The rabbi, who wore a kippah, left a tram at the Isartor stop on Thursday evening, and was followed by the four men.

The men, who spoke Arabic, made disparaging comments about Israel, the man said.

The police have not yet been able to find the men. The department for politically-motivated crimes is investigating the case and is looking for witnesses.

The Orthodox Rabbinical Conference (ORD) in Germany called for more dialogue between Jews and Muslims in response to the case.

“It is particularly sad that presumably Muslim men insulted a rabbi as they are likewise victims of this country’s growing Islamophobia,” said Avichai Apel, a rabbi from Frankfurt who is a member of ORD’s board.

“We believe that imams and youth outreach workers should address anti-Semitism and aggression directed towards Jewish communities in Germany.”

The man affected is a rabbi for the Jewish community in Munich and Upper Bavaria, the ORD said.

“Much is done for the safety of Jewish institutions in Germany. But after this, we have to ask how rabbis and Jewish citizens can be better protected in the future,” the ORD said.