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Philadelphia Jewish Businesses Targeted in Antisemitic Boycott Ride
· Confirmed
In Short: Last week, a Philadelphia-based organization planned a boycott ride targeting Jewish-owned restaurants, drawing criticism and counter-protests.
Last week, Philly Bike On Your Left, an anti-Zionist cycling collective, planned a boycott ride through Rittenhouse Square to target Jewish-owned restaurants, according to the Combat Antisemitism Movement. NBC10 Philadelphia reported that the group aimed to boycott six eateries, including Goldie, Dizengoff, K’Far Café, Huda, Mac Mart, and Schlesinger’s Deli.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement noted that Philadelphia has a significant Jewish population of approximately 162,000 within the city and 350,000 in the metro region. The New York Daily News highlighted that the boycott ride was organized to show Jewish business owners that they are seen as 'disgusting humans,' a sentiment since deleted from the group's Instagram post.
The event drew criticism from various quarters. Mayor Cherelle Parker called singling out businesses because their owners are Jewish 'unacceptable and has no place in our city,' according to FOX 29 Philadelphia. State Rep. Amen Brown described the event as 'disgraceful, hateful, and completely unacceptable,' adding that targeting Jewish businesses because of who owns them is antisemitism.
Counter-protesters gathered in support of the targeted businesses. FOX 29 Philadelphia reported that hundreds of Philadelphians, both Jews and non-Jews, came out to defend their neighbors and local businesses. Phillyvoice noted that about 200 counter-protesters gathered to support the boycotted businesses on Sunday, outnumbering the participants by at least 10 to 1, according to sources.
The Philadelphia Police Department reported that three people were arrested during the event, with two officers sustaining minor injuries during one arrest. NBC10 Philadelphia and Religion News Service confirmed these arrests, while the Philadelphia Police Department stated that no property damage was reported.
Michael Balaban, the federation head, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that the restaurants hardly felt any effects from the boycott, with all of them selling out of their inventory. The New York Daily News reported that the boycott ride was organized by a group called Philly Biking on The Left, which had planned to target six eateries in Rittenhouse Square.
The event garnered significant attention from local and national media, with the Combat Antisemitism Movement emphasizing the importance of standing against antisemitism. The Philadelphia Council of Clergy Global called for the boycott ride to be canceled and urged Philadelphians to stand peacefully with Jewish neighbors, congregations, and businesses.
Despite the controversy, the event highlighted the resilience of the Jewish community and the broader support for Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia. The New York Daily News and Religion News Service agreed that the boycott ride was a misguided attempt to intimidate and marginalize Jewish business owners.
In conclusion, while the boycott ride drew criticism and counter-protests, it also underscored the strong support for Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia and the broader community's commitment to standing against antisemitism.
What this adds
The event's impact on the targeted businesses was minimal, with no significant economic effects noted.
What's confirmed
- A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department said that three people were arrested during the event: Two Philadelphia officers were hurt with minor injuries during the arrest of one person.
- The group, Philly Bike On Your Left, had organized the ride to “show these zionist business owners that we see them for the disgusting humans they are,” according to an Instagram post since deleted.
- “I honestly had a hard time hearing what the boycotters were saying,” Michael Balaban, the federation head, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) the day after the protests.
What's still developing
- There are approximately 162,000 Jews in Philadelphia itself and 350,000 across the metro region, including suburban towns to the west and northwest of the city along the Main Line, the historic Pennsylvania Railroad corridor.
- And there are sizeable populations of Jews in suburbs to the north like Cheltenham, a center of suburban Jewish life — where conservative author and broadcaster Mark Levin attended high school.
- Israel’s prime minister spent much of his adolescence in suburban Philadelphia.
- So it was good news for all of America, when hundreds of Philadelphians, Jews and non-Jews, came out to defend their neighbors, their local businesses, and stood for their city, Philadelphia is home to one of America’s largest and oldest Jewish communities, dating back to the colonial period, with Congregation Mikveh Israel tracing its origins to the eighteenth century.
- PHILADELPHIA – A bicycle ride promoting the boycott of businesses in Center City Philadelphia that organizers claim are complicit in Israeli military actions is drawing scathing criticism from state leaders.
- Pennsylvania first lady Lori Shapiro, wife of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Philadelphia district attorney Larry Krasner joined a solidarity lunch at Dizengoff Nov. 6, two days before a planned anti-Israel bicycle “boycott ride” targeting the restaurant and other local Jewish-owned businesses.
- The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ordered three major American airlines to provide information about their pricing practices as part of a wider investigation into whether businesses use personal data to determine the prices offered to individual consumers.
- Now the Uber rival is scaling those bets, installing new leaders as its ads, delivery, and financial-services businesses show early signs of traction across its largely emerging-market user base. inDrive’s advertising business, piloted in July 2025 and rolled out to its top 20 markets in January, has since expanded to 25 markets, serving more than 2 billion impressions and attracting over 2,000 paying advertisers a month, the company told TechCrunch.
- PETERSBURG -- The American League-leading Tampa Bay Rays will send five All-Stars to Philadelphia for the 96th Midsummer Classic.
Sources
- Combat Antisemitism Movementlink
- FOX 29 Philadelphialink
- Jtalink
- NBC10 Philadelphialink
- New York Daily Newslink
- Philadelphia Jewish Exponentlink
- Religion News Servicelink
- South African Jewish Reportlink
- Fl360Aerolink
- Algemeinerlink
- TechCrunchlink
- Religionnewslink
- Forwardlink
- Jewishpolicycenterlink
- Phillyvoicelink
- Mlblink