Moshe Asman thanked the SBU and the police for apprehending the man who had threatened to kill him

Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Asman expressed his gratitude to the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine for the arrest of a man who had long been publicly spreading anti-Semitic rhetoric and, in particular, had threatened a rabbi with murder.

Moshe Reuven Asman emphasized that it is dangerous to ignore calls for violence online, as the line between words and actual actions can be very thin.

“I sincerely thank the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine—all law enforcement officers who apprehended the man who, for a long time, publicly spread anti-Semitic rhetoric, threatened Jews with violence, and, in particular, threatened to kill me personally,” said Moshe Reuven Asman.

According to the rabbi, during wartime it is especially important to respond promptly to threats and calls for violence. He emphasized that no one should be allowed to spread hatred and incite crimes with impunity for years on end.

“It is especially important that in Ukraine, during the war, there is a clear response to such threats, and that a person cannot incite hatred and call for crimes with impunity for years on end. I am grateful to law enforcement for their professional work and for ensuring that this case was not ignored,” the rabbi emphasized.

At the same time, Moshe Reuven Asman noted that he does not feel joy over the detainee’s possible imprisonment. According to him, the law is necessary first and foremost to prevent crimes and to stop threats from escalating into actual violence.

“Words often turn into blood on one’s hands,” Moshe Reuven Asman added.

Moshe Asman shared this on Facebook. 

In an interview with UA.NEWS, Moshe Reuven Asman, Chief Rabbi of Ukraine and Kyiv, discussed how Ukraine’s Jewish community is coping with the war, how it supports the army and ordinary Ukrainians, and what Ukraine can learn from Israel. The interview with Moshe Asman was recorded a few days before the tragic events in Israel.