NJ rabbi assaulted outside his home in ‘disgraceful act of violence’

A rabbi was assaulted outside his New Jersey home in a suspected antisemitic attack that the local mayor ripped as “a disgraceful act of violence.”

Queens-born Rabbi Avraham Wein, a married father of two, was outside his home in Bergenfield at around 2 p.m. Sunday when someone driving by stopped and ran out and attacked him, NorthJersey.com reported.

A nearby resident rushed out to help, with both the good Samaritan and the faith leader suffering minor injuries, Chief Mustafa Rabboh of the Bergenfield Police Department wrote on Facebook.

Jeffrey Vangeldren, 40, of neighboring Ridgefield Park, was arrested and charged with two counts of simple assault, the local outlet reported.

Police did not say if the suspect is thought to have picked the rabbi for attack, but ramped up security patrols for local synagogues and Jewish homes.

“This was a disgraceful act of violence that has no place in our town and will not be tolerated,” Bergenfield Mayor Arvin Amatorio wrote on Facebook.

“I strongly condemn this attack and make it clear that we will not tolerate violence in our town, against anyone, under any circumstances,” he added, calling for witnesses to contact police.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) called it “a vile, hateful act.”

“This happened ahead of Sukkot, a holiday celebrating the harvest — a time meant for faith, family and community,” Gottheimer wrote on X.

“Every North Jersey family deserves to worship freely and safely. Antisemitism has no place here. I’m glad the attacker was quickly apprehended and taken into custody, and they must be held accountable for this hate crime,” he added.

Police patrols were increased outside Jewish homes and places of worship in the area “in an abundance of caution,” the police chief said, saying the attack appeared to be “an isolated incident.”

Rabbi Wein is the Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck, NJ, and a faculty member at Torah Academy of Bergen County.

He previously served as Rabbinic Assistant at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence in Long Island, according to his online bio.

Born and raised in Queens, Wein studied at Yeshiva University. He and his wife, Shira, a certified physician assistant, have two children.

“I am touched that there is interest in my story,” Rabbin Wein told The Post, while stressing that there was some “misinformation” suggesting he was hospitalized and that the attack happened while he was constructing a sukkah in his front yard ahead of the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

Vangeldren, who is believed to also go by the name Jeffrey Zicchinella, was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, according to police.

He has a lengthy rap sheet going back over a decade, including for drug offenses, breaking and entering, and credit card theft, records show.