Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel victim of attempted tripping in Squirrel Hill
“He should never do this again,” Vogel said. “Not to me. Not to anyone. Don’t do stupid things.”
A teenager attempted to trip Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, inadvertently kicking him instead, according to the rabbi.
The event occurred on Murray Avenue around 7:25 p.m. on Sept. 5, Vogel said.
Vogel and his son were walking on the sidewalk when they approached a group of teens, he recalled. His son stepped into the road and walked around the group. Vogel, not wanting to walk in the street, said, “Excuse me,” and most of the group moved. The offender, however, attempted to trip the rabbi.
Vogel did not hear the teen use any antisemitic language.
Witnesses called the police when the incident occurred.
After the assault, the teen and his friends fled the scene and boarded a Pittsburgh Regional Transit Bus.
Vogel spoke with the bus driver and stood in front of the bus until the police arrived. He told the responding officers that he didn’t want to press charges. Instead, he wanted the “riot act” read to the teen.
“He should never do this again,” Vogel said. “Not to me. Not to anyone. Don’t do stupid things.”
The attacker may be lucky that Vogel was the attempted victim. He’s the executive director of the Aleph Institute’s Northeastern Regional Headquarters. The organization’s mission is to provide services to imprisoned Jewish men and women and their families. As a result, he’s aware of the consequences of getting caught up in the prison system.
“The idea that we stain someone for the rest of their lives is very painful,” Vogel said. “It destroys people for the rest of their lives, maybe even generations.”
Vogel is clear about another point: He doesn’t view Murray Avenue as unsafe and doesn’t want people to be afraid to visit Squirrel Hill.
“This was an isolated incident,” he said. “Kids acting as kids. We’ve got to teach them.” PJC
David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.
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