The sentencing of Adam Erkan (20), who attacked two Jewish students in Chicago, was set last week and has sparked mixed reactions in the local Jewish community. Erkan, who pleaded guilty to the assault, received only two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
The incident occurred in November 2024, when two students from DePaul University, Michael Kaminsky and Max Long, were attacked by two masked individuals. Kaminsky suffered a wrist injury requiring surgery, and Long suffered a concussion. According to local police, the second attacker who participated in the incident has not yet been apprehended.
Following the incident, Kaminsky and Long filed a lawsuit in April against the university, claiming that "security officers stood by and watched the assault take place." As reported by ABC7 Chicago, Erkan pleaded guilty to charges of assault and battery and was sentenced to two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
Just over a year after two men attacked IDF Reserve Staff Sgt. Max Long and his friend, Michael Kaminsky, in broad daylight on the DePaul University campus, one of the men charged pleaded guilty to a charge in the case. https://t.co/NhhMnwJqUA
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) November 25, 2025
"Not taken seriously"
Daniel Schwartz, president and co-founder of the Chicago Jewish Alliance, told JNS that "When a convicted attacker walks away with probation and community service after admitting to a targeted assault, it signals that violence against Jews does not carry serious consequences in this city."
He added that "What happened inside the courtroom is a profound failure. That message is dangerous, far beyond one campus. The guilty plea acknowledges what happened, but the sentence fails to match the gravity of the crime. Chicago cannot claim to care about equity or safety while treating violence against Jews as a low-priority offense. Targeted violence must carry meaningful consequences if Jewish people in this city are to believe they are protected."
Jay Tcath, vice president of the Jewish United Fund, said it was "unfortunate that the prosecution accepted a plea deal that included a penalty lower than the maximum possible," although it's important to note that Erkan admitted to the sequence of events and served more than 200 days in custody.
"Step in the right direction"
CHICAGO– Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - The Lawfare Project's (LP) Founder and Executive Director @GoldsteinBrooke issued the following statement in response to the recent guilty plea made by Adam Erkan for his role in the assault of DePaul University students and Lawfare Project… pic.twitter.com/EGRpVW0PRe
— The Lawfare Project (@LawfareProject) December 3, 2025
Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at the Lawfare Project representing the students, said, "We appreciate the efforts of Chicago law enforcement and prosecution authorities to bring the attackers to justice. The system is not perfect, but it demonstrates the need to remain vigilant and ensure that everyone involved in hate crimes against Jews is held accountable."
Regarding criticism about the lightness of the sentence, Filitti added, "Even before October 7, hate crimes were not sufficiently enforced throughout the United States, and local law enforcement or prosecution authorities do not always handle assaults motivated by antisemitic intent."
"This process represents a step in the right direction, and we hope to reach a situation where society views attacks against Jews as unacceptable exactly as it views attacks against any other minority group."
