Six Philly Eats Targeted Before Kristallnacht
Organizers plan a bike ride through Rittenhouse Square on Sunday, naming specific Jewish-owned spots while leaders weigh in on the timing.
By James Brooks ·
On Sunday at 11:30 a.m., a group of cyclists plans to ride through Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. The event targets six Jewish-owned restaurants in the neighborhood, a move that has drawn immediate reaction from local and state officials.
A flyer circulated on social media lists the targeted businesses, with their names circled in red and crossed out. The organizing groups, led by Philly Bike On Your Left, state they are showing solidarity with Palestinians. They labeled the owners Zionists and accused them of supporting Israel.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday called the timing deeply unsettling. He noted the ride is scheduled for the eve of Kristallnacht, the 1938 coordinated attacks on Jewish people, businesses, and synagogues in Nazi Germany and Austria. Mayor Cherelle Parker said residents have the right to protest peacefully. She added that business owners should not be singled out based on their faith.
Parker has directed the police department to prepare for the streets to be filled with protesters this weekend. Andrew Goretsky, senior regional director of the Anti-Defamation League of Philadelphia, said criticizing the government of Israel is different from telling Jewish owners their businesses need to go. He called that dynamic discrimination.
Goretsky pointed out that the date coincides with the anniversary of the destruction of 7,000 Jewish businesses in Germany. Yehuda Sichel, who owns Huda on 19th Street, said he is feeling empowered by the community. He also noted it is sad to deal in 2026 with the same issues his grandparents faced.
Sichel said his shop will stay open despite the planned protests outside. Marti Lieberman, owner of the Mac Mart at 18th and Arch, told supporters to catch her this Sunday. Her staff of two is preparing for crowds. Lieberman wrote in an Instagram post that the restaurant started to bring people together regardless of background or ideology.
Some owners are asking supporters to consider returning after the weekend protests conclude to help reduce the size of the crowds.
