New Square burn victim's family shouted down at press conference

12:49 PM, May. 25, 2011

NEW SQUARE — A press conference held today by family members of a man badly burned in an arson attack turned into a shouting match when a village man called the family's lawyer an anti-Semite for going against the grand rabbi.

At the press conference held in front of Aron Rottenberg's Truman Avenue home, attorney Michael Sussman said the 43-year-old plumber was targeted with protests by the village Hasidic Jewish community's leadership for not praying in grand rabbi David Twersky's synagogue . Sussman called for state and federal investigations into the arson attack Sunday that left Rottenberg severly burned.

Rottenberg's son Jacob, 21, said he had spent the evening of the attack nervously watching the security camera he had installed a week earlier after threatening phone calls.

Jacob Rottenberg said the suspect, Shaul Spitzer, 18, of Adams Lane, had approached the home wearing a scarf over his face. The two men were injured when Rottenberg tried to remove the scarf.

Aron Rottenberg's son-in-law, Moshe Elbaum, was interrupted several times at the press conference by village resident Shulem Sofar.

Sofar refuted the family's claims and during a heated exchange said Sussman was "anti-semitic ." When Elbaum asked what his father-in-law had done wrong, Shulem replied: "It's the wrong thing to do against the rabbi."

Aron Rottenberg suffered third-degree burns across 50 percent of his body during Sunday's attack. He underwent skin grafts Tuesday at the Westchester Medical Center.

Ramapo police charged Spitzer with felony counts second-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted arson and first-degree assault.

Spitzer, who worked in the grand rabbi's house and is a cousin of the village deputy mayor, was released Tuesday evening from custody after his family and community members posted $300,000 bail.

They posted cash and a bank check with the court, District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said today. Zugibe said the case will be brought before the grand jury.

He remains in the Cornell Medical Center burn unit in Manhattan for severe burns on his hands and arms he suffered during the attack.

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http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/05/25/rockland-county-executive-calls-attack-on-new-square-man-disturbing/

Family Of Victim In New Square Religious Dispute Calls For Civil Rights Probe

May 25, 2011 8:40 PM

New Square resident Aron Rottenberg, 43, was hospitalized with burns to 50 percent of his body after an attack apparently sparked by a religious dispute. (Credit: CBS 2)

Reporting
 Lou Young

NEW SQUARE, NY (CBSNewYork) — The family of a Rockland County man horribly burned in an arson attack is now asking state and federal law enforcement for help.

CBS 2's Lou Young spoke with the victim's wife Wednesday in New Square, where she said her husband's screams still echo in her ears.

''I heard such screeching, I was sure it was 100 people killing him,'' Ruth Rottenburg said.

The wife of burn victim Arron Rottenburg said she was warned, both on the phone and in person, to move voluntarily or be forced out of New Square. The dispute started when her husband defied New Square's grand rebbe, David Twersky, and prayed in a synagogue outside the community.

WCBS 880′s Catherine Cioffi reports: Attack Against New Sqaure Man Causes Concern For Officials

''Me and the girls pray in the synagogue, and I said, 'leave us alone, don't mix in two different issues,''' she said. ''They said, 'if you don't move out, the house won't be worth a penny.' They didn't say the word 'burn the house,' they said it 'won't be worth a penny.'''

Lawyers hired by the family inspected the crime scene Wednesday, publicly calling for a state and federal civil rights probe of the insular Skver Hasidic sect. There was heckling during the news conference.

''They have a right to determine where they want to pray in America. If you don't want to respect that right, you can go back to Eastern Europe and try to have a different society,'' the Rottenbergs' attorney, Michael Sussman, said.

The only suspect arrested in the arson attack was 18-year-old Shaul Spitzer, who lived in the grand rebbe's home. Authorities believed he was planning to burn down the Rottenbergs' home.

Rockland County Executive Scott Vanderhoef says the whole situation was very concerning.

''It's very disturbing when violence takes place anywhere. That's the purpose of this country, to allow freedom of religion, so something needs to be worked out – and yes, I am concerned,'' said Vanderhoef.

The religious leadership issued a written statement decrying the violence.

'''This is against the Bible and against American law,''' religious journalist Yossi Gestetner translated from the statement.

''I stay in my house, and I cook, and I bake, and I don't look at anybody,'' Ruth Rottenburg said. ''I'm terrified of everybody.''

Rottenburg, who has lived in New Square for 38 years, said her husband's break with Rabbi Twersky came six months ago.

Ramapo police said they will question the rabbi himself in connection with the pattern of events that led up to Sunday's attack.

Arron Rottenburg underwent five hours of skin graft surgery at Westchester Medical Center on Tuesday. He remained in serious condition Wednesday night.

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