A7News: Trump lauds rabbi wounded in synagogue attack

Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Monday, Apr. 29 '19, כ"ד בניסן תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. TRUMP LAUDS RABBI WOUNDED IN SYNAGOGUE ATTACK
2. UNITED RIGHT: NO COMPROMISE ON JUSTICE, EDUCATION MINISTRIES
3. TERRORIST ATTACK ON ISRAELI BUS IN SAMARIA
4. PA REFUSES MONEY FROM ISRAEL, PROTESTING TERROR DEDUCTIONS
5. THE MAN WHO TERRIFIED SYNAGOGUE SHOOTER - AND ENDED THE ATTACK
6. ONE DEAD, THREE INJURED, IN SAN DIEGO SYNAGOGUE SHOOTING
7. HOW CHABAD RABBI SAVED HIS CONGREGATION FROM SLAUGHTER
8. NFL PLAYER EXPRESSES ANGER OVER SYNAGOGUE ATTACK


1. TRUMP LAUDS RABBI WOUNDED IN SYNAGOGUE ATTACK
by David Rosenberg

President Donald Trump on Monday lauded the rabbi of the synagogue hit by a shooting attack on Saturday, following a phone call in which he offered his condolences for the death of a veteran member of the community.

"I spoke at length yesterday to Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Chabad of Poway, where I extended my warmest condolences to him and all affected by the shooting in California," the president tweeted Monday. "What a great guy. He had a least one finger blown off, and all he wanted to do is help others. Very special!"

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that President Trump called Rabbi Goldstein, who has been hospitalized after being shot in the April 27th attack.

During the call, Trump offered his condolences over the death of congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, who was killed when the 19-year-old gunman John. T. Earnest, opened fire in the foyer of the Chabad of Poway, just north of San Diego.

Rabbi Goldstein said the president noted his family ties to the Jewish people and his strong support for Israel.

He was amazing," said Rabbi Goldstein, "I have never spoken with a president of the United States before."

When Rabbi Goldstein asked Trump "What are you doing about the anti-Semitism?", the president responded: "You know, I have a son-in-law that is Jewish, my daughter is Jewish, my grandkids are Jewish. I love Israel and I support Israel. I just annexed the Golan Heights and I moved the embassy. My love is for the Jewish people."

"I never such words from any president before," Rabbi Goldstein said. "He was so kind and so generous with his words."

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262411


2. UNITED RIGHT: NO COMPROMISE ON JUSTICE, EDUCATION MINISTRIES
by Hezki Baruch

New Knesset members on Monday arrived at the Knesset in order to learn about the parliamentary work expected of them in the 21st Knesset.

Rabbi Rafi Peretz, who heads the United Right list, told Arutz Sheva: "This is a meaningful day. We're very happy, it's a great honor, to join Israel's Knesset as a member. We're learning a bit what the Knesset is, about the unique things there are here. I think people in the Knesset have a huge influence on what happens in the State of Israel."

"As Religious Zionists, we intend to work, to talk about it, and to influence the social agenda, Zionism, our sovereignty over this land, the connection between religion and state. In all of these issues we definitely intend to present the great vision we believe in, out of enormous love and appreciation for the nation."

Rabbi Peretz also emphasized that his party would not compromise on its demands to receive both the education and justice portfolios.

"We will fight for these portfolios," he said. "I think we deserve them, we're not asking for a favor. It is unthinkable that everyone will continue to receive what they had previously, and only we, who traditionally receive the education portfolio and who had the justice portfolio in the last Knesset [won't receive it]. It's unthinkable that these portfolios will be taken [away from us]. We have six Knesset members. I, G-d willing, will be Education Minister, and my good friend Bezalel [Smotrich] will be Justice Minister."

Rabbi Peretz also rejected reports that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu does not intend to appoint Smotrich as Justice Minister.

"I see it as a spin," he said. "I don't know where it came from but that spin is inappropriate considering we haven't started negotiations. Nothing has been decided for anyone, including us. First of all they have to listen to our demands, we can talk, it's negotiations, we think about things, but our stance is very clear and it's not up for debate: We came to change things in the State of Israel. Both regarding education and regarding justice. We have what to say and I think it'll be a huge blessing for the State of Israel."

"In education, we will deepen the Israeli and Jewish identities in every one of Israel's precious children, and in the Justice Ministry, we will set clear boundaries for the Supreme Court, for where justice is given, and for the Legislative Authority."


3. TERRORIST ATTACK ON ISRAELI BUS IN SAMARIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Two Palestinian Arab terrorists opened fire on an Israeli bus in northern Samaria Monday morning, prompting IDF forces to return fire.

The incident occurred on Route 585 near Tel Dotan (Dothan) southwest of the Palestinian Authority-controlled city of Jenin in Samaria, when two terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying students from a pre-army academy on a field trip.

Israeli army forces escorting the bus returned fire on the terrorists, wounding one.

The second terrorist escaped and remains at large.

The terrorist wounded during the attack was treated at the scene and evacuated to Hillel-Yaffe Hospital in Hadera, where he is listed in serious condition.

No injuries were reported among the Israeli civilians or IDF soldiers at the scene.


4. PA REFUSES MONEY FROM ISRAEL, PROTESTING TERROR DEDUCTIONS
by Arutz Sheva Staff, AFP

The Palestinian Authority on Monday restated its refusal to accept tax revenues collected on its
behalf by Israel so long as the Jewish state deducts millions of dollars, as part of Israel's policy of punishing the PA for its funding of terrorism.

"Our position is as it was: We will not receive any money from Israel if it is incomplete," Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas told the weekly cabinet meeting in of Ramallah.

"This is something we will not accept at any cost."

Israel collects around $190 million a month in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian Authority markets that transit through Israeli ports, and then it transfers the money to the PA.

In February, the Jewish state decided to deduct around $10 million a month from those revenues, corresponding to the amount it said the PA paid families of terrorists killed during attacks on Israelis, or directly to terrorists serving time in Israeli jails.

The Palestinian Authority responded by saying it would refuse any funds where deductions had been taken.

Israeli public radio reported Monday that a month's payment -- minus the $10 million deduction -- had recently been transferred to PA bank accounts, in the hope the authority would quietly accept payment.

But after two weeks, the radio said, the money was returned to the Israeli finance ministry.

Israel sees the payments to those who have carried out attacks against Israelis as encouraging further violence.

The PA describes the payments as a form of welfare.

The Arab League pledged last week to provide the PA with $100 million monthly, potentially averting a financial crisis caused by the row.

Abbas on Monday called on the body to honor that pledge, averting a crippling financial crisis.

"We do not have high hopes, but perhaps the amount could be considered a debt that we return as soon as Israel returns" the money, he said.


5. THE MAN WHO TERRIFIED SYNAGOGUE SHOOTER - AND ENDED THE ATTACK
by David Rosenberg

A military veteran praying at the Chabad of Poway just north of San Diego on during the shooting attack Saturday was instrumental in putting an end to the deadly attack which left one member of the congregation dead and three more wounded.

When 19-year-old John T. Earnest opened fire on worshippers at the Chabad of Poway Saturday, 51-year-old Oscar Stewart, a veteran of both the US Army and Navy, dashed to the synagogue foyer and charged Earnest, forcing him to flee the scene – effectively ending the attack.

Earnest, who according to an online manifesto published in his name just before the attack accused Jews of plotting the genocide of "the European race", burst into the synagogue during Sabbath prayer services Saturday morning and opened fire.

First hit was 60-year-old Lori Gilbert Kaye, a woman described by the congregation's leader Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein as an "activist" who was heavily involved in the establishment of the synagogue. Kaye was fatally wounded in the attack, and was pronounced dead after being evacuated to a local hospital.

Three others, including Rabbi Goldstein, were also wounded in the attack. Rabbi Goldstein, who struggled with Earnest and attempted to pull the gun away from the shooter, lost two of his fingers during the shooting.

The rampage finally ended when Stewart charged the gunman, screaming so loud witnesses say it sounded like a "chorus of four or five men" – a sound so loud a priest at a nearby church heard it. A former army staff sergeant, Stewart served in the US Navy from 1990 to 1994, then enlisted in the Army after the September 11th attacks in 2001, and served in Iraq in 2003.

According to The Daily Caller, which spoke with Stewart and his wife, Stewart rushed the gunman, threatening to kill him.

"Get down!" Stewart screamed. "I'm going to kill you!"

Stewart says he "scared the hell" out of the shooter, forcing him to flee.

"I knew I had to be within five feet of this guy so his rifle couldn't get to me. So I ran immediately toward him, and I yelled as loud as I could. And he was scared. I scared the hell out of him."

"When I came around the corner into the lobby area, I saw the individual with a gun, and he fired two rounds. And I yelled at him and I must have yelled very loud, and he looked at me, and I must have had a really mean look on my face or something, because he immediately dropped his weapon and turned and ran. And then I gave chase."

"Looking back, it was kind of a crazy idea to do, but I did it."

The gunman ran out to his car, with Stewart in hot pursuit, pounding on the vehicle.

"I thank God for giving me the courage to do what I did," Stewart told NBC7 San Diego. "I don't think there's any other reason other than God gave me the courage to do it."

"I focused on the rifle to make sure it didn't come up. Once I saw it go down I just ran at him and he turned and ran. I just chased him the whole time. When he saw me he had a scared look on his face. I punched the car because I saw him looking like he was going to pick up the rifle again. So I punched the car as hard as I could, and he dropped [the gun]."

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262403


6. ONE DEAD, THREE INJURED, IN SAN DIEGO SYNAGOGUE SHOOTING
by Chana Roberts

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262329

Multiple people were injured Saturday in a shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue. Poway is approximately 20 miles north of San Diego.

The attack occurred at just prior to 11:30 a.m. local time.

All four of the patients were sent to the Palomar Medical Center.

60-year-old Lori Gilbert Kaye was identified as the woman who was murdered in the shooting attack.

Three other people were injured in the shooting attack. The suspected shooter was apprehended.

The Daily Beast reported that two children were among those wounded in the shooting. Poway Mayor Steve Vaus told CNN that members of the congregation engaged the shooter to prevent further violence, and added that the community was targeted by "someone with hate in their heart."

"I can tell you that it was a hate crime, and that will not stand. This community will come together," he told MSNBC.

Eyewitness reports said one of the injured is the congregation's Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, who was shot in his hand and lost two of his fingers.

According to the San Diego Sheriff's office, deputies investigated reports of a man with a gun, and a man was detained for questioning in connection with the shooting incident.

"We don't believe there are any other suspects," a spokesperson for San Diego police told The Daily Beast.

According to officials, the suspect is a 19-year-old adult white male from San Diego. Initially, he fled the scene, but later surrendered to police.

Minoo Anvari, a member of the congregation, told NBC 7: "It's a very important celebration for us. There's lots of people inside, they're praying. Everybody was crying and screaming."

She also said her husband was inside during the shooting and told her someone came in and started cursing and shooting.

Israeli Consul in Los Angeles Avner Saban is investigating whether any Israelis were at the scene of the attack.

Jewish Agency Chairman Yitzhak Herzog responded: "The anti-Semitic attack at @Chabadpoway in California is horrifying. We @JewishAgency are closely following events and mourn the loss of life & pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. It's immoral to attack people of any faith at any place of worship. It must be stopped!"

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said, "The words, the demonstrations, and the caricatures turn into shootings against worshipers in synagogues. The disease of anti-Semitism continues to rear its head and claim victims. This is the time for action, for determined war and not for weak and hollow condemnations which allow the forces of hate to reignite dark periods in history."

The Poway attack comes exactly six months after 11 worshipers were killed in a shooting attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue.


7. HOW CHABAD RABBI SAVED HIS CONGREGATION FROM SLAUGHTER
by David Rosenberg

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262368

The rabbi of the San Diego-area synagogue targeted by a gunman over the weekend managed to save his congregation and prevent a massacre, relatives say.

On Saturday, 19-year-old San Diego man John T. Earnest burst into the Chabad of Poway synagogue north of San Diego and opened fire on congregants.

Four people were wounded in the attack, one of them - 60-year-old Lori Gilbert Kaye – fatally.

Among the wounded was 57-year-old Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, the spiritual leader of the congregation.

In newly revealed details of the shooting attack, it appears that Rabbi Goldstein was instrumental in preventing Earnest from carrying out a massacre at the synagogue.

According to his sister, Rabbi Goldstein managed to hold the gunman's semiautomatic rifle at the entrance to the synagogue, preventing him from shooting directly at the congregation.

"Yisroel was coming out of the bathroom, washing his hands, getting ready for Yizkor. As he's coming out to wash his hands, he sees this maniac in the foyer. He wasn't even in the shul [synagogue] yet. He had just walked in the hall - the shooter - and Yisroel sees suddenly that this maniac just shot - he just saw this lady fall down, the one that he killed."

"Yisroel looks at him and grabs with his two hands the gun to stop him from continuing to shoot, because he was about to continue shooting in the shul [synagogue]. So Yisroel is actually a hero. He protected his shul. He grabbed the gun, holding onto it tight. The guy shot the gun, and it actually ripped off his two middle fingers. So he was in surgery for about eight hours today, and they're no longer able to do anything for his fingers - he's missing those fingers. He gave that up to protect his shul."

"When he grabbed the gun as the shooter was ready to shoot at Yisroel, the gun jammed after it shot his fingers. In that moment of the jam, whoever was standing nearby was an off-duty police officer who came to say Yizkor. He grabbed his gun and immediately started chasing the shooter out of the shul, until the shooter got into his car."

"Yisroel stopped further shootings in his shul. He happened to be there at that moment. He said it was a miracles upon miracles, because kids were running all over."

In addition to Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was fatally wounded in the attack, and Rabbi Goldstein, who lost two of his fingers, two Israeli immigrants to the US were also wounded. Neither suffered life-threatening wounds.

An online manifesto attributed to the gunman, John Earnest, praised the perpetrator of the shooting attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh attack took place exactly six months to the day before Saturday's shooting.

In the manifesto attributed to Earnest, the suspect also claimed responsibility for a recent arson at a local mosque.


8. NFL PLAYER EXPRESSES ANGER OVER SYNAGOGUE ATTACK
by Marcy Oster, JTA

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman in a tweet spoke out about the shooting attack on a San Diego-area Chabad synagogue that left one woman dead.

"I'm so sad to be writing about another attack on a Synagogue today on the Shabbat and on the last day of Passover. I'm so sorry for the loss and we are with you San Diego. I'm sad and angry, but also proud of the strength of our community. You can't break us," Edelman tweeted.

His statement was retweeted nearly 3,000 times and liked more than 24,800 times in the hours following the attack.

In the wake of the shooting attack on the Tree of Life synagogue building in Pittsburgh, which occurred exactly six months before Saturday's attack, Edelman tweeted his sorrow.

He wore special cleats in honor of the victims of the Tree of Life shooting attack in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which were later auctioned off to help raise funds for the shooting victims.

Edelman's father is Jewish and he has come out in support of the Jewish community in the past.