Jewish man beaten, robbed and mocked in Brooklyn hate attack on first day of Hanukkah: NYPD

A Jewish man was attacked on a Brooklyn street by a bigot who beat and robbed him and derided him as a “dirty Jew” on the first day of Hanukkah, police said Friday.

Joshua Merenfeld, 40, had stepped out of his Crown Heights home on Eastern Parkway near Albany Ave to enjoy a cigarette around 7:35 p.m. on Thursday when he was sucker punched from behind.

“I didn’t realize what was going on until the second punch. I think he was hitting me with something. Maybe it was my phone,” Merenfeld said.

The married father of five and 20-year New York City resident said he quickly went to the hospital to get stitches so that his children wouldn’t see the worst of his injuries.

“I got my face split open.”

“They’re all very upset. They’re scared,” Merenfeld added.

“He beat me up for a minute, which is a long time when you are getting beaten. I have bruises all over.”

The unknown attacker stole Merenfeld’s phone and fled the scene, but not before wishing him a “Good Shabbos.”

“This person needs to be arrested. This needs as much attention as possible so no one else gets hurt,” Merenfeld said.

Police released surveillance photos of Merenfeld’s attacker to the media, and was still being sought Friday.

The suspect was last seen entering the subway station less than two blocks away at Eastern Parkway and Kingston Ave, police said.

The latest antisemitic incident comes amid a surge that started with the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas in Israel.

Last month, antisemitic incidents jumped 32% to 62 compared to 47 last November. There were seven crimes against Muslims last month, compared to zero last November, and there were five incidents labeled as ethnic, which includes victims thought to be Palestinian, compared to one last November.

Anyone with information about the Thursday assault and robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.