On November 13, 2024, Altaf Sharif violently assaulted a 64-year-old Jewish man outside Congregation Ohr Torah synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey, placing him in a chokehold and tackling him down a hill after another anti-Israel protester yelled: "The Jew's here!" The assault was stopped only when another member of the congregation, Moshe Glick, intervened to save the victim's life.
The assault occurred during an anti-Israel protest targeting a real estate event at the Ohr Torah synagogue. The event, which focused on land sales in Israel, was initially scheduled to be held at the home of Jewish community leader Moshe Glick. Due to multiple threats from anti-Israel groups, organizers relocated the event to the synagogue for security reasons.
After discovering the event's new location, anti-Israel protesters, including Sharif, marched and chanted outside the synagogue: “Zionists! Terrorists! Shame on you!” and: “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution!"
Protesters also chanted: "Settlers, settlers, go back home! Palestine is ours alone," and: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!”
“From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free” is a chant used [00:02:47] to call for the elimination of the State of Israel. It has also been employed by Hamas leader Khaled Mashal to call for the replacement of Israel with an Islamic state. In April 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the chant as antisemitic.
During the anti-Israel protest, Sharif blew [00:00:16] a horn in the direction of the pro-Israel crowd.
After Sharif's horn was removed from him, he moved forward aggressively, screaming at the pro-Israel crowd before being stopped by a fellow activist.
As a result of this incident, a masked protester, later reportedly identified as 64-year-old David Silberberg, pepper-sprayed Sharif.
In a recorded statement to the police, Sharif admitted that "approximately a full minute passed" between the pepper-spraying and his violent attack on Silberberg that followed. Only after a fellow anti-Israel protester yelled: “The Jew’s here," referring to Silberberg, Sharif attacked [00:00:30] him.
Sharif grabbed Silberberg by the throat, put him in a chokehold and tackled him down a hill. Silberberg, a 64-year-old Jewish man, was pinned to the ground, with his face pressed against the pavement. Police officers present at the scene did not intervene, despite repeated requests from Glick.
Fearing for Silberberg's life, Glick came to his rescue, striking the assailant one time with a small flashlight, which successfully ended the life-threatening chokehold and saved Silberberg with minimal use of force. The police only intervened after Glick had already stopped the assault.
During his police interrogation, Sharif falsely claimed [00:02:09] that he, instead, was the victim of an attack by Silberberg and Glick. Sharif alleged that the two men tried to "tackle" him because he was wearing a keffiyeh, saying [00:02:24]: "Islamophobia and Arab hate, that's the root of it."
As of June 2025, despite clear video evidence that Sharif's violent assault was in response to a call identifying his victim as a Jew and despite his false statements to the police, Sharif has not been charged with any crime. Meanwhile, Glick, who intervened to save Silberberg's life, currently faces criminal prosecution.
According to a complaint filed with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Glick's actions were legally justified under N.J.S.A. § 2C:3-5 (defense of another). Although the most serious charge (bias intimidation) has already been dismissed, Glick still faces a grand jury on June 25, 2025.
On June 20, 2025, Jewish community members rallied at the Essex County courthouse, calling for justice for Glick and demanding that all charges against him be dropped.
