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A vehicle struck the entrance of Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday night, damaging the doors of the building.
The incident occurred at the synagogue commonly known as 770 Eastern Parkway, Chabad’s central headquarters. It took place on the 10th of Shvat (Yud Shvat), one of the most significant dates on the Chabad calendar.
No injuries were reported. The driver — identified as 36-year-old Dan Sohail of Carteret, New Jersey — was arrested at the scene. Authorities have not released information about a possible motive as the investigation continues.
Witnesses Say Incident Appeared Deliberate
According to Yaacov Behrman, head of public relations at Chabad headquarters, the synagogue was evacuated shortly after the impact as a precautionary measure. He also urged the public to stay away from the area while emergency services responded.
Behrman said witnesses reported that the driver shouted for people to move as the vehicle advanced toward the building. Based on those accounts, Behrman stated that the ramming appeared “intentional.”
A car just drove into the side doors of 770 at Chabad Headquarters. Baruch Hashem, there are no injuries. Witnesses report the driver yelled for people to move as he drove in. It appears intentional. The synagogue has been evacuated as a precaution.
Please stay away from the… pic.twitter.com/ljsoZ0sIE7
— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) January 29, 2026
Law enforcement quickly secured the scene and detained the suspect.
Officials Respond to Incident at Jewish Institution
New York Governor Kathy Hochul addressed the incident on social media, noting that it followed another antisemitic incident involving Jewish New Yorkers the previous day.
“An attack against the Jewish community is an attack against all New Yorkers,” Hochul wrote on X.
New York City Comptroller Mark D. Levine described the scene as a “frightening incident at one of our city’s most iconic Jewish institutions.” He praised the New York City Police Department for swiftly detaining the suspect.
Significance of the 10th of Shvat
The 10th of Shvat marks the anniversary of the passing of the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yosef Yitzhak Schneerson, in 1950. The date also commemorates the moment one year later when Menachem Mendel Schneerson formally accepted leadership of the Chabad movement in 1951.
The anniversary draws thousands of visitors to Chabad headquarters each year for prayer, study, and commemorative events, making the timing of the incident particularly sensitive.
The incident came amid heightened concern over antisemitic threats targeting Jews and Jewish institutions in New York. Authorities have not yet announced what charges the suspect may face.
‘Growing Normalization of Violence Targeting Jews’
In a statement on Thursday, Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) CEO Sacha Roytman said, “New York is the epicenter of the escalating antisemitism crisis in the United States, and the ramming of the Chabad headquarters was only the latest grim example of the growing normalization of violence targeting Jews. When civic leaders refuse to denounce the ‘Globalize the Intifada’ ideology, scenes like last night’s in Brooklyn, all too familiar from the Middle East, are the inevitable consequence.”
Read Roytman’s full statement HERE.
A 36-year-old man from New Jersey rammed his car four times into the back entrance of Chabad-Lubavitch’s global center in Crown Heights on January 28, 2026. Inside, hundreds of Jews were gathered for a major celebration.
The suspect was arrested at the scene. The driver had… pic.twitter.com/PxiuMRPTPA
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) January 29, 2026
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
