After two months of protests and vandalism: "Ba-Smita" cafe in Jerusalem to close on Saturdays
Bags of feces, glue in locks, and barriers: the Haredi struggle against the city-center cafe has forced management to close on weekends. "Our identity does not allow us to be a focal point for friction," they stated. Deputy Mayor Adir Schwartz called it a victory for violence, while Benny Gantz described it as a loss for the moderate majority.
As first reported on N12, after about two months of stormy protests and daily friction that became a symbol of the struggle over the capital's character, the management of the Ba-Smita cafe in Jerusalem announced on Thursday that starting this coming weekend, the establishment will cease operating on Saturdays.
The decision follows tense weeks in which the cafe became a focal point of confrontation every weekend between Haredi protesters chanting "Shabbes" and dozens of customers arriving to support the business and maintain an open, liberal character in the city. In recent days, the protest deteriorated into acts of vandalism: a bag of feces was poured at the entrance, glue was inserted into the door lock, and young Haredim placed physical barriers to block customers.
The Ba-Smita cafe is managed by the Jews for Jesus organization, identified with the Messianic stream. In an official statement, management said the decision was made with a heavy heart to prevent escalation: "Our identity does not allow us to continue being a focal point of friction and hatred. We seek to act out of respect, dialogue, and love for others — even towards those who oppose our faith."
Eli Birnbaum, CEO of Jews for Jesus, said: "This is a painful decision stemming from deep responsibility towards our customers and Israeli society. The cafe has become a focal point of danger, which contradicts our identity. We thank the Israel Police, the Jerusalem Municipality, and everyone who supported us. We want to return the cafe to what it was intended to be: a calm place for coffee, culture, and dialogue."
The announcement sparked sharp reactions. Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Adir Schwartz (Awakening movement) criticized the helplessness in the face of rioters: "This is a sad day for Jerusalem — violence has won. After weeks of threats and intimidation, the cafe is forced to close because of a group of extremists. This is a dangerous precedent. We in the Awakening movement do not intend to give up and are examining ways to continue operating the cafe on Saturdays independently."
Deputy Mayor Yossi Havilio (The Jerusalem Union) stated: "Closing the cafe is a prize for violence and a violation of the law that will encourage Haredim to continue this elsewhere. It harms our efforts to keep Jerusalem open and liberal." Democrat Chairman Yair Golan added: "This is the result of Haredi terror. If we do not stop it, it will continue to the next cafe. We must defend our freedom."
Former Defense Minister Benny Gantz also commented: "The closing of the cafe is a victory for extremists and a loss for the moderate majority. Extremists act to defeat the other side, losing the country and harming Judaism in the process. Only a Zionist government that crosses blocs will allow a better future for us all."
