Man charged in attempted mugging of 84-year-old NYPD rabbi
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — A man believed to be homeless was arrested nearly 12 hours after New York Police Department’s chief chaplain, Rabbi Alvin Kass, was mugged during his daily early morning walk on the city’s Upper West Side.
Rafael Diaz, 39, was taken into custody on Tuesday while in possession of a crack pipe, WABC-TV reported. He was charged with attempted robbery and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Kass, 84, was walking at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday when he was approached by an individual who told the rabbi that he was hungry and needed food. The mugger pushed the rabbi down and took cash from his pocket, but dropped it and fled when he saw Kass’ police shield, according to the reports.
The rabbi, who has served in the NYPD for 54 years, making him its longest-serving officer, told WABC that he would be out walking again.
“I hope to continue to do my walk and go about my routine,” Kass said. “I’m not gonna let some bad actor stop me.”
The post Man believed to be homeless charged in attempted mugging of NY police chaplain, 84 appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
