(JNS) – A Jewish resident of Oakland, Calif., and his 5-year-old son were aggressively confronted by the owner of a local cafe on Oct. 26 and asked to leave the establishment. The incident was caught on video.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Jonathan Hirsch was wearing a baseball cap with a prominent Magen David, or Star of David—a symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity—when he was approached by Abdulrahim Harara, the owner of Jerusalem Coffee House in North Oakland.
Harara’s family is from the Gaza Strip. After Israeli forces killed Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar on Oct. 16 (the mastermind of the Hamas massacre of 1,200 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023), he updated the cafe’s menu to feature a juice called “Sweet Sinwar,” appearing to honor the terrorist, a charge he denied.
According to the video documentation, after purchasing drinks and sitting down with his son, Hirsch was confronted by Harara, who said that the cap was “a violent hat, and you need to leave.”
Harara also repeatedly asked Hirsch, whose son began crying, if he was a Zionist.
‘Clear-cut case of anti-Jewish discrimination’
Harara called the police and after the officer arrived, he accused Hirsch of “using his son as a human shield.” The officer escorted Hirsch and his son out of the premises to separate him from Harara, who called him “B*tch” in Arabic as he was leaving, and claimed, “I love Jewish people, I love them. Tikkun olam,” followed by F**k Israel, f**k Zionists.”
According to the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the San Francisco Bay Area, Hirsch has owned the hat for years, “a vintage 1938 Hebrew Orphan Asylum baseball cap, a historic institution his grandmother had been an orphan at.”
Jeremy Russell, spokesman for the Bay Area JCRC, told Jewish Insider: “I’ve been with the JCRC for 10 years now, and this is just the most clear-cut case of anti-Jewish discrimination by a business owner that I’ve seen in my entire 10 years here. It just seems very cut and dry.”
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said in a statement on the incident: “Kicking a patron out of a restaurant for no reason other than their Jewish ancestry is blatant antisemitism. No one should be turned away because of their faith. This kind of bigotry has no place in California.”
This is way too funny. Adam piece of Schiff getting involved in something like this when he’s part of the problem!
Not understanding why the name of the establishment is Jerusalem coffee House. If the guy is yishmaeli YMSH shouldn’t he be naming it with some ridiculous Arab name?
Finally, for the one who came in needed to use the bathroom, he should have just used it on the countertop over there. It’s probably what they serve anyway. But in all seriousness, I hope his Judaism extends farther than his cap. Maybe this will be something?
That guy needs help for entering that shop in firs place… Like who would ever want to enter a café with an item as “SWEET SINWAR” I’m imaging just how “sweet” it really is.
It is against the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (public accommodations) to engage in the conduct which that Arab cafe owner exhibited. A complaint should be made to the federal authorities, and the aggrieved party should sue as well.
Sue. That’s the only language that some people understand
Clear case of an idiot antagonist, going into muslim shop.What are you doing there, don’t do stupid things and then cry.
Obama’s Plan is almost complete.
vote for trump. these sick gazans should not come into the usa with agenda. take out the politicians who let these types ruin our country.
America is really going down into the trash.
Maybe HaShem will help Trump win and bring back law and order.
Sin (spanish) Sinwar now. That’s sweet. IYH SIN-WAR too.
Maybe a “Sinwar” should be one of those drinks that are lit on fire
Write negative feedback to the business
100 million dollar law suit.