By 5 Towns Central Staff

NYC, New York (August 5, 2026) — More than three decades after the murder of 16-year-old Ari Halberstam HY”D, the U.S. Department of Justice has formally acknowledged that the attack would be investigated and prosecuted today as both a federal hate crime and a civil rights violation.

Halberstam was killed in 1994 when Rashid Baz, a Lebanese-born taxi driver, opened fire on a van carrying Lubavitch yeshiva students as it crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. Baz was convicted of murder and sentenced to 141 years in prison. He died behind bars in 2023.

For years, Ari’s mother, Devorah Halberstam, led a determined campaign to have the attack officially recognized as an act of antisemitic terrorism rather than being viewed solely as a criminal homicide. In a letter dated July 23, then-U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton affirmed that, under current federal law and Justice Department policy, the case would now be pursued as a hate crime. He also noted that his successor shares that legal assessment.

The acknowledgment comes amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents across New York City. According to NYPD statistics, anti-Jewish hate crimes increased by 8.5% during the first seven months of 2026, with Jewish victims accounting for 57% of all reported hate crime victims. In July alone, antisemitic incidents rose 53% compared with the same month last year.

Federal officials have pledged to devote additional resources to investigating and prosecuting antisemitic violence as concerns continue to grow over the increase in attacks targeting Jewish communities.

Devorah Halberstam said she hopes the Justice Department’s recognition of her son’s murder will not only honor Ari’s memory but also strengthen efforts to combat antisemitism and help prevent future acts of hate-fueled violence.