JCRC NY Demands Investigation Into Antisemitic Hate and Harassment Targeting Tsion Cafe in Harlem

NEW YORK, NY (02/12/2026) (readMedia)-- In response to recent reporting that Tsion Cafe, a kosher, Ethiopian-Israeli restaurant in Harlem, is ending its regular dine-in hours because of anti-Israel backlash, JCRC-NY CEO Mark Treyger issued the following statement:

"No small business owner should ever have to fear closing their doors because of their identity. What Beejhy Barhany, owner of Tsion Cafe in Harlem, has experienced is a stark reminder of the climate of antisemitism we are living in today.

Tsion Cafe is one of the only kosher restaurants in Harlem and has long been a place where culture and community come together through delicious Ethiopian cuisine.

Rather than uplifting this remarkable small business, some New Yorkers have targeted Beejhy and her restaurant simply because she is Israeli and Jewish - harassing her and discouraging people from patronizing Tsion Cafe.

Harassing a Jewish small business owner because she is Israeli and Jewish - and attempting to hold her personally responsible for Israel's actions - is antisemitism, plain and simple. No one should be intimidated into changing how they operate their business because of hate.

JCRC-NY was proud to hold its first Israel in New York event there with elected officials and community partners to celebrate Beejhy's story as an Ethiopian-Israeli Jewish immigrant, entrepreneur, and community builder. We stand in full solidarity with Beejhy as she contends with this backlash, and we look forward to joining her again at Tsion Cafe to show our support.

We have reached out to the Mayor's Office and the Attorney General's Office requesting an investigation into hate and harassment. New York City and New York State must ensure that small businesses and community spaces can operate free from intimidation and fear. We encourage New Yorkers to support Tsion Cafe and this extraordinary member of our community."

In September, JCRC-NY launched its Israel in New York series with a visit to Tsion Cafe to learn more about Barhany's experience and uplift the richness and diversity of Israeli culture.

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About JCRC-NY: JCRC-NY, a proud UJA-Federation of NY agency, serves as the primary community relations agency for the Jewish community in the metropolitan New York area. As an active force in New York civic and communal life, JCRC-NY operates as a central coordinating and resource body with a mission to build relationships to advance the values, interests, and security of the Jewish community and to create a more interconnected New York for all.