Israeli expelled from a hummus restaurant in Berlin: "The waiter said it's a Palestinian place"
Elias, an Israeli living in Berlin, reported an incident where a waiter refused to serve him after identifying his Israeli accent. After the restaurant ignored his inquiries, he filed a civil lawsuit in court.
One of the culinary impacts in Berlin following October 7 has been the dwindling number of Israeli-run hummus spots. Restaurants, particularly in the prestigious and multicultural Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, have closed one after another. Amidst anti-Semitic graffiti and swastikas appearing on local walls, a coalition of left-wing and Muslim activists has pressured Israeli restaurant owners through demonstrations, vandalism, and social media campaigns calling for boycotts of "Zionist establishments." Even the "Kanaan" restaurant, which marketed itself as a hub of peace and coexistence, was forced to shut its doors this year due to constant harassment.
It has now emerged that not all Arab-run hummus places are willing to host Israelis, especially those whose accents reveal their origin. Elias, a 35-year-old Israeli working in data analysis in Berlin, encountered this hostility in February. His case gained public attention after he filed a lawsuit in a German court.
"As an Israeli living in Berlin, I often look for food that reminds me of home," he said. "I have visited Syrian, Lebanese, and Iraqi establishments, and until this incident, I had never encountered hostility. Overall, I felt comfortable in Berlin, which made what happened in the restaurant so shocking."
The incident occurred at the Al-Hamra restaurant. Elias recalls: "We sat down, and everything was fine until I asked the waiter about the difference between two hummus dishes. He looked at me with annoyance and corrected me: 'You mean hummus' (with a guttural emphasis). When I repeated the question, he stated that 'hummus' is an Israeli word, that we were in a Palestinian place, and that here they say it differently." When Elias explained it was his natural accent, the waiter reacted with disgust. When Elias asked if he was refusing service because he was Israeli, the waiter pointed to the door and suggested he go to the Benedict cafe across the street.
"I tried to explain that we came to eat, not to have a political discussion," Elias continued. "He replied: 'Well, I have something against your political views.' He opened the restaurant door wide for us to leave. It was a degrading experience to be expelled from a public space just because of my accent and identity. I understood for the first time what it feels like to experience anti-Semitism."
The Ofek organization, which assists victims of discrimination, sent a formal complaint on Elias's behalf, which the restaurant owners ignored. A subsequent letter from his lawyer was also disregarded. Consequently, Elias filed a civil lawsuit in a Berlin court under the German General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG), which prohibits discrimination based on ethnic or religious grounds.
"My goal is to make it clear that public spaces must be accessible to everyone, including Jews and Israelis," Elias emphasized. "I want to send a clear message that Jewish life must remain an integral part of the city and that such discrimination has legal consequences."
