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New York City authorities are searching for a man who disrupted prayers at a prominent Sephardic synagogue in Manhattan last month, entering the sanctuary uninvited and shouting inflammatory religious slogans.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:15 p.m. on July 21 at Shuva Israel Synagogue on the Upper East Side. The man reportedly entered during evening services and began yelling “Allahu akbar,” as well as several profanities, alarming worshipers inside.
According to multiple reports, the New York Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force is now investigating.
Manhattan Shomrim & NYPD are seeking the public’s help in locating this individual. The suspect entered Shuva Israel during prayer services, moving through the building aggressively while filming and photographing & confronted the congregation with shouting & spewing obscenities. pic.twitter.com/gnivOGYJQJ
— Manhattan Shomrim (@MSSPshomrim) July 27, 2025
“This was not a typical incident,” Joe Richards, a volunteer with Manhattan Shomrim, told The Jewish Link. “The NYPD is spread thin in one of the largest cities in the world. If you have responsible concerned citizens that can be eyes and ears that help, the NYPD appreciates it.”
The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived, and both the NYPD and Shomrim are urging the public to assist in identifying him. As of now, no arrests have been made.
This latest incident adds to a troubling pattern of antisemitic harassment across the United States, where synagogues, Jewish schools, and communal centers have increasingly found themselves targeted by those seeking to intimidate and provoke. While the man’s motives remain under investigation, the setting, timing, and rhetoric raise serious concerns for the safety and security of New York City’s Jewish community, the largest in the world outside of Israel.
Anyone with information related to the July 21 incident at Shuva Israel is encouraged to contact the NYPD or Manhattan Shomrim directly.
