Planned protest against Jewish-owned Philly restaurants draws ire, security, and feelings of unease

Philadelphia business leaders and elected officials are condemning a planned bike-ride protest against half a dozen eateries owned by Jewish restaurateurs, days before the cyclists are set to gather in Center City.

The “Boycott Ride” has drawn ire internationally in recent days, as many have denounced word of the action — planned for the eve of Kristallnacht on Sunday — as antisemitic and hateful. In response, city, state, and congressional leaders have called for increased security, and Philadelphia’s Jewish community have rallied behind the businesses.

“Everyone has the right to peacefully protest and express their political views,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in a statement. “But singling out businesses because their owners are Jewish is unacceptable and has no place in our city.”

It’s unclear how many people will participate in the bike ride or how the organizers plan to express their dissent. An Instagram post promoting the demonstration had less than 630 likes as of Friday morning. Meanwhile, a counter, “community food crawl” has galvanized, encouraging people to patronize the targeted businesses this weekend.

Philadelphia police were monitoring the protest and will “take appropriate measures to maintain public safety,” and a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration and state police were working with local authorities ahead of Sunday.

Organizers of the “Boycott Ride” said on Instagram the cycling demonstration was intended to show pro-Palestinian solidarity and protest six businesses they say are “Zionist establishments”: Mac Mart, K’Far Cafe, Huda, Goldie, Dizengoff, and Schlesinger’s Deli. A widely circulated flyer reads, “No business for Zionists! These Zionist Establishments must go! Not in our city!”

Allan Domb, owner of Schlesinger’s Deli and a former Philadelphia city councilmember, called the boycott “unsettling.”

“This group wants to see our businesses shut down because we’re Jewish,” he said in a phone interview. “Imagine if this was another group that was being targeted — everybody would be up in arms.”

In a statement, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia denounced the bike ride as an attempt to “intimidate Jewish businesses or drive them out of Philadelphia.” The federation, and others, have also taken issue with the boycott’s timing: The protest is planned for the eve of the 88th observance of Kristallnacht, an organized attack on Jewish businesses, homes, and synagogues in Nazi Germany in 1938.

“Publicly identifying Jewish-owned businesses and declaring that they must go sends a message to Jewish Pennsylvanians that they are unwelcome in the economic and civic life of their own communities,” said Andrea Martin, commissioner of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

“Such efforts to intimidate, marginalize, and exclude Jewish business owners should concern every Pennsylvanian who believes in equal rights and the dignity of all people,” Martin said.

The ride’s organizers, a group called Philly Bike On Your Left, did not respond to requests for comment via Instagram.

Another group, Boycott CookNSolo — a movement protesting the restaurant group that owns Goldie, K’Far Cafe, and Dizengoff, among others — came to Philly Bike On Your Left’s defense, writing on Instagram that all the restaurants’ owners “have made statements and/or raised funds” in support of Israel in the war. Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, Israel has responded with an offensive that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Boycott CookNSolo called the social media fury and attention a “coordinated campaign to discredit and villainize the organizers,” while “disingenuously conflating Zionism with Judaism and invoking Kristallnacht.”

“Hate has no place in our community or directed at small businesses working hard to feed their families and bring joy to others,” Mac Mart owner, Marti Lieberman, said in a statement. “Since day one, Mac Mart has welcomed everyone, regardless of background, culture, religion, or beliefs.

“Our mission has always been simple: make people happy with delicious comfort food. That’s what we’re going to continue doing.”

A spokesperson for CookNSolo — co-owned by Israeli-born chef Michael Solomonov — did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Solomonov and CookNSolo have previously come under scrunity for fundraising for an Israeli nonprofit.

Tensions escalated in December 2023 when pro-Palestinian protesters chanted, “Goldie, Goldie, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” outside of the falafel shop. Those chants drew rebukes, from local leaders up to the White House.

» READ MORE: Viral chants at Goldie draw rebukes; protest organizers say criticism detracts from ceasefire demand

Huda’s owner, Yehuda Sichel, was not immediately available for comment.

Both Domb and Lieberman said they’ve received an outpouring of support.

“Right now, it’s just meant to be a bike ride, but there’s a lot of attention,” Domb said. “We want to keep it peaceful, calm.

“And I actually think the noise might be greater than the reality.”