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Cheryl Jacobs Lewin writes:
Jeff Seidel is a former Chicagoan.
Arabs Try to Murder Jews in Cinder Block Ambush near Mt. of Olives
"A great miracle happened here" –Yochanan Danziger and Jeff Seidel got out alive.
By: Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu
Published: December 23rd, 2014
Jerusalem Arab youth hurled at Jews at a car on the way to the Mt,. of Olives Cemetery Tuesday, causing one minor injury and causing heavy damage to at least two cars.
Unarmed soldiers in a second vehicle thought the victims in the lead car, Yochanan Danziger and Jeff Seidel, were killed (which they were not, just to make that clear).
Both cars were on the way to a burial at the Mount of Olives cemetery, Danziger told The Jewish Press from the police station where he and Seidel were filing a complaint.
Danziger is a "Netzach Yehuda" rabbinic adviser for Jews in the Nahal Haredi Brigade, and Seidel is widely known for decades of his work at the Western Wall to bring wandering Jewish backpackers closer to Judaism.
The ambush, like dozens the past several years, occurred on a narrow street when two or three cars blocked traffic from moving so that youth could pummel the cars with rocks and cinder blocks.
Danziger was treated at a Jerusalem hospital for glass in his eye.
Seidel was driving his 2006 Mazda, whose windows were smashed, while the sides of the car were crunched.
"It was miracle we got out alive," said Danziger. At one point, Seidel tried to turn into the locked parking lot of an Arab hospital, which would have given them a safe have, but they were refused entry.
Seidel managed to continued driving slowly as Danziger and another passenger crouched on the floor. He managed to make a U-turn as older Arabs, who Danziger said were in their 40s, yelled at the youth to move away.
Seidel was able to drive his car to the police station, where he said the police were very understanding and said that the attackers "would pay a heavy price." However, words are one thing and action is another.
During the attack, the victims were in contact with the police for several minutes until the connection was broken.
The police did not call back.
