{"id":320641,"date":"2026-11-04T01:14:17","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T01:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/320641\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T01:14:17","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T01:14:17","slug":"bicycle-rally-aims-to-remove-zionist-establishments-from-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/320641\/","title":{"rendered":"Bicycle Rally Aims to Remove \u2018Zionist Establishments\u2019 From Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"(Photo credit: Pavel Danilyuk\/Pexels)<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The \u201cBoycott Ride,\u201d 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.)<\/p>\n

A flyer promoting the event includes the statements \u201cNo business for Zionists\u201d and \u201cThese Zionist establishments must go.\u201d<\/p>\n

The flyer named several Philadelphia businesses, including Dizengoff, an Israeli restaurant; Huda, a fast-casual sandwich shop; Schlesinger\u2019s Restaurant and Delicatessen, a Jewish deli; Mac Mart, a macaroni-and-cheese kiosk; K\u2019Far Cafe, an Israeli cafe; and Goldie, a kosher falafel spot.<\/p>\n

\u201cRide around Rittenhouse with us as we show these zio business owners that we see them for the disgusting human beings they are,\u201d organizers wrote in an Oct. 30 Instagram post<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019ll flag as many bikes as we can and show our solidarity with the Palestinian community and oppressed folx everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019Far Cafe.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call for a boycott because the owners of [Philadelphia-based restaurant group] CookNSolo \u2026 materially and ideologically support the ongoing occupation and genocide of Palestinians,\u201d Boycott CookNSolo\u2019s website<\/a> reads. \u201cProfits 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 \u2018Israel.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The campaign also calls for a boycott of the two chefs because the restaurant group\u2019s \u201centire culinary empire\u201d is built upon the mission of using food and culture to promote Israel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019ve done in the kitchen \u2026 has been so much more productive for Israel than had I become a soldier,\u201d Solomonov reportedly said.<\/p>\n

The Anti-Defamation League Philadelphia, American Jewish Committee Philadelphia\/Southern New Jersey, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and StandWithUs released a joint statement<\/a> Nov. 2 condemning the rally as \u201cJew-hatred\u201d and calling for unity.<\/p>\n

\u201cMarking 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,\u201d the statement read. \u201cNo business should be targeted because of the identity, heritage or perceived political belief of its owners.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public targeting of Jewish businesses should alarm every person of conscience,\u201d the statement read. \u201cWe cannot allow such hatred to become normalized in Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement added that criticizing Israel\u2019s government is acceptable, but this action goes beyond mere criticism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a profound difference between criticizing a government and targeting businesses because their owners are Jewish or perceived to be connected to Israel,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

A statement signed by local faith leaders expressed a similar sentiment.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone in Philadelphia may protest the war in Gaza,\u201d the statement read, citing freedom of speech. \u201cPublishing a list of your neighbors\u2019 businesses and riding through the city to demand they be driven out is something else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rabbi David Levin, president of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia, said he initially wrote off the rally as merely \u201cmore silliness\u201d that didn\u2019t warrant attention. But as he read more into it, the campaign \u201ccreated a sense of anger\u201d in him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just wrong to be targeting [restaurants] under the guise of protesting a war that you disagree with,\u201d he told the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent.<\/p>\n

A few days removed from the distribution of flyers, Levin is back to feeling \u201ccaught up in the absurdity\u201d of the situation. \u201cI can\u2019t see the good people of Philadelphia buying into this for a moment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Levin added that business owners in the United States shouldn\u2019t be penalized because of their beliefs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are community members who are out there making a living in our community,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you believe that the woman who owns and runs Mac Mart has politics that you find reprehensible, then my suggestion is don\u2019t patronize her restaurant. That\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The statement encouraged Philadelphia residents to support the targeted businesses in solidarity.<\/p>\n

\u201c \u2026 If you can, say something from your pulpit this weekend, and go eat at one of these places and bring someone with you,\u201d Levin wrote in an email to the Philadelphia community.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Levin said he doesn\u2019t think members of the community should risk escalating the situation. Instead, \u201clet\u2019s go have lunch at one of these establishments. Let\u2019s go have dinner. Let\u2019s show people that there are ways to do things which are appropriate, and there are things that are inappropriate, and we\u2019re not going to abide that stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

zbell@midatlanticmedia.com<\/p>\n

Jerusalem News Syndicate contributed to this article.<\/p>\n