A 26-year-old Chabad chossid who was attacked with a syringe while conducting mivtzoim in Manhattan’s Diamond District returned to the very same streets less than 24 hours later, determined to continue helping fellow Yidden put on tefillin despite the frightening incident.

The attack, which is being investigated by the NYPD as a possible hate crime, occurred while the young man was engaged in his regular outreach activities in Midtown Manhattan, an area frequented by Jewish businessmen and visitors.

According to reports, the victim was approached by an individual who stabbed him with a syringe. The circumstances surrounding the assault raised immediate concerns that he had been deliberately targeted because of his visibly Jewish appearance and religious activities.

The young man received medical attention following the incident, with the use of a syringe raising additional concerns about possible exposure to infectious substances. The contents of the syringe and whether it posed any further medical danger were not immediately established.

Despite the ordeal, the chossid was back in the Diamond District the following day, resuming his regular rounds and offering Jewish men the opportunity to put on tefillin.

His decision to return so quickly attracted considerable attention within the Chabad community, where mivtzoim, the Rebbe’s campaign to encourage Yidden in the observance of mitzvos, has long been a central part of daily life.

For decades, Chabad chassidim have maintained a regular presence in Manhattan’s commercial districts, visiting offices, stores, and businesses to help Jewish men fulfill the mitzvah of tefillin and strengthen their connection to Yiddishkeit.

The Diamond District, centered around West 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, has been a particularly active location for these efforts because of its substantial Jewish business community.

The assault has heightened concerns about the safety of visibly Jewish individuals in New York City, particularly those who regularly conduct religious outreach in public spaces.

Surveillance footage from the area captured the disturbing encounter. The video shows a woman following the chossid along the sidewalk, apparently passing other pedestrians while continuing to pursue him.

At one point, the young man attempted to distance himself from the woman by moving around a parked vehicle. She continued following him, and as he stepped toward the street, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in the lower right side of his back.

The attack occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 21, near West 47th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The suspect, described by police as a woman believed to be in her 40s, was reportedly speaking Russian and making harassing remarks before the assault. Investigators are examining surveillance footage as they attempt to identify and locate her.

Yosef, who requested that his surname not be published, was treated by Hatzolah and transported to Bellevue Hospital. Doctors determined that he had not suffered internal bleeding and did not require stitches. He was released after approximately three hours.

Although the injury was not considered life-threatening, the nature of the weapon caused particular concern. Investigators believe the attacker may have used a large needle or syringe, but it remains unclear whether the object contained any substance.

The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident as a possible antisemitic assault. As of the latest reports, the attacker remained at large.

Yosef, a Crown Heights resident who recently received semicha, has spent approximately three years visiting Jewish merchants and employees in Manhattan’s Diamond District, encouraging them to put on tefillin and distributing Shabbos candles.

His father works in the jewelry business and had enlisted his son’s assistance after finding that the demand for these activities had grown beyond what he could handle himself.

Yosef subsequently established a regular schedule, traveling from Brooklyn to Manhattan four days a week to visit stores and businesses throughout the neighborhood.

On Thursday afternoon, less than a day after being stabbed, he returned to West 47th Street and resumed those visits.

Several of the businessmen he encountered recognized him from the widely circulated surveillance footage of the attack.

“They were in shock. They were obviously scared for me,” Yosef told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

He acknowledged that the experience had left him shaken but explained that he had no intention of allowing the incident to prevent him from continuing his work.

“We can’t allow some hate to stop us,” he said.

Yosef added that he believed it was especially important to continue encouraging Yidden to perform mitzvos in the aftermath of the attack.

“We need more mitzvahs in the world, we need more light in the world,” he said.

Speaking separately with Chabad.org, Yosef described the fear and disbelief he experienced following the assault.

“I’m still shaken,” he said. “I never imagined I’d be stabbed simply for being Jewish, right here in New York City.”

He explained that his response was shaped by the example of his grandparents, Holocaust survivors who endured the horrors of Nazi persecution and subsequently rebuilt their lives and established a Jewish family.

“I know what they’d tell me now: Don’t back down. Go back out there and help another Jew put on tefillin. Do another mitzvah. Stand taller and prouder than ever.”

Yosef said that remembering their determination strengthened his resolve to return to the streets where he had been attacked.

“That’s why I came back today,” he continued. “Their answer to hatred was more Jewish life. Mine will be too. We’ll never back down. We’ll just keep spreading more light.”

On Friday, another group of Chabad chassidim established a tefillin stand at the location of the stabbing, giving additional Yidden an opportunity to perform the mitzvah and demonstrating their determination to continue Jewish outreach in the neighborhood.

The incident comes amid heightened concerns over antisemitic violence in New York City. According to NYPD statistics reported this month, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for more than half of the hate crimes recorded in the city during the first nine months of 2026.

Manhattan Shomrim has been assisting police in the investigation and has appealed to members of the public who may have witnessed the assault or possess relevant video footage.

Anyone with information about the incident, including recordings from security cameras, vehicle dashcams, or cellphones, is urged to contact Manhattan Shomrim at 212-430-2024.