A 30-year-old Orthodox Jew was in critical condition on Wednesday morning after he was stabbed by unknown assailants in the southern New York town of Monsey while making his way to morning services at a synagogue.

Local media reported that police received a call at 5:49 a.m. alerting them to a pedestrian who was apparently struck by a vehicle outside the synagogue located at 2 Howard Drive. However, when officers arrived at the scene, they discovered that the unconscious victim had been stabbed.

The man was immediately rushed to Westchester Medical Center by a Hatzolah ambulance for emergency surgery.

Early accounts of what took place suggested that he was subjected to multiple stab wounds. The Ramapo, NY police department is now investigating the incident with the assistance of the Rockland County Sheriffs BCI unit and Chaverim of Rockland County, a local volunteer organization.

Lifelong resident and community activist Rivkie Feiner told local news outlet lohud.com that she could not recall a violent crime like this happening in Monsey.

“I grew up here my whole life, I never remember anything like this happening. Not here in Rockland,” she said.

Feiner called for increased police presence in the neighborhood.

“Our community will unify to protect ourselves,” she said. “Our community needs to feel safe walking the streets.”

Jewish community leaders highlighted the probability that the attack was motivated by antisemitism, with the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council of the Hudson Valley, an advocacy group, pointing out on Twitter that the victim had not been robbed.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) announced a reward of up to $10,000 “for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the vicious stabbing and assault .”

Evan R. Bernstein — ADL’s Regional Director for New York and Jersey — said in a statement that his organization was “outraged” by the attack.

“This is truly horrifying,” Bernstein said. “A peaceful walk to shul in the early morning hours is how this man started the day and now he in serious condition in a hospital because of this attack.”

The victim of the stabbing attack in Monsey is about 30 years old and studies every morning in a nearby Congregation. – Nothing was taken. – Does not appear to be a business dispute. This increasingly looks as a hate crime. Law Enforcement will decide how to classify it. — OJPAC Hudson Valley (@OJPACHV) November 20, 2019

Please keep Mordechai ben Bracha in your tefillos today. He is the victim of a vicious stabbing on his way to shacharis this morning in Monsey.https://t.co/qaChJ5KCVg via @@ywn — Kalman Yeger (@KalmanYeger) November 20, 2019