California Cafe Closes Amid Lawsuits for Discriminating Against Jews
The Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, California, has shut down after facing three lawsuits, including a federal civil rights case, for refusing service to Jewish customers and promoting Hamas leaders.
The Palestinian-owned Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, California, has closed its doors after becoming entangled in three separate legal proceedings over discrimination against Jewish patrons. The owners announced they are halting operations to focus entirely on a federal trial set to begin late next month.
At the center of the litigation are business owner Fethiye Abd al-Rahim Harara and Native Grounds LLC. The US Department of Justice is suing them for violating the federal Civil Rights Act by refusing service to Jewish customers. Alongside the federal case, two private lawsuits have been filed by customers who claim they were expelled solely because of their Jewish identity and for wearing caps featuring the Star of David.
Details of the Alleged Discrimination
One of the plaintiffs is Michael Radis, a Los Angeles resident and director of a non-profit assisting rehabilitated prisoners. According to the lawsuit, during a visit to the cafe, he was told:
"You're the Jew. You're the Zionist. We don't want you in our coffee shop. Get out."
Witnesses reported that slurs were shouted at him as he departed the premises.
The second plaintiff is Jonathan Hirsch, an Oakland resident who visited the cafe with his five-year-old son. According to the complaint, Harara asked Hirsch if he was a Zionist, described the Star of David on his cap as "violent," and ordered him to leave. Even as police escorted Hirsch and his son out, Harara reportedly continued to shout profanities against Israel and Zionists in front of the young child.
Glorification of Terrorist Leaders
The controversy surrounding the establishment intensified around the anniversary of the October 7 massacre. The cafe featured menu items with names such as "Sweet Sinwar," named after the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and "Iced In Tea Fada," a play on the word "Intifada."
Owners Claim Political Persecution
In their closure announcement, the owners rejected the discrimination claims, framing the lawsuits as a coordinated political campaign. They accused the Department of Justice, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and the Brandeis Center of weaponizing the legal system.
In a statement, the owners wrote:
"Zionist organizations and the federal government are using the courts as a tool to suppress free speech and public political commitment to Palestine."
The main federal trial is scheduled to open on October 26 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California before Judge Susan Illston.
