10:10PM EST: (Click on image to enlarge) A Jewish man was just shot on Nostrand Avenue near Avenue J, in what appears to be a botched robbery of a liquor store.
Hatzolah, and Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance Squad arrived on the scene and found the victim, who is an employee in the store, in traumatic arrest. He was transported to Kings County Hospital with CPR in progress.
The NYPD is looking for a black male who fled the scene.
UPDATE 10:29PM EST: YWN has learned that the victim has R”L been pronounced dead at the hospital. Misaskim Volunteers are on the scene.
UPDATE 10:45PM EST: YWN regrets to inform you of the murder of the “Ger Tzedek”, R’ Yosef ben Avrohom Robinson HY”D.
(Yehuda Drudgestein – YWN)
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28 Responses
Baruch Dayan Emes. He was a real sweet guy!
really really sad, bd”h
it like right in middle of flatbush, scary
these thugs are sick, with absolutely no regard for human life, nebech
I knew him personally, and I think everyone should know what a sweet, genuine, kindhearted person he was. His p’tira is a great loss. It should only be a kaparah for klal yisroel!
OY Vey! Rachmona Ltzlan!
He was a true Ger Tzedek and a sweet, cheerful person.
What a loss and tragedy!
R”L Second tragedy in one day. I thing its time for moschiach already! Besores Toves
Yosef was a good friend of mine. We shared similar passions & interests in music. Him being Jamaican from birth & me being a Reggae Singer who is Jewish. He was a quiet & very sweet person always looking to do a mitzvah. He has a website http://www.yosephrobinson.com if people would like to learn a bit more about this amazing person…. Boruch Dayan Emes
This is so sad. He was married? Family?
What an outcry!! a ger tzedek MURDERED!!!! I knew him and cried.. and cried.I went to the scene & unfortunately a lot of people were enjoying the excitement! how numb are we becoming?
I am quite sure that to the black community here and where he came from, he represented how a young black man can become a jew & be happy, self-confident, & unashamed. I’m no detective but i’d be shocked if that did not play a role on his horrific murder. This would definitely render his death ‘al kiddush Hashem’. Though he has no jewish family to leave a lagacy for, I hope that I, and many others will draw inspiration from such a sad end. anyone who could should attend his levaya as a public sign of ahavtem es hager. i’m sure the media will cover it a it would make his death an even greater z’chus for himself and all of klall yisrael! R’ YOSEF BEN AVRAHAM ZATZAL!!! YEHI ZICHRO BARUCH. OYYYYYYYY!
Yoseph was about to release a book about his journey. i hope we can find a way to have it published hopefully with the help of YWN
ahavtem es hager. lets show it by attending the levayah en masse
BDE! I think I met him recently. I would have never known the background. Such a down to earth young man.
Yoseph Robinson was a true hero, a bright light on this world and he will be forever missed. I love you, and I will miss you forever, BDE, Rest in Perfect Peace. And please do go and visit his site. Thank u Benny for posting it.
One is not allowed to remind a Ger Tzedek about his past, in his life time, and people let’s keep that afterward too.
He was an Frum Jew who was murdered. A few weeks ago, the article from LA was that the man was a Frum Jew shot. Period.
It’s Elul, a few weeks before Rosh Hashono and Yom Kippur. Time for introspection. Yeish kono olomoh b’sho’oh achas. We, the holy FFBs of Boro Park and Flatbush can spend a lifetime doing what we think is avodas Hashem. But it’s often without life. And I’m talking to myself here too. Here comes a young man who suddenly sees the Emes behind the veil of Olam Hazeh and with great difficulty becomes a ger tzedek; and a beloved one at that. For just a little while. And now he’s a mekadesh shem Shomayim in public. And all us FFBs have to do to get there is just daven with kavonoh, learn with ardor for Torah, and think about what avdus Hashem means and do it. Ksiva V’chasima Tova.
#13abenzev – Although I know your comment is well intentioned, be assured that everyone mentioning Yoseph’s background is doing so ONLY as shvach for him, and NOT, chas v’shalom, l’genai.
Everyone who knew him, even if only slightly as I did, who ever saw him davening or learning, is shocked and heartbroken by the senseless brutal crime that snatched his holy neshama away from us.
Only HaSh-m knows why.
Baruch Dayan Emet.
while one is not allowed to remind a Ger Tzedek of his past, he was proud of his past and how it led him to where he was: a proud Frum Jew.
I read an article last week that complained that the Jewish community doesn’t accept gerrim, especially those “of color.” What a malicious falsehood. A Yid is a Yid.
He just wrote an autobiography. We should all buy a copy.
#13: If the Ger Tzedek himself is proud of the fact that he is a Ger, as in this case where he openly spoke and wrote about it, there is no issur whatsoever. HYD. May this pure Neshomoh be a Meilitz Yoshor for all of us
I knew and continue to know Yoseph as an extremely righteous person. I’ve had many a deep conversation with him about the workings of Hashem. He was the most dedicated Jew I’ve ever met and a credit to all of those who convert and to Jewish people in general. He was never afraid to speak his mind but in the most gentle manner. His whole being was dedicated to letting people know about Hashem’s Mastery of the world and he accomplished it in the best possible way, always. Yoseph, you are in Shomayim now with the holiest of Neshamas. You will be missed here but all those you’ve helped will always remember you! What we’ve lost here Heaven has gained and you’ll always be a light to the Jewish people and mankind!
As a gentile Brooklynite I was very saddened to read about this loss of life. This was a brave, good man who had many challenges in his life and who turned himself around and found his place in the world. His was a
success story that was not given enough time. May his family find peace and comfort.
please post levaya information. This man must’ve had a heilige neshama. the only reason you dont talk about him being a ger is not to make him feel bad. at this point it is only a compliment for him and he knows it.
As of now, the LEVAYAH will be only by Sunday,
it’s still not clear if the קבורה will be here in U.S.
or in Jamaica
My family had the opportunity to host Yosef shabbos and yom tov. It was a special zchus for us to witness his humility and genuine emunah. In his essence he knew he was an example, that others looked upon his actions and his midos. He was very humble with his lot.
As we arrive at the close of this year we can hope for the bracha of Tichleh Shana V’kililoseha and hope the New Year is filled only with brochoh.
I think (perhaps) HaSh*m has sent us a message before the Yomim Nora’im.
If a fellow like Yosef, Hy”d, with his background, was able to come sooooooo very far in his life, -what excuse can WE possibly have to not make SERIOUS efforts to make major strides in our shmiras hamitzvos, our learning, our davening, our midos, our relationship to HKB”H.
I think it might be a good idea to think about making some kabalas (that we will keep) for our own sakes, and
l’ilui nishmaso.
the first time i met him i saw that he was a very nice man if anybody has any info about the levaya pls post it
channel 7 just said that the לוויה will be on Monday
and his body will be taken to Jamaica
He ate a meal by me once… The way he bentched was an inspiration to me. I never saw anyone have so much concentration and kavanah in my life, or since. He was truly truly an amazing person. BDH. I’d LOVE to buy his book if it came out…
While we concentrate on this rare individual a”h, I beg your and his indulgence to step back and consider a wider, but vital issue.
We know that the rabbinate is supposed to tune down the enthusiasm of the candidate for conversion. This is done by citing the general worldly problems of the Jewish people and the likely problems the specific candidate will entertain by converting.
I have met a few black Gaereem and have been impressed by their fine personalities. I have also been impressed that they were generally unmarried.
My question is: What is our responsibility to warn non-white candidates of the experience of others who have gone before them? Is it mishum darchay noam or even yosher to accept a candidate who will be significantly disadvantaged in the opportunity to live a full Jewish or even full human life? On the other hand, are we at liberty to deny a vibrant soul its life’s ambition when the ability of any of us to complete a mitzvauh is in the hands of HaShem?
Hashem Yinkom Domov;
To the person who ridiculed an article about how hard it is for a person of color to become a Jew; let me first admonish you that you cannot speak for everyone’s experience because of one example. What do you think prospective converts of color to Judaism think when they see the travesty that took place in Emmanuel? As a Yemenite Jew growing up in an Ashkenazi dominated community, the arrogance and ignorance about different customs is astounding and the condescension that I have endured is completely accepted tacitly if not openly. How can you expect kids growing up in yeshivas that do not teach an iota about other Jewish communities and customs , dress and skin color; they often react by laughing and ridiculing.