Attacker of Orleans Shliach Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison

The 16-year-old who attacked Rabbi Aryeh Engelberg, shliach to Orléans, France, last month as he walked home from shul with his 9-year-old son was convicted this past Wednesday of assault motivated by religious hatred and sentenced to 16 months in prison.

By Anash.org reporter

The teenager who assaulted Rabbi Aryeh Engelberg, shliach to Orléans, France, was sentenced this past Wednesday to 16 months of firm imprisonment by the Orléans juvenile court. The 16-year-old attacker, who initially claimed to be of Palestinian nationality after arriving in France less than a year ago, was convicted of assault motivated by religious hatred, as well as additional offenses related to prior incidents of drug trafficking and theft.

The attack took place on March 22, as Rabbi Engelberg was walking home from shul with his 9-year-old son. The minor approached the rabbi, filmed himself while hurling antisemitic insults, spat toward them, and, after confirming the rabbi’s Jewish identity, physically attacked him.

“I held my head high during the attack, and I will continue to do so for the entire Jewish community and for French society at large,” Rabbi Engelberg said after the sentencing.

During the closed-door trial, the minor showed no remorse, denying responsibility despite overwhelming evidence. “We hoped he would express regret, but instead he stayed locked in denial,” said André Druon, president of the Jewish community of Orléans.

The court additionally banned the attacker from the Loiret region for five years and from contacting the victim for three years. Educational measures were also ordered.

This violent assault unfolded against the backdrop of a sharp rise in antisemitism across France, where over 1,500 antisemitic acts were recorded this past year alone, with community leaders warning of an “explosion” of hate following the October 7 Hamas attack.

The attack on Rabbi Engelberg triggered strong reactions nationwide, with more than a thousand people gathering in Orléans just two days later to show solidarity with the Jewish community and denounce antisemitism.

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