, with the participation of Chazaq, organized an emergency community security gathering in Beth Gavriel with elected representatives, community leaders and fellow organizations. In attendance were affected community members, the family of the victim, and representatives of the 112th police precinct.
There were many angles presented at the night’s roundtable. Chanukah is the holiday of light, and this second night of light offered much clarity on the events of that fateful Thursday. The police divulged what they could to the public, and reassured them that everything that could be done was being done. In fact, immediately following the incident, bolstered police presence was seen in the area of the attack. New security measures have been taken, some conspicuous and others less so. The representatives from the 112th Precinct, Officers Maser and Yam, acted as liaisons between the 112th and the Bukharian community. They faced a lot of very tough questions and a passionate crowd.
Many of those attending made their voice heard about what they felt needed to be done about this situation. It’s different when you have something to lose, when the neighborhood you invested so much into seems to be slipping into chaos. Simcha Elishaev, a veteran community leader, made sure the police understand what is at stake. 25 years in the making. This community came empty-handed and uneducated, yet created a flourishing beautiful community in the heart of Forest Hills. We don’t want to lose it now. We cannot sit quiet as rogue groups of wild teenagers take cracks at random Jewish boys. We aren’t strangers to anti-Semitic behavior… we didn’t forget the time when it was seemingly vogue to set Jewish houses on fire. Something needs to give. Others community members spoke, some on behalf of the parents of the boy, and others on behalf of the worried citizens of Forest Hills.
The attending politicians and their representatives also said their part. The offices of Senators Addabo and Stavisky; Council Members Koslowitz and Lancman; Assemblymen Hevesi, Rosenthal and Weprin; Congresswoman Meng; Borough President Katz; Comptroller Stringer and District Attorney Brown; Chairman Hennasy of Community Board 6 and NYC Council Speaker Johnson – they all had the opportunity to speak. They all gave their impassioned pleas for reasonability, common sense, and full, unwavering support. In times like this, unity can go a long way. It was reassuring to witness so many public figures stand with our community in the open. We all need to see action taken, and after tonight, we should all expect it.
The Alliance of Bukharian Americas along with all the attending community leaders and members will continue to pursue this issue until we can rest assured that everything that truly can be done will be done. The Bukharian community, like any New York community, deserves to be safe. We cannot tolerate crimes which reek of Jew Hatred, no matter who or what age group commits them.
By Adam Suionov
If you have any information, pictures or videos about the incident, or if you just want to communicate and find out more, please reach out to the ABA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also follow us on Facebook.com/ABAofNY and see videos and pictures of the meeting. Please reach out to us with any concerns or comments regarding any issues in your community.
Alliance of Bukharian Americans (ABA) Arranges Emergency Meeting After Vicious Attack On Bukharian Boy
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