Defiant sister of slain Bondi Seashore rabbi — who battles Jew hate in her personal NYC nabe — says ‘We’re not afraid’
The Brooklyn sister of the beloved rabbi slain in the Bondi Seashore Hanukkah bloodbath is doubling down on her Jewish delight, insisting, “We’re not hiding and we’re not afraid.”
Chani Schlanger Drizin, 54, sat shiva this week for her child brother, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, in her house in Crown Heights, which has been a hotbed of antisemitic assaults for years — and once more this week.
She insisted she’ll honor her brother’s legacy and her religion by standing proud within the face of rising hate.
“He would inform us to maintain going,” mentioned Drizin, who wore a freshly torn sweatshirt, per the Jewish customized as an expression of ache.
Her brother helped set up the Hanukkah celebration on Dec. 14, the primary evening of the vacation.
All the Schlanger household, together with spouse, Chaya, and 5 youngsters, from 17 to 6 weeks outdated, confirmed as much as assist the rabbi run the beloved annual Hanukkah by the Sea occasion that drew some 2,000 individuals.
Demise rained down when Sajid Akram, 50, and his son, Naveed, 24, allegedly opened hearth on the group, killing 15 and leaving dozens damage. The rabbi was shot within the again after throwing himself on a neighborhood member to protect them from the bullets, and died immediately.
Hate unfolded nearer to house days later, when a Yeshiva pupil was assaulted on the subway and a person was stabbed by an attacker who allegedly seethed “I’m going to kill a Jew at the moment.”
“I don’t know what occurred to New York. I want I knew. That is my house, however the spike in antisemitism is terrifying,” Drizin mentioned.
“The scary factor is, It’s going to occur once more,” she predicted. “I pray it doesn’t occur right here, nevertheless it gained’t cease me from leaving my home and persevering with doing our holy work.”
She sobbed as she scrolled by movies of her adored brother on her telephone, watching clips of him goofing round with household.
“We’re nonetheless going to mild the menorah in public and take the subway — they’re not going to tear us down.”
A British native who’s lived in New York for 36 years, she insisted “We’re all on this collectively.
“They attempt to destroy us, however each time they do one thing, we grow to be stronger and extra resilient.”
Household buddy Shalom Goldstein — whose cousin, 20-year-old American Leibel Lazaroff, was critically injured after being shot a number of occasions at Bondi Seashore — blamed “political correctness” for rising antisemitism and mentioned he appealed to NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch for cover after the current spate of hate crimes in Crown Heights.
“We had been hoping we’re in higher occasions, however the ugly head of antisemitism is rearing once more. The issue is the bystanders and those that rationalize it or discover politically right methods to attempt to spin it,” he mentioned.
Drizin prayed for “an finish to the hatred on this darkish world” as she lit the candles on her menorah, whereas summoning the power to sing the conventional tune commemorating the miracles God delivers for the Jewish individuals.
“We’re going to make this world a much bigger and brighter place and hold our religion. We’re going to come back out stronger than ever,” she vowed.
With every passing automobile blasting festive Hanukkah music, Drizin is reminded of the mission of her 41-year-old brother, who often visited the sick and incarcerated.
“Eli was all about pleasure, love, and appreciation for being Jewish.”
Schlanger, a “modern-day Maccabee,” impressed his loving sister. “Nobody’s going to cease us from persevering with what we’re doing.
”We’ll carry that legacy unafraid.”
