Man dies falling from unfinished high-rise amid ultra-Orthodox protest in Jerusalem
Police investing death as possible suicide; Menachem Mendel Litzman reportedly left farewell message on social media that he ‘can no longer cope,’ asked forgiveness from loved ones
Ultra-Orthodox Jews surround an unfinished building where a 15-year-old fell to his death during a protest against conscription into the Israel Defense Forces, in Jerusalem on October 30, 2025. (Eli Katzoff/ The Times of Israel)
A man fell to his death from a high-rise building under construction on Thursday, during a mass rally in Jerusalem against the conscription of ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students into the IDF.
Police were reportedly probing whether the death was a suicide.
The man, who media outlets identified as 20-year-old Menachem Mendel Litzman, fell from the 20th floor of the building.
Medics declared him dead at the scene.
Litzman had left a farewell message on his Instagram account, Hebrew media reported.
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“To all my dear and true friends, I love you, I ask for forgiveness, I can no longer cope, I say goodbye to you with tears in my eyes and we will meet together with the Messiah,” the message read.
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man with crutches sits on a signal bridge overlooking the crowd during protest by ultra-Orthodox Jews against conscription into Israel’s military in Jerusalem on October 30, 2025. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)
Litzman was one of dozens of demonstrators who ascended the high-rise during the protest, which drew hundreds of thousands of rallygoers to the entrance to Jerusalem.
Hundreds of others scaled billboards, climbed on the roof of a gas station and were even seen on the top of a construction crane during the mass rally.
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After the death, the emcee of the rally urged young men who ascended the building to come down.
Paramedics and police arrive at a building construction site after a 15-year-old boy fell to his death during an anti-conscription rally on October 30, 2025. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)
The demonstration was also marred by an injury to a police officer.
During the course of the demonstration, a bus carrying protesters ran over a police officer at the Moza Interchange on Route 1, causing him moderate injuries, the Walla outlet reported. He was taken to the hospital. Police opened a probe into the incident.
The Magen David Adom and the Ichud Hazalah emergency services reported that they treated over 140 people between them for a variety of ailments, including fainting, difficulty breathing, and other minor injuries.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews protest against conscription into the Israel Defense Forces, in Jerusalem on October 30, 2025. (Eli Katzoff/ The Times of Israel)
Though the rally ended as scheduled, there were violent clashes afterwards between hundreds of protesters and police.
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