A disturbing incident has left the Crown Heights community on edge as organizers prepare for a public rally in response to the assault of a Black man in a wheelchair by a member of the Orthodox Jewish community.
The attack, which took place on March 29 on Lincoln Place, has drawn widespread condemnation across Crown Heights and beyond. But despite the near-universal denouncement of the assault by Orthodox Jewish leaders, concern is growing over inflammatory messaging accompanying the rally, which some fear could lead to renewed tensions between the Black and Jewish communities.
30-year-old Levi Kabakov, a Jewish man walking with his children, confronted a Black man in a wheelchair, Troy McLeod, who was out walking his two muzzled but unleashed dogs. According to police and eyewitness accounts, Kabakov demanded that McLeod cross the street after his children appeared frightened. Though McLeod complied and crossed the street, Kabakov allegedly emerged from his home and physically assaulted McLeod—striking him with a wooden block and a bench, and shoving him from his wheelchair to the ground.
“I was scared, I was trying to get back up, I was in shock,” McLeod told News 12. “There was no need for it.”
The video of the incident shows McLeod’s dogs remaining calm throughout, contradicting any claim that they posed a threat. McLeod says the attack left him with pain in his hands and ongoing difficulty getting around. He continues to walk his dogs daily and has called for accountability.
Kabakov has been charged with felony assault and aggravated menacing. He was arraigned this week and released without bail pending a court appearance in July.
From the outset, Crown Heights Jewish leaders have unequivocally condemned the assault.
“There is absolutely no justification for assaulting someone in a wheelchair — ever,” said Rabbi Yaacov Behrman of the Jewish Future Alliance. “The perpetrator has been arrested and charged. The community is horrified.”
Privately, some community members have gone even further, labeling Kabakov a rodef — someone whose reckless behavior places others in danger — noting that his actions could easily provoke backlash and antisemitism against the entire Orthodox community.
Soon after news of the incident broke, flyers began circulating on social media announcing a rally in protest of the attack — originally planned for outside 770 Eastern Parkway, the headquarters of Chabad-Lubavitch.
The flyer included deeply troubling language: “Assaulted in a wheelchair by members of the Orthodox Jewish community.” One post said, “Shame on the Jewish community — this is despicable.”
Such messaging has alarmed many in Crown Heights, evoking painful memories of the 1991 Crown Heights riots, when misinformation and community blame led to violence, looting, and the murder of Yankel Rosenbaum Hy”d.
In response, Jewish leaders engaged in urgent outreach to the rally organizers to clarify facts and discourage the event from targeting the broader Jewish community.
“We’ve been in touch with the organizers and made it clear that if people are upset with how the case is being handled, the protest should not be directed at a religious institution or community,” Rabbi Behrman wrote. “Our understanding is that the organizers are now working to change the rally’s location and messaging.”
Sources say the rally may be moved to a neutral location, such as in front of a nearby bank, and reframed as a “peace rally” promoting unity rather than blame. The NYPD is expected to be on site to ensure safety.
Rabbi Shmuel Rosenstein and Rabbi Zalman Friedman of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council joined Rabbi Behrman in urging a de-escalated response.
“This was the act of one man,” said Rabbi Behrman. “The Jewish community has responded with the same outrage and disgust as anyone else. To paint us all with the same brush is not only inaccurate—it’s dangerous.”
He added: “We’re calling on outside agitators to stay away and let the neighborhood handle this with dignity and justice.”
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20 Responses
Kabakov clearly was not justified in his aggressive behavior, but the speed and vitriol at which some of these community agitators are blaming the entire Jewish community based on one man’s actions shows how much bloodlust they have against us. They’re frothing at the mouth for this excuse to incite a pogrom. It’s sickening! We must use diplomacy and outreach to build bridges, but also be prepared to defend our communities with whatever means necessary.
Important correction:
This happened close to a month ago, at the end of March, not on Pesach.
A video of this incident was posted to X on March 29th.
Also, please remove that insane flyer from the end of the article. Since when is every canva made by an irresponsible child worthy of news??
What is truly sickening is how many times a Jew was attacked by a black man in the last year in CH. I don’t think I’m exaggerating if I say at least 10. No marches, no rallies, against the black community. No condemnation or outrage from the black community. Yet now the blacks come out of the woodwork to protest against the jews as if this was a daily occurrence. If G-D forbid a Jew will be attacked by a black in the next 5 years The media is sure to justify it and write “in the aftermath of a Jew beating a black man in a wheelchair a Jew was beaten by a black man.” These black agitators should be called out for what they are thugs.
The law in NYC is that dogs must be leashed. Mr. McLeod violated that. Why is that issue ignored here? People feel threatened by unleashed dogs. Why was he not charged for that? It also seemed to have been a long-running issue between them, that led to this sad incident.
As an aside, the fact that Mr. McLeod got up so quickly, seemingly unassisted, makes it seem clearly that the unfortunate incident was actually relatively mild, by NYC standards.
According to COL LIVE, the problem with Mr. McLeod and his dogs has been going on for some time already, and not just with Mr. Kabakov. Are dogs more important than people these days in NYC that they and their owners get preferential treatment?
I would not label him a rodef. He’s an hot headed guy. Was very emotional. What he did was very stupid. Chances are that his kids were crying and got scared. The man in the wheel chair had his dogs muzzled. Only people who know their dogs have a tendency to bit muzzle their dogs. The man also probably got a thrill watching the Jewish kids get scared of the dogs.
Also, let’s put things in perspective…. Since when is assaulting someone in Brooklyn news? The black community is planning a ‘protest’? Seriously? 2 neighbors had a skirmish. They got into an altercation. Why is the a race and or community wide isssue. The minute they get an excuse they make a big deal out of nothing.
But to call a fellow yid a rodef for being a bit hot headed with a neighbor is a bit of a stretch.
Sorry. Not justifying his actions. But let’s not get carried away.
Notice it says “…by MEMBERS of the …”. How many members?
Since haman’s days when he wanted to destroy the whole of Am Yisroel because one Jew didn’t bow down to him, the antisemitism just keeps on going.
In the same vain ALL Jews are responsible for what the IDF does.
Halacha eisav soneh Yaacov. It’ll only stop with the coming of Mashiach BBA.
What a shock, the assailant is Israeli.
Is this attacker a USA citizen or an alien? If an alien:- Why hasn’t ICE already shown up to deport him?
Likewise:- Why hasn’t ICE already shown up to deport those student visa holders who dug this tunnel under 770?
Chanina Treif and Yaacov Bacon do NOT represent Chabad in ANY way
This a lesson to people that we are still in golus. This lesson is needed especially for the Chabad Lubavitch, as they go around preaching that Moshiach is here, and believe that their deceased leader is him. They put up illegal signs saying Messiah is here, with a photo of their Rebbeh, on public streets. The fellow Behrman, who is mentioned in the post, was behind a campaign that just succeeded in having a street in the area being given a new sign and a name, Lubavitcher Rebbe Way, which was reported on recently on this website. Well, wake up Chabad Lubavitch, just because you got some politicians to make speeches praising your Rebbeh and to clap for a few minutes, doesn’t mean that Moshiach is here, and that you are not in a dangerous area. Time to wake up, do teshuvah, repent, and act like Yidden are supposed to.
If you watch the video you’ll see no bench or any wood were used to hit the the man and at the moment he hadn’t crossed the street as was reported by ywn, so this article is inaccurate. @ywn did you bother to watch the video you posted before writing up this article that’s clearly slanted against the jew?
It’s unfortunate that the fear of the black community is stronger than their fear of Heaven when it comes to idol worship
Some people have the same issue as Rabbi
Kabakov in Flatbush. There’s a saying, most people who don’t like dogs, usually, don’t like people.
To be very fare here are some facts to the story:
The black man has been harassing the whole block for years now. He brings out his dogs to scare all the kids, and when more people tell him to stop, he just laughs. He yells anti-semetic stuff and really scaring everyone. Although he should not have done it on camera, someone had to do something. The police were called many times, but police in New York City are afraid to do anything to black people. So before going and blaming a fellow yid, first learn the facts.
I see that many of the commenters are unaware of our role in galus. Yes, even if yidden are attacked by members of other communities, there shouldn’t be an ounce of surprise that a yid being shown on camera attacking someone from another community illicit this reaction. Yiddin need to learn to keep quiet, lay low, and not always feel the need to “stick up for their rights”. Amongst Torah jews, the “galus mentality” is very much a lichatchila.
I believe that this article is in the category of loshon hara. We are required to believe that this frum yid has since done teshuva. We also don’t know the beginning and end of the story – we only know the small part that is told to us. YWN, please remove this article, as it is a busha for this yid and his family. It should not be posted with names, and for sure not with videos. All those reading it, must believe that we only see a part of the bigger story.
how does a simple domestic incident, however severe, turn into a protest against the Jewish community?!
Those responsible for turning this disgraceful incident into a jew-hunt should be investigated for harassment and intimidation offenses.
In my first post I wrote I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I say there were at least 10 attacks on Jews in the last year in Crown Heights. For the sake of accuracy I did a Google search and found I was right There were 9 or 10 different incidents in or near CH reported by the media in the last year. ( search: Jews attacked in Crown Heights) so again I ask did this rabble rousing, racist agitator The Rev. Kevin Mcall call out the black attackers? of course not. Did the Jews of CH hold rallies in front of black ch.Of course not. And my last question why is the CH leadership not calling out Rev Mcall for what he is, A race baiting jew hater. This incident is nothing more than a neighbor dispute. By bowing down to him and his demands only bring out the worst element in the black community who look for any opportunity to attack us.
In my first post I wrote “i wouldn’t be exaggerating if I say there were at least 10 attacks on Jews in the last year in Crown Heights.” For the sake of accuracy I did a Google search and found I was right There were 9 or 10 different incidents in or near CH reported by the media in the last year. ( search: Jews attacked in Crown Heights) so again I ask did this rabble rousing, racist agitator The Rev. Kevin Mcall call out the black attackers? of course not. Did the Jews of CH hold rallies in front of black ch.Of course not. And my last question why is the CH leadership not calling out Rev Mcall for what he is, A race baiting jew hater. This incident is nothing more than a neighbor dispute. By making it into a racist incident, bowing down to him and his demands only bring out the worst element in the black community who look for any opportunity to attack us.