Second Assault in a Week for French Rabbi

Less than a week after being assaulted in Deauville, Rabbi Elie Lemmel was attacked again, this time in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a quiet suburb on the edge of Paris. In an unprovoked attack, an Afghan national approached him and threw a chair at him.

By Anash.org reporter

Less than a week after being assaulted in Deauville, Rabbi Elie Lemmel was attacked again, this time in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a quiet suburb on the edge of Paris.

The incident took place earlier today. A man, described as an Afghan national, approached him and threw a chair at him. Witnesses said the attack appeared to be unprovoked, and that he was clearly targeted for looking Jewish. Several bystanders intervened immediately, holding the attacker until police arrived. Rabbi Lemmel was lightly injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.

This was the second time in just a few days that he was violently targeted.

Just a week earlier, last Friday afternoon, he was assaulted in downtown Deauville, a well-known resort town in Normandy. That attack took place in broad daylight, around 3:30 p.m., when three intoxicated individuals began harassing him on the street. One struck him in the abdomen before the group fled the scene. He went directly to the local police station to file a report.

While police initially hesitated to declare a motive, the prosecutor in Lisieux later confirmed the opening of a formal investigation into “violence committed due to religion.” Authorities are working to identify the three suspects, with eyewitness accounts and security footage expected to help advance the case.

In a message shared on social media after the Deauville incident, Rabbi Lemmel wrote:
“Thank G-d, I’m okay. I received a blow and some insults in a language I don’t understand.” He added a message of encouragement to the broader community, urging them to respond to such events by strengthening themselves spiritually rather than succumbing to fear or resentment.

The two incidents come amid a troubling rise in antisemitic violence across France. In March, the shliach in Orléans was attacked in the street while walking with his young son. The attacker was later convicted and sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Rabbi Lemmel is well known throughout France for his work through Lev & Lamed, an organization dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity and education, and deepen their connection to Torah — especially among young professionals. He also teaches regularly at Chabad centers in the Paris region and has participated in French Chabad programs abroad, including the French Chabad gala in Florida earlier this year.

Authorities are now exploring whether the two attacks are connected and whether antisemitism played a motivating role. The suspect in the Neuilly assault remains in custody. The search for the Deauville assailants is ongoing.

But Rabbi Lemmel has made it clear that fear is not the answer. “We have to answer darkness with more light,” he said, “and we will.”