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New billboards are appearing across Philadelphia to push back against a planned boycott of Jewish-owned restaurants in the city.
The nonprofit organization JewBelong put up billboards at 14 locations across the city that read, “Running over Jewish businesses isn’t a peace plan,” urging people to “boycott the boycott ride” of Jewish-owned businesses on Sunday.
On Oct. 31, Philly Bike On Your Left, a group that describes itself as an “anti-fascist, anti-Zionist social cycling collective,” posted a flyer announcing a boycott of what it described as “Zionist establishments” in the city’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.
The group plans to boycott the Philadelphia restaurants Mac Mart, K’Far Café, Huda, Goldie, Schlesinger’s, and Dizengoff on Nov. 8, 2026, in solidarity with the Palestinian community.
The planned boycott occurs on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, aka the “Night of Broken Glass,” an antisemitic riot against Jews in Germany, Austria, and Sudetenland that was coordinated by the Nazi Party on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, 1938. During the attacks, thousands of Jewish businesses, homes, schools and synagogues were damaged. An estimated 1,000 to 2,000 Jews were killed in the attacks and an estimated 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps.
Several officials, including Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday took to social media to condemn the planned boycott.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner spoke out against the boycott as well.
Baseball legend and Wyncote, Pennsylvania, native Reggie Jackson also condemned the boycott in a post on X, comparing it to the racism he experienced in the 1960s.
It is heartbreaking to see antisemitism in my hometown. I was born in Wyncote, near Philadelphia, and it makes me angry and ashamed to see hatred tolerated there. The numbers show this is not an abstract concern. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 465 antisemitic incidents across Pennsylvania in 2024, an 18% increase over 2023. It tracked 189 incidents in Philadelphia and 51 in Montgomery County. These reports include harassment, vandalism, and assault; they are not all classified as crimes. (https://t.co/LNbuEF4lCN, https://t.co/VD98Hg5XEp) Hateful expression harms more than its immediate target. In a 2025 survey of Jewish Americans, 79% said they were concerned about antisemitism, and 52% said they had worried about their personal safety because of their identity. Nearly half reported taking steps to increase their security. A research review also found that exposure to hate is associated with worse psychological well-being, more negative stereotypes, and less trust between groups. (https://t.co/VD98Hg5XEp, https://t.co/YJT6NcR4VF) It takes me back to the racism I experienced in the 1960s: signs throughout the South declaring that Black people could be refused service, along with separate “white” and “colored” signs on bathrooms and drinking fountains,”no niggers”. I remember what that hatred looked and felt like. We cannot accept it in any form, directed at any people. I wish I could be there to stand with those protesting HATE. I am asking elected officials and other leaders in Philadelphia: Where are the clear statements condemning antisemitism? When hateful language is excused or repeated, it can make hostility seem acceptable and deepen fear and division. Leaders should speak plainly and consistently: antisemitism and hate have no place in our communities. What the hell? We have to speak up. Reggie Jackson The Mr. October Guy
— Reggie Jackson (@mroctober) November 7, 2026
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) posted a pledge calling on people to dine at the targeted businesses as well as other Jewish-owned restaurants.
“This protest is an attempt to intimidate a Jewish community that has faced generations of violence, exclusion and antisemitism. It’s the latest in a string of incidents that hold Jewish businesses responsible for events in the Middle East,” the ADL wrote. “That’s antisemitic, plain and simple. But we refuse to let hate win.”
In a statement published on Instagram, Philly Bike On Your Left said in part that the ride has been “grossly misrepresented.”
“We stand firmly against racism and oppression of all forms, including fascism, antisemitism, islamophobia and colonialism.”
This story originally appeared on NBCPhiladelphia.com.
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