Hate Crime Charges Filed in Manhattan Synagogue Attack
Prosecutors have filed hate crime charges against a 46-year-old Bronx man accused of attacking congregants and security personnel during Shabbat services at Manhattan’s Central Synagogue on Friday evening. Larry Montes faces two counts of assault as a hate crime, two counts of aggravated harassment, and one count of criminal mischief as a hate crime, according to AP News.
The Attack
Montes allegedly entered the historic Reform synagogue on Lexington Avenue around 6 p.m. Friday, disrupting the livestreamed Shabbat service. According to prosecutors, he screamed and charged toward the bimah where the rabbi was presiding, terrorizing worshippers as they attempted to pray peacefully.
“As synagogue security was escorting him out, he struck a member of the congregation, damaged synagogue property, and then spit at and head-butted a member of the security team,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement, as reported by The Guardian.
Montes allegedly struck 63-year-old Michele Anenberg-Poma, a former Disney creative marketing executive, causing a laceration to her lip and an injury to her right forearm. He also headbutted and spat on a 65-year-old African American security guard, and broke two religious candles valued at approximately $10,000 each.
An NYPD sergeant working a paid security detail at the synagogue immediately took Montes into custody. No one was seriously injured, Tisch confirmed.
Religious Motivation Alleged
At his arraignment late Saturday, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Ali Fazal told the court that Montes admitted his actions were religiously motivated. “In addition to having animus towards Jewish individuals, the defendant admitted to having racial animus towards black people,” Fazal said, as reported by the New York Post.
Montes allegedly shouted “F—k the Jews” and called Jewish congregants “swine” and “fake Jews” during the attack. The incident was caught on the synagogue’s weekly livestream and widely circulated on social media.
Judge Janice Chen set bail at $10,000 cash or $30,000 bond, over the objection of prosecutors who sought $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond. Montes is due back in court on August 20.
Community Response
The attack has deeply shaken the Central Synagogue community. Rabbi Andrew Kaplan Mandel addressed congregants at Saturday morning services, saying, “Our day of rest was interrupted last night by a security incident in our main sanctuary, but we are OK, we are safe, we are grateful to be here,” as reported by NY1.
Anenberg-Poma, the victim, posted a defiant message on Instagram showing her injuries. “You will not punch out our Jewish light,” she wrote. “You will not stand and cause harm to our eternal light.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the attack, saying, “Every New Yorker must be able to observe their religion without fear of violence. This despicable act has no place in our city.” Gov. Kathy Hochul called the assault “appalling,” and New York Attorney General Letitia James and Sen. Chuck Schumer also condemned the attack.
Rising Antisemitism in New York
The attack comes amid a concerning trend of rising antisemitic incidents in New York City. NYPD data shows hate crimes in New York have risen more than 9% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. More than half of confirmed hate crimes were anti-Jewish, despite Jewish New Yorkers making up only about 10% of the city’s population, as reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The incident follows a July 23 stabbing attack on the Upper West Side in which two men were stabbed, one of whom was visibly Jewish.
Political Tensions
The attack has also intensified political tensions between Mayor Mamdani and Jewish community leaders. Just days before the synagogue assault, Mamdani met with a group of rabbis in a closed-door session to discuss concerns about his rhetoric on Israel and its impact on Jewish safety. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, said the meeting conveyed that “this is not going well, and the rhetoric about Israel… comes across as vilifying Israel, which we said is causing Jews in New York and probably elsewhere to not just feel less safe, but to really be at risk,” as reported by JTA.
Israel’s Consul General in New York, Ofir Akunis, went further, blaming the mayor directly. “The attack on Manhattan’s Central Synagogue is a direct result of Mayor Mamdani’s sustained campaign of incitement,” Akunis said in a statement. “I warned that words would turn into actions, and that is exactly what is happening.”
What’s Next
Montes remains in custody pending his next court appearance on August 20. Additional police security has been deployed to Central Synagogue, and Shabbat services continued Saturday with heightened security presence.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of Jewish worshippers in New York City and the broader challenge of addressing religiously motivated violence. As the Simon Wiesenthal Center noted, “For Jews in New York, the sanctuary of the synagogue is meant to be a refuge, not a place where faith and fear are forced into uneasy proximity.”
The NYPD’s hate crime taskforce is continuing its investigation into the incident, and city officials have pledged to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe. The attack serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat of antisemitism in one of the world’s most diverse cities, even as the community rallies in defiance.