After months of sustained advocacy, Phil Murphy on Monday issued a pardon to Moshe Glick, wiping away state charges that had placed the West Orange resident at the center of a politically and legally contentious case tied to a protest outside a shul
The pardon, granted on Murphy’s final day in office, ends the prosecution of Glick, who had been charged in 2024 with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon stemming from a November incident at Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange.
Glick, a physician and longtime community figure, intervened to protect another individual during a chaotic confrontation outside the shul, where a real estate event and memorial service were disrupted by an anti-Israel protest. Video evidence contradicted the state’s case and showed Glick acting defensively rather than as an aggressor.
The incident occurred on Nov. 13, 2024, when pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the shul, prompting clashes with attendees and counter-protesters. Essex County prosecutors initially alleged that pro-Israel counter-protesters were responsible for escalating the confrontation, a narrative that led to charges against Glick and others.
In September 2025, the Trump administration filed a 21-page civil complaint in federal court offering a sharply different version of events. The filing alleges that a mob of pro-Palestinian protesters descended on Congregation Ohr Torah, disrupted the event with antisemitic chants, and assaulted worshippers in an effort to interfere with the congregation’s right to freely exercise religion.
Federal officials said the protestors’ actions violated a civil rights statute traditionally used to prosecute individuals who obstruct or threaten access to abortion clinics.
“The practice of turning a blind eye to these attacks on houses of worship throughout the United States stops now,” said Harmeet Dhillon, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, during a press conference announcing the complaint.
The federal action named Party for Socialism and Liberation in New Jersey and Muslims for Palestine in New Jersey.
Statement from Moshe Glick following his pardon:
To my incredible family, friends, community, rabbis, supporters across MetroWest New Jersey, throughout the country and beyond, who stood with me through this long and difficult ordeal:
Today, I am profoundly grateful and relieved to share that the baseless charges brought against me by rogue prosecutors in Essex County have been dropped in my favor. What began as an act of defending a fellow Jew from violent assault outside our synagogue has ended with the truth prevailing.
I extend special thanks to Governor Phil Murphy for issuing this pardon. This is not a commutation of any sentence; I was never convicted of any crime.
Rather, it brings to an end this deep injustice I endured, freeing me completely from this wrongful prosecution and restoring my good name.
Governor Murphy’s action affirms that not only is protecting innocent people from harm not a crime, but heroism should be commended. It also sends a powerful message against select enforcement and overreach.
Special thank you to U.S. Assistant Attorney Harmeet Dhillon and the Department of Justice for having the fortitude to protect religious freedom and bias motivated violence utilizing the FACE Act, which is now making national headlines and being utilized to help others facing similar situations. We see what happens when unchecked violence erupts, most recently with the assault on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
This was never about crime; it was about gross overreach, selective prosecution, and an attempt to criminalize Jewish self-defense amid rising antisemitism. Despite clear video evidence, false statements, and federal recognition of who the real aggressors were that night (November 13, 2024, at Congregation Ohr Torah), certain officials pushed forward aggressively.
The first indictment was so flawed that the prosecutor withdrew it. Undeterred, the prosecutors decided to obtain a second indictment, which we were on the road to asking the judge to dismiss based on its many flaws.
I can’t adequately describe the torment that my family, my friends, and I had to endure. This ordeal dragged on for over a year, with the threat of prison hanging over us, inflicting an indescribable financial, mental, and emotional toll. The fear, the uncertainty, the strain on every aspect of our lives. It was overwhelming and life-altering. Yet, through G-d Almighty’s (Hashem) kindness, the tireless work of my legal team, the massive outpouring of community support – rallies, letters, prayer (tefillos), strength (chizuk) from so many – and the spotlight from allies nationwide, including federal intervention, justice has been served.
To everyone who wore “We Are All Moshe Glick” t-shirts, who emailed the prosecutor’s office, who davened for me, who shared the story, who refused to stay silent: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You showed that when we stand together, we can push back against injustice.
While I am thankful for this vindication, my saga is far from over. The pain and hardship we’ve faced will serve as powerful motivation for me to battle on behalf of others who face similar injustices. I plan to double my efforts to hold the prosecutors accountable, expose the corrupt elements within local law enforcement, and work closely with the federal government to root out this evil and ensure accountability. No one should endure what we did – especially not for defending an individual in front of a house of worship.
This victory isn’t just mine – it’s for every Jew and any individual in this country who might face similar threats to our safety and religious freedom.
God Bless America and God Bless Am Yisroel.
With endless hakaras hatov and brachos,
Moshe Glick
West Orange, NJ
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One Response
From what I read about this incident, the alleged “weapon” possessed by the Jewish man charged with crimes was a small flashlight.
This whole incident demonstrates the great corruption, evils and injustices being perpetrated by Islamo-Marxist Democrats in the US, especially in hard core Democrat states like NJ.
Charging Jews who engage in self-defense with crimes is very much the modern version of ancient Sodom which Hashem destroyed due to its great evil.