The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to civilly pursue individuals and organizations who blocked and harassed Jewish worshippers outside Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, NJ, on November 13, 2024. The incident left Dr. Moshe Glick facing felony charges after he intervened to stop a violent chokehold assault on a 64-year-old Jewish man.
The complaint filed on Monday in New Jersey federal court alleges that the protesters “engaged in threats of force, intimidation, and violent conduct directed at congregants” of the Congregation Ohr Torah synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey, in November 2024. The complaint states that the protest was intended to interfere with the community’s right to freely exercise its religion, in violation of federal civil rights protections.
The complaint says the protesters perpetrated physical assaults, antisemitic and threatening chants, and defied police orders to intimidate Jewish worshipers.
Defendants include the far-left Party for Socialism and Liberation New Jersey, American Muslims for Palestine New Jersey, and some of the individual protesters. The case seeks a court order barring those groups from using force or physical obstruction to interfere with worshippers at any house of worship in New Jersey.
Community leaders say the DOJ’s action affirms what they have been saying for months: the real violations came from the mob that violently attacked, threatened, and obstructed synagogue attendees, not from Dr. Glick, a dentist, father, grandfather, and Hatzalah EMT volunteer, who acted to save a life.
“Federal civil rights law is unequivocal: houses of worship and religious freedom must be protected,” said Benjamin Ryberg, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Research at The Lawfare Project. “The FACE Act was enacted to prevent intimidation at America’s religious institutions. What occurred in West Orange—where police allowed a mob to menace synagogue attendees while prosecuting a Jewish community member for aiding someone under attack—highlights the vulnerability of religious communities and the need for government action. We are encouraged by the Department of Justice’s recent action and optimistic it reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that synagogues, churches, and all houses of worship remain secure.”
The November 13 incident began when anti-Israel demonstrators swarmed Congregation Ohr Torah, intimidating and harassing members of the Jewish community who had assembled outside the synagogue by, among other things, directing the epithet “Nazis” toward them and blowing large air horns (known as “vuvuzelas”) dangerously close to their ears. Video shows protester Altaf Sharif violently choking and tackling event participant David Silberberg, while police failed to intervene. After calling for the police multiple times with no response, Dr. Glick rescued Mr. Silberberg from the violent chokehold.
Instead of charging Mr. Sharif, Essex prosecutors indicted Dr. Glick for aggravated assault, bias intimidation, and weapons offenses. More than 100 rabbis and communal leaders, along with legal experts, have called the charges a miscarriage of justice.
“The federal government’s involvement in this case boldly establishes that obstruction and intimidation in front of a Jewish house of worship will not be tolerated,” stated Susan Wernick, Co-founder and Executive Director, Public Affairs of JBAR-the Jewish Bar Association of New Jersey. “The frivolous selective prosecution of Dr. Glick has left the Jewish community feeling vulnerable and convinced that antisemitism has permeated our legal system. I thank the DOJ for going to bat for what is right, enforcing the FACE Act, and restoring faith to our community.”
Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder of Israel365, remarked:
“Dr. Moshe Glick serves as the chapter head of Israel365 New Jersey, and so we are profoundly grateful to the Department of Justice for taking decisive action to protect Jews who are advocating for Israel. The right to worship freely and express support for Israel is a fundamental freedom cherished by both Christians and Jews alike. Our churches and synagogues are sacred spaces that must be vigorously protected from harassment, intimidation, and violence. The DOJ’s intervention in Dr. Glick’s case sends a powerful message that religious communities will not be left vulnerable when they exercise their constitutional rights.”
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act (18 U.S.C. § 248), passed in 1994, protects both reproductive health facilities and houses of worship. It prohibits, among other things, threats, obstruction, or use of force to interfere with anyone’s right to attend or conduct religious services. This is the first time that the DOJ is filing a lawsuit under the FACE Act to specifically protect a religious institution from targeted disruption and harassment. Jewish legal advocates have used the FACE Act to defend synagogues.
Dr. Glick’s legal defense requires substantial resources as he fights not only for his own freedom but for the right of all Jews to defend themselves and their communities. His defense team believes the charges are both factually and legally baseless, supported by video evidence and expert testimony from former police officers.
This precedent-setting case will determine whether standing up against anti-Jewish violence is criminalized in America. For Christian Zionists who understand the biblical imperative to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” and stand with the Jewish people, this battle represents a crucial moment in the defense of religious freedom and justice.
The forces arrayed against Israel and the Jewish people are not merely political—they represent the same darkness that has threatened God’s chosen people throughout history. Today, as then, people of faith must stand together against hatred and violence.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Dr. Glick’s case and support his fight for justice. Your support helps ensure that defending Jewish lives doesn’t become a crime in America.
