Lakewood Rabbi Who Sued Over Murphy Order Arrested

LAKEWOOD, NJ — A Lakewood rabbi who is suing Gov. Phil Murphy over the governor's ban on public gatherings was arrested Monday evening, accused of violating Murphy's order.

Rabbi Yisrael A. Knopfler, 44, was arrested about 10 p.m. Monday and charged with obstruction, resisting arrest, and violating the governor's order by having a gathering of 10 or more people, the Ocean County prosecutor's office said Wednesday. All are disorderly persons offenses.

New Jersey State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said Lakewood police found Knopfler hosting a gathering of more than 10 people in his back yard, where a tent was set up.

When police arrived, a group of about 20 men approached and began yelling at the officers, Callahan said.

Knopfler became verbally aggressive and uncooperative with the police and, at one point, made physical contact with an officer, authorities said.

It was one of three incidents in Lakewood on May 11, Callahan said. In the second, Chaim Oestreicher, 52 and Sarah Oestreicher, 49, were cited after police arrived at their home to find 15-to-20 people gathered in the back yard next to an uncontained fire. Also, Chaim Gutman, 37, was cited with violating the emergency orders after police responded to a report of loud music and found a band playing on the deck at his home before a crowd of between 50 and 100 people.

Knopfler joined Rev. Kevin Robinson, a priest at St. Anthony of Padua Church in North Caldwell in a federal lawsuit that alleges Murphy's stay-at-home order and ban on public gatherings, including religious services, violates the U.S. Constitution, The Yeshiva World reported.

The ban on religious gatherings has been a contentious one going back to before Easter. One gathering broken up in Lakewood during the initial days of Murphy's stay-at-home order was of a group of men who were together for religious studies.

Note: This report has been updated with the charges from the Ocean County prosecutor's office. It additionally was updated with details provided by New Jersey State Police and the state Attorney General's office.

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