Rabbis arrested at United Nations

New York City police arrested 22 rabbis protesting Iran’s threats against Israel in front of the United Nations. Led by Rabbi Avi Weiss, president of Amcha-The Coalition for Jewish Concerns and dean of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, the rabbis held a rally Tuesday across from the United Nations. Weiss called for Iran to be expelled from the United Nations for its threats to destroy a fellow member state. According to a video of the event posted on YouTube, the group was arrested when it blocked pedestrian traffic. The rabbis, most of them wearing white prayer shawls and representing the denominational spectrum, sang “Ani Ma’amin” as they were placed in plastic handcuffs and led away to a police van. According to the New York Jewish Week, the rabbis were held for several hours before being released, and were told to appear in court May 15.