Community members gathered in Cedarhurst Thursday to denounce the rise in antisemitic violence.

Hundreds honored Joseph Borgen, of Lawrence, who was attacked in the streets of Manhattan last week as he walked to a pro-Israel rally.

Borgen says, "At points I thought I was going to die. I didn't know when it was going to end."

Borgen says he is still looking over his shoulder all the time.

"We don't want war. We want peace," says Giselle Hochsztein, of Woodmere. "We support all countries that are free and Democratic and we want all people of the United States to have the ability to worship as they please and to be whatever they want to be."

The crowd says the event was filled with prayers for peace.