Nathan Kahn, a religious Jew from Zurich, was killed on the eve of Rosh Hashanah on his way home from synagogue.
The 55-year-old businessman was stabbed with a knife by a 46-year-old, unemployed Muslim Turk living in Switzerland since the 1970s. Kahn died of his wounds on the way to the hospital.
The motive for the crime remains uncertain, according to sources familiar with the case. It may have been a simple robbery, even though the victim carried no money, sources said.
But a link to an extreme Islamic organization has not been excluded. The Swiss police are investigating whether the assassin was acting on orders from abroad.
The suspect is also being investigated for the alleged murder of others.
Kahn, the father of four children, was born in Haifa and immigrated to Switzerland in 1960. He worked collecting advertisements for the Jewish weekly Israelitishe Wochenblat, which is published in Zurich.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
