Recruitment activist attacked by Haredim: I begged for my life, thought they would kill me

Rafi Perelshtein, a Haredi recruitment activist, was attacked yesterday by protesters from the Jerusalem faction. He said he begged for his life and thought he would be killed. For 22 minutes, he was beaten and spat on inside a taxi while police were absent. Perelshtein condemned the violence, saying that whoever raises a hand does not protect the Torah.

Rafi Perelshtein, a Haredi recruitment activist, was attacked yesterday by protesters from the Jerusalem faction. In an interview on Kan News' "This Morning" program, he described the harrowing moments. After a presentation about Haredi tracks in the IDF, the building was besieged by dozens of protesters. Police sent a team, but as he left with a security detail, he was spat on and received death wishes; they tried to steal his laptop and took his kippah. Border police officers stopped a taxi driver who was with his son with special needs, and pushed them into the taxi. The protesters surrounded the vehicle, and for 22 minutes, Perelshtein's friend fought them with bare hands while Perelshtein was beaten and spat on. The protesters even offered the driver money to throw Perelshtein out. Eventually, two helpless policewomen arrived, and civilians helped disperse the protesters. Perelshtein condemned the violence, saying that whoever raises a hand, spits, and damages property does not protect the Torah. He called not to make violence a legitimate language.