Faga Speker and Jessica Elgot – Jewish Chronicle
The rabbi who accompanied boxer Dmitriy Salita to his fight against Amir Khan has expressed his shock at antisemitic abuse levelled at the Orthodox boxer.
Rabbi Dovid Lewis of Newcastle United Hebrew Congregation accompanied Salita from his dressing room to the ring, where he was defeated in 76 seconds by title holder Khan.
Rabbi Lewis said: “We were shocked at the vitriolic abuse shouted at Dmitriy from both sides of the throng on the walkway to the ring.
“It was antisemitic swearing and spitting with a lot of pushing and pulling they were baying for him at this point, although the general crowd was good-humoured and calm.
“Dmitriy was stunned but not hurt, we returned to his hotel and he was visited by a large crowd of supporters, well into the night. As it was a significant day in the Lubavitch calendar, Dmitry showered, put on fresh clothes and his tzitzes and we learned into the night.
More than 200 Jews from New York, London, Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow travelled to Newcastle to show their support for Salita.
Salita, a Ukrainian émigré who was previously unbeaten in 31 bouts, is an Orthodox Jew who studies at a Chabad yeshiva in Brooklyn. A Star of David decorates his boxing shorts during his fights.
with Rabbi Greenburg mostly. He’s a fine yunger-man
Which yeshiva does Dmitri learn at i nBrooklyn
I hope it’s my old one Hadar Hatorah!!
Newcastle is one of the most proster places i have ever been in my life.I have traveled all over the world as well as living in England for part of my life
if you think about it, it was a very unfair on dimitrys half, while khan was training that entire day dmitriy was farbrenging and eating potato salad!
a definite rematch should be proposed on a regular monday night!
G-d Bless America!!!
I was carying Israely flag at Dmitriy’s fight. Forget about me but the crowd was so hostill they tried to hurt Dmitriy as well as everybody else on the Team Salita.
IF DMITRIY FIGHTS KHAN IN NEW YORK – THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT. REMATCH, YES!!!!
the rebbe said that a holocaust will never again happen.
i just moved here from israel so im lerning english and b,d,w the only one who needs to get a life is you, so go get one
he is learning torah, torah weak ins a person!
And specially on this date.
Regardless, the antisemites… who gives a poop about them?
I’m sure you don’t.
That should have made him more resolute to beat an Arab.
Fighters were puffs in the past
By the same token the Rebbe “MH”M” would also forbid someone being a rock star.
But he didn’t. He encouraged it and told the Piamentas, the Bitons and many more do use the trade they learned before becoming frum for positive purposes.
i bet France will come before England. Muslims are taking over the land.
Rabbi Lewis you rock!!!!!
What kind of crowd do you think
attends a blood-letting boxing
match — tzadikkim?
The Rebbe, MH”M, would NEVER agree to a Jew becoming a boxer. It’s probably forbidden (Not sure-will check) for a Ben Noah.
England is an extremely antisemitic country.. as sad as it is… and It is not just because of the muslims that have moved there………
dude learn to spell and the rest of you get a life (including me)
or better yet don’t you’r comments are very amusing.
Have you people — including the Rabbi — lost it? This is a boxing match between a Jewish guy and a Muslim guy … of course people are going to get riled up and shout thing. Big surprise there …
Cursing the Jew at a boxing match should be the worst of our problems. This article is all hype.
I think Dmitriy Salita wants to fight Amir Khan again!
Why: it went on after shabbos do u think Dmitriy Salita will prepare for the fight on shabbos come on thats why he lossed.
Dmitriy Salita u can beat Amir Khan just try again youl see you are gonna win
But: make sure its on a week day not shabbos to you can prepare.
We live in Newcastle and there has been so little anti semitisim shown, infact all the religious leaders get on really well.
The anti semitism was by outsiders, the local whites were mainly supporting Dmitri.
To # 14, there was no lynch, and I am not relying on witnesses: I was there.
It is not few, I know from witness – it was really overwhelming. the feeling was the crowd wanted to lynch them.
if israel is the safest plase in the world so how come thousends of shousends of yidin got killed there just a few years ago ,hashem yrachem
How dare you all curse my country like that!
Do you know how friendly people are here!
Just because in one measly boxing match there’s a few anti semetic comments and you rant and rave like that!
Shame on you all!
That England will become one of the first (non originating) countries to become completely Islamic
The Rebbe clearly stated that Eretz Yisrael is the safest place on earth and he based it on a pasuk “Eretz asher tamid einei Hashem….mereishis hashana ad acharis hashana.” Basically Hashem personally watches over eretz yisrael. So you are right #1 that eretz yisrael is the safest place on earth. England is teeming with anti semitism.
i think going forward he needs to work with pros. not lubavitchers who think they became experts on boxing.
Do you think that had we been “awake” in 1939 it would have not happened?
Hashem made a Gezaira then, let’s hope and Daven for it not to happen again. The only way to have any effect on Gzairos like this is to take it on at the source – Hashem
Cant even run there!
Dear, dear, dear, do the evicted homeless people of the former Gush Katif also feel that Israel is the safest place? How ironic! whilst I admit that Eretz Yisroel is the holiest place in the world, I would NEVER want to live in a land where the government that runs my country are Jews just like me yet they hate me openly more than the none Jewish American govenment does. How many countless orthodox Jews were jailed (inclluding my own cousin-not a Lubab) for defending his land and his religion. In America you don’t get arrested for defending your religion.… Read more »
and pretend that anti-semitsm is not happening. Remember what happened in 1939?
You dont need to run anywhere.
The whole world is G-ds garden.
But yes the Holy Land is wonderfull.
Is one of the most anti semitic places in England. This was bound to happen
and the only place we can run is the Holy Land.
I take it there will be tons of opposition to this statement, but having made aliyah myself, I can truly say the safest place in the world where Hashem resides more than any other is in Israel.