vulgar.jpgNot so much really. More like an a nice Muslim-Jewish collaboration in a NYC subway fight against crazy christian anti semites. From CNN:

A Muslim man jumped to the aid of three Jewish subway riders after they were attacked by a group of young people who objected to one of the Jews saying “Happy Hanukkah,” a spokeswoman for the three said Wednesday.

Friday’s altercation on the Q train began when somebody yelled out “Merry Christmas,” to which rider Walter Adler responded, “Happy Hanukkah,” said Toba Hellerstein.

“Almost immediately, you see the look in this guy’s face like I’ve called his mother something,” Adler told CNN affiliate WABC.

Two women who were with a group of 10 rowdy people then began to verbally assault Adler’s companions with anti-Semitic language, Hellerstein said.

One member of the group allegedly yelled, “Oh, Hanukkah. That’s the day that the Jews killed Jesus,” she said.

When Adler tried to intercede, a male member of the group punched him, she said.

Another passenger, Hassan Askari — a Muslim student from Bangladesh — came to Adler’s aid, and the group began physically and verbally assaulting him, Hellerstein said.

“A Muslim-American saved us when our own people were on the train and didn’t do anything,” Adler said.

Adler pulled the emergency brake and the train stopped at DeKalb Avenue station, where police came on board.

The 10 suspects, ages 19 to 20, were taken into custody, said Brooklyn district attorney spokesman Sandy Silverstein.

Askari was first handcuffed alongside them, but he was released when Adler told police he was not an attacker, Hellerstein said.

Alder was treated at Long Island College Hospital for injuries that included a fractured nose and a cut lip that required several stitches, while Askari suffered a black eye, Hellerstein said.

The suspects are to appear in Brooklyn District Court on February 7 on charges that include assault, attempted assault, menacing, harassment, unlawful assembly, riot and disorderly conduct, Silverstein said.

The New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, and will determine whether the suspects will be charged with hate crimes, Officer Philip Hauser told CNN.

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9 Comments

  • It is a real Chanukah miracle, and kudos to GM for calling it that. Let’s take that all the way to peace coming between the half-brothers Isaac and Ishmael, let it be so. G-d doesn’t run out of miracles or bandwidth.

  • Would some new yorker be so kind to point to this nice fellows that it’s not Hannukah but EASTER (or Pesach), the (holy)day when we killed Jesus !!!!!!!!!!!!

    I don’t care about their anti-semitism, but at least they should have a little knowledge… I bet they haven’t read the Protocols of Zion either…

  • For the record, Hanukkah miracles are nothing new, there’s just better media coverage.

    Many years ago, a pair of friends who lived in a basement apartment were getting ready for Hanukkah. They were very close, enjoying a very unique friendship despite their different interests; one of them kept busy adding to his paperclip collection, while the other enjoyed taking relaxing bubble baths with his favorite rubber duck and singing.

    As they were both devout Jews, they were excited about celebrating the holiday, and this year was special, because they had only recently moved in together. They were young, money was tight, and they had promised each other there would be no presents. But each secretly harbored a wish deep is his heart for the other’s happiness, and vowed to find a way to buy a gift.

    So the one traded his paperclip collection for a special menorah, and the other friend traded his beeswax candles for a magnetized paperclip holder. When they discovered what had happened, they fell into each other’s arms and wept, touched by each other’s generosity, and saddened by the futility of their sacrifices.

    But Hanukkah is a special time, and miracles abound. Mr. Hooper, a cantankerous old shopkeeper, was visited one night in his sleep by the Ghosts of Hanukkah Past, Present and Future. When he saw the shadows of the friends embracing and crying over latkes and applesauce, he knew what he must do. He had to open his heart and make this the best Hanukkah ever. Upon awakening the next morning, he rushed to the store and bought the pair some shiny paperclips and scented candles, never even looking at the price tags. And then, in a fit of magnanimity, he bought them what was really closest to their hearts: matching striped turtlenecks.

    So this, my friends, is how Bert and Ernie had the best, and most miraculous Hanukkah, ever. I know this story has been told and retold many times over, but I think we can see where it relates to Muffti’s story.

  • Hurray for Askari and Adler and all the Hunter honors students. But more importantly, bravo to Rabbi Marc Schneier, a media savvy savant, who within 24 hours honored Askari and Adler via his Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, and got a stcoking-full of free publicity for his efforts. Schneier and hip hop maven Russell Simmons celebrated Askari along with his party for the National Summit of Imams and Rabbis.

  • Knock-off? That’s a true story, I swear! Muppets have meaningful lives, too.
    🙂