Man who helped stop suspected Monsey attacker honored in Williamsburg

The man who helped catch the suspected Monsey synagogue attacker back in December was recognized Thursday night, not just for his heroic actions that day, but also for standing by his principles in the aftermath.

News 12 Staff

Feb 14, 2020, 3:50 AM

Updated 1,538 days ago

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The man who helped catch the suspected Monsey synagogue attacker back in December was recognized Thursday night, not just for his heroic actions that day, but also for standing by his principles in the aftermath.
Josef Gluck says he still remembers the terrifying moments inside a rabbi's house in Rockland County on Dec. 28. Gluck helped a child escape, threw a table at the alleged attacker who barged in with a knife and followed him out of the house. He also managed to record his license plate, leading to the arrest of that suspect, identified as Grafton Thomas.
Since then, the Jewish Federation of Rockland County and the Anti-Defamation League offered him a $20,000 award for information that led to the arrest. However, after consulting with his rabbi, he decided to reject that money because he says it comes from Zionist organizations that don't represent the beliefs and values of their community.
Instead, his rabbi brought the community together to raise $20,000 of their own through donations by people who were inspired by his actions. He was rewarded with that check at a ceremony in Williamsburg Thursday.
Gluck says he doesn't see himself as a hero, and tells News 12 he had no idea he was capable of doing something like that.


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