Owner of cafe featuring drink called ‘Sweet Sinwar’ repeatedly presses man wearing Star of David cap. ‘Are you a Zionist?’
In a troubling incident at an Oakland coffee shop, a Jewish man and his 5-year-old son were asked to leave after Jonathan Hirsch was spotted wearing a hat with a Star of David.
The café’s owner, Abdulrahim Harara, was seen in a video from the incident, repeatedly questioning Hirsch about his identity, asking, “Are you a Zionist?” Despite Hirsch’s reluctance to engage, Harara continued to press, escalating tensions in the shop.
Refusing to back down, Harara ultimately called the police, alleging that Hirsch was causing a disturbance. When officers arrived, they sided with Harara, labeling Hirsch’s presence as “trespassing.” Despite his calm demeanor and intention to simply enjoy his coffee, Hirsch found himself forced out of the café. Feeling confused and wronged, he questioned the officers, only to be told he was the one causing trouble and needed to leave.
“I wasn’t going out looking for a fight. But when someone comes up to me fighting, I can’t teach my son that Jews are these meek people that run and cower,” Hirsch later said, describing how he wanted to teach his son to stand against discrimination.
The store, which features a drink named “Sweet Sinwar” on its menu and celebrated October 7th in their social media, ultimately had Hirsch and his son removed. As he complied and left, Harara allegedly used a slur and stated on camera, “I love Jewish people, I just hate Zionists.”
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