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| Men in Meah Shearim illustration |
Two ultra-Orthodox Jews were left with stab wounds after a fight between a group of worshippers broke out late on Friday night in a Jerusalem synagogue, according to police reports.
The incident began shortly after 1:00 am. The fight broke out between several people in the Karlin synagogue located on Avinoam Yellin Street in the Meah Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem, Israel. Two people were stabbed and they were transported to a local hospital. They were listed as in moderate condition.
At 1:12 am Saturday morning, Magen David Adom received a report about the stabbing. A 41-year-old man, who was stabbed, left the synagogue, while a 33-year-old man, who was also stabbed, stayed until help arrived.
"I received a call about a stabbing in the Karlin synagogue. When I arrived on Shabbat Square, I noticed a group of anxious people, who escorted me to the victim. I gave medical treatment to a man, 41, who was stabbed in the neck and stomach, while another emergency worker helped another stab victim at the synagogue, who suffered from stab wounds to his hand and head. Police arrived at the scene, and accompanied the victims to the hospital," Yossi Rafaeli, a member of Ichud Hatzalah who treated the victims, said.
“The group of men were drinking alcoholic beverages in the synagogue and they were apparently drunk,” an eyewitness at the scene of the stabbings said.
The two stab victims were transported to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem, Magen David Adom said.
"This is a very unusual. We are used to getting calls about stabbings in the downtown area, but not within the ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods,” Yossi Refaeli said.
Jerusalem Police launched an investigation.