Bicycle Rally Aims to Remove ‘Zionist Establishments’ From Philadelphia
A flyer promoting the event includes the statements “No business for Zionists” and “These Zionist establishments must go.”
Local anti-Israel groups have planned a bicycle ride through the heart of Philadelphia, aiming to drive Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses out of the city, drawing condemnation from Jewish groups, which described the event as antisemitic and part of an effort to exclude Jews from public life.
The “Boycott Ride,” organized by Philly Bike On Your Left in collaboration with Philly Writers Against the War on Gaza, Boycott CookNSolo and Philly Solidarity Calendar, is scheduled for Nov. 8 at Rittenhouse Square. (Philly Bike On Your Left did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication.)
A flyer promoting the event includes the statements “No business for Zionists” and “These Zionist establishments must go.”
The flyer named several Philadelphia businesses, including Dizengoff, an Israeli restaurant; Huda, a fast-casual sandwich shop; Schlesinger’s Restaurant and Delicatessen, a Jewish deli; Mac Mart, a macaroni-and-cheese kiosk; K’Far Cafe, an Israeli cafe; and Goldie, a kosher falafel spot.
“Ride around Rittenhouse with us as we show these zio business owners that we see them for the disgusting human beings they are,” organizers wrote in an Oct. 30 Instagram post. “We’ll flag as many bikes as we can and show our solidarity with the Palestinian community and oppressed folx everywhere.”
Boycott CookNSolo, an established campaign, has historically targeted restaurants associated with Israeli American chef Michael Solomonov and his business partner, Steve Cook. These restaurants include Goldie, Dizengoff and K’Far Cafe.
“We call for a boycott because the owners of [Philadelphia-based restaurant group] CookNSolo … materially and ideologically support the ongoing occupation and genocide of Palestinians,” Boycott CookNSolo’s website reads. “Profits from their enterprises and from their fundraising efforts have been used to fund the occupation and to support pro-genocide interest groups in the U.S. and ‘Israel.’”
The campaign also calls for a boycott of the two chefs because the restaurant group’s “entire culinary empire” is built upon the mission of using food and culture to promote Israel.
“What we’ve done in the kitchen … has been so much more productive for Israel than had I become a soldier,” Solomonov reportedly said.
The Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia, American Jewish Committee Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and StandWithUs released a joint statement Nov. 2 condemning the rally as “Jew-hatred” and calling for unity.
“Marking businesses for removal from Philadelphia is an attempt to intimidate, marginalize and exclude members of the Jewish community from the economic and civic life of our city,” the statement read. “No business should be targeted because of the identity, heritage or perceived political belief of its owners.”
The Boycott Ride falls on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, when Nazi-organized mobs destroyed thousands of Jewish businesses, homes and synagogues in Germany and Austria.
“The public targeting of Jewish businesses should alarm every person of conscience,” the statement read. “We cannot allow such hatred to become normalized in Philadelphia.”
The statement added that criticizing Israel’s government is acceptable, but this action goes beyond mere criticism.
“There is a profound difference between criticizing a government and targeting businesses because their owners are Jewish or perceived to be connected to Israel,” the statement said.
A statement signed by local faith leaders expressed a similar sentiment.
“Anyone in Philadelphia may protest the war in Gaza,” the statement read, citing freedom of speech. “Publishing a list of your neighbors’ businesses and riding through the city to demand they be driven out is something else.”
Rabbi David Levin, president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia, said he initially wrote off the rally as merely “more silliness” that didn’t warrant attention. But as he read more into it, the campaign “created a sense of anger” in him.
“It’s just wrong to be targeting [restaurants] under the guise of protesting a war that you disagree with,” he told the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent.
A few days removed from the distribution of flyers, Levin is back to feeling “caught up in the absurdity” of the situation. “I can’t see the good people of Philadelphia buying into this for a moment,” he said.
Levin added that business owners in the United States shouldn’t be penalized because of their beliefs.
“These are community members who are out there making a living in our community,” he said. “If you believe that the woman who owns and runs Mac Mart has politics that you find reprehensible, then my suggestion is don’t patronize her restaurant. That’s your decision. But to make this a part of a broader assault on her and demand that her business is removed from Philadelphia, that is so far beyond the pale.”
The Jewish groups called on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, District Attorney Larry Krasner and other elected officials to condemn the event. They also urged the local police department to ensure the safety of the businesses, their employees and customers.
The statement encouraged Philadelphia residents to support the targeted businesses in solidarity.
“ … If you can, say something from your pulpit this weekend, and go eat at one of these places and bring someone with you,” Levin wrote in an email to the Philadelphia community.
Some comments on Facebook suggest that some Jewish community members plan to go to Rittenhouse Square on Sunday to counterdemonstrate and try to block the cyclists from getting close to the targeted restaurants.
Levin said he doesn’t think members of the community should risk escalating the situation. Instead, “let’s go have lunch at one of these establishments. Let’s go have dinner. Let’s show people that there are ways to do things which are appropriate, and there are things that are inappropriate, and we’re not going to abide that stuff.” PJC
Zoe Bell can be reached at zbell@midatlanticmedia.com.
Jerusalem News Syndicate contributed to this article. This article was first published by Philadelphia’s Jewish Exponent.
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