Tuesday, March 04, 2025
Man Kicked by Arab Owner Out of Oakland Café for Being Jewish Suing Owner
On October 26, 2024, Jonathan Hirsch and his five-year-old son entered the Jerusalem Coffee House, owned by Abdulrahim Harara, after dining at a nearby restaurant, Casper's. After the meal, Hirsch's son needed to use the restroom, but Casper's did not offer such facilities to customers and directed them to the coffee shop across the street. Hirsch was wearing a blue baseball cap with a white Jewish Star on the front, a recreation of a 1938 cap linked to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, a Jewish charitable organization in New York that hosted Negro League baseball games. Hirsch ordered a latte, his son used the restroom, and they began playing chess while waiting for their drink.
Soon after, Harara approached Hirsch and asked if he was a "Zionist." When Hirsch refused to answer, Harara demanded he leave the establishment, threatened to call the police, and subjected him to both physical and verbal harassment. Harara raised his voice, and he, along with another employee, physically pushed Hirsch toward the exit. Harara also said, "This is a violent hat, and you need to leave."
Jonathan Hirsch is an American Jew and US citizen living in Oakland, California, with his wife and three children. The Star of David on Hirsch's hat is a symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity. It appears in Jewish synagogues, on Jewish tombstones, on the Israeli flag, and was used by the Nazis to identify Jews. The Star of David is deeply connected to the Jewish people and the Jewish religion.
An employee from the East Bay Community Space, which rents space to Harara, arrived and supported Harara's actions, saying, "The only reason they know you're a protected class is because of your hat. You chose to be in this situation." The police arrived shortly after, and Hirsch and his son stepped outside, with the child visibly frightened and in tears. Harara continued to yell, saying "[Expletive] Israel. [Expletive] Zionists," calling Hirsch a "bitch," and taunting his son with "Hey, your dad's a bitch. Your dad's a bitch."
Below is a video of the incident, where Harara verbally attacks Hirsch and demands he leave. Please do not click if you don't wish to hear the expletives. We should only point out that Hirsch had not discussed Israel, Zionism, Judaism, or any related subjects with Harara or anyone else in the coffee shop at any point. The only identifying feature on Hirsch's hat was the Jewish Star, with no other writing or symbols.
Comments:
Post a Comment
