Roy Reigels was a football player for the University of California Berkeley whose only claim to fame was what some call the worst blunder in the history of college football.
Reigels and his Golden Bears took on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the 1929 Rose Bowl. Reigels, halfway through the second quarter of the 1929 Rose Bowl, picked up the Georgia Tech fumble to begin a sprint for the end zone.
Reigels ran in the wrong direction after he fumbled and picked it up. Reigels, with 100,000 screaming and his teammates chasing after him, raced toward the end zone unaware of his massive blunder. Benny Lom, his quarterback, tackled him at the 3-yard line. He was then known as “Wrong Way Riegels.”
Ruba Almaghtheh is the modern-day terrorist equivalent of the “Wrong Way Reigels”.
Almaghteh, an Indiana woman, was watching the coverage of the Israel/Hamas conflict and became angry when she drove by the Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge and noticed the star of David.
According to Indianapolis Police, she wanted to commit a hate crime and drove her car into a building. However, it is not known if she shouted, “Allahu akbar!” It’s unlikely that Allah was pleased when her vehicle hit the target. According to the Jewish Chronicle, the building Almaghtheh struck belonged to a “sect of Black Hebrew Israelites” – a fringe religion that is distinct from Black Jews.
“Almaghtheh told officers she was watching news coverage of the Israel-#Hamas war on television and decided to plan an attack on the building because she was offended by the “Hebrew Israelite” symbol on the front of the building.”https://t.co/Tkvz0fWEts
— Alberto Miguel Fernandez (@AlbertoMiguelF5) November 5, 2023
Almaghtheh confessed to the “hate crimes” in a courtesy call she made with a member of her family, according to police.
The Israelite School of Universal and Practical Knowledge, which has been labeled as an antisemitic hatred group, uses the building.
The Anti-Defamation League describes it as “extremist and antisemitic”.
Black Hebrew Israelites who claim the Star of David believe that people of color are the real children of Israel. They identify with the Biblical Israelites and believe that Judaism and Christianity are false religions.
Great job, Ruba. All terrorists will be proud of you.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, on a serious note, released a statement Saturday night in which it noted the irony of Almaghteh’s “misdirected” target but also pointed out the possible tragedy that could have occurred.
In a recent press release, Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis officials stated that safety and security are of paramount importance to the community. “We are now more prepared and secure than ever,” they wrote. The ironic misidentification of a Jewish facility as the target was not the real reason for this attack. This is another reminder that security protocols should be maintained, to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity promptly.
Wish all terrorist attacks could be so “misdirected.”
