A Butler man assaulted last month said his attacker targeted him because he is Jewish.

Robert Faitelson, 52, the victim of a Nov. 14 assault outside his residence on the 100 block of E. North Street, alleged that Julian Bindernagel, 25, told him “the only good Jew is a dead Jew” during an altercation that left Faitelson bloodied, swollen and with a broken cheekbone and nose.

In addition to aggravated assault, simple assault, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief charges, prosecutors added an ethnic intimidation charge against Bindernagel at his preliminary hearing on Nov. 25. Faitelson said he went to the hearing and talked to prosecutors and a victim's advocate about what happened, leading to the additional charge.

“Nobody should have to go through this,” Faitelson said in an interview Monday. “My grandparents survived the death camps. No Jew should have to go through this again.”

Terri Schultz, a county assistant district attorney, approved the additional charge of ethnic intimidation — a third-degree misdemeanor.

“I read the victim's statement (in the police report),” she said, “and (the victim) verbally told me what was said.”

The derogatory remark, she said, “referenced (the victim's) Jewish ethnicity.”

Faitelson said the attack was the result of several days of intimidation. He lives in the same building as Crisis Line housing, where he said Bindernagel was staying. Faitelson said he is on a fixed income and unable to move out. He has lived there for about three years with his wife.

Bindernagel is in the Butler County Prison in lieu of $25,000 cash bond.

For weeks, when Faitelson would take his dog outside in the morning, Bindernagel “would be out in front of our building saying he's a Christian and that he has the right to kill and judge anyone who is not worthy.”

Faitelson said Bindernagel was looking for a fight, and alleged that he occasionally also harassed a Muslim man who lived there.

The alleged attack occurred around 3:30 p.m.

After the two had some sort of conversation, described in police reports as a “verbal argument,” Faitelson said Bindernagel kicked him in the chest and then started hitting him.

Faitelson said he responded to Bindernagel's verbal attacks this time, to which Bindernagel responded with violence.

“Maybe it was an argument; maybe it wasn't,” Faitelson said.

After the alleged ensuing attack, police arrested Bindernagel, and Faitelson was transported to Butler Memorial Hospital in an ambulance. He went to Allegheny General Hospital from there.

“When the plastic surgeons got to me, they said they couldn't touch me until the swelling went down,” Faitelson said.

He eventually had surgery, but said he still is in pain and is having trouble breathing. He can't wear his glasses yet, as doctors advised him that his nose is not yet healed enough to support their weight.

Faitelson reached out to Congregation B'nai Abraham, Butler's synagogue, for help following the attack, according to Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer. Faitelson is not a member of the congregation, but Gray-Schaffer met with him to offer her support and counseling. The cantor offered to accompany Faitelson to future hearings if he has to go to any.

Bindernagel has a prior conviction in Armstrong County for simple assault, court records show.

Attorneys in the county public defenders' office were not able to be reached for comment Monday. The office is handling Bindernagel's defense.