Rabbi attacked by anti-semites in Berlin
A British rabbi needed hospital treatment after he was attacked by anti-semitic youths in Berlin.
Walter Rothschild, 46, who works as a rabbi in the German capital, suffered a cut to his face after he approached two teenagers who were harassing a train driver.
They turned on him and grabbed his hat before punching him in the face, breaking his glasses. Rabbi Rothschild suffered a bleeding nose and a cut to his face which required three stitches.
The Berlin police have arrested a 15-year-old youth of Lebanese descent although they say his accomplices are still at large.
Rabbi Rothschild said he wanted to ensure the incident was not blown up out of proportion.
A statement released by the rabbi reads, "He is not hysterical, he is not packing his bags, he is not taking this personally; these three young men were not skinheads from Brandenburg, were not Neo-nazis.
"They were three teenagers, possibly slightly drunk, certainly out of bed too late at night, excitable, with too much testosterone and not enough common sense.
"It is true that they expressed dislike of Jews, it was an anti-semitic attack, but not a premeditated one, he is alive and kicking with his English upper lip as stiff as ever."
Rabbi Rothschild, originally from Leeds, is married with two children.
