In a shocking incident of antisemitism, Boichik Bagels, a popular Berkeley, California-based bagel restaurant, was targeted with offensive graffiti this week.
As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the antisemitic incident occurred in broad daylight outside Boichik’s original Berkeley location on College Avenue.
An unknown party spray-painted a stencil design, reading “Israel baby killer,” on the sidewalk in front of Boichik.
The Bay Area Telegraph has covered Boichik Bagels extensively. We were one of the first publications to label their bagels the best in the Bay Area, an opinion that the New York Times later backed up.
Emily Winston, the owner of Boichik Bagels, shared photographs of the graffiti with the Bay Area Telegraph.
Winston reportedly removed the graffiti herself after reporting it to the police.
Unfortunately, this is merely the most recent in a string of disturbing antisemitic incidents around the Bay Area. As we reported, similar antisemitic graffiti was placed on an overpass in Lafayette, California.
In several instances, members of the Walnut Creek City Council have been targeted by antisemitic incidents.
Smitten Ice Cream, another Jewish-owned company, was targeted in a violent attack that resulted in extensive damage to the store in the Mission District last year.
The attack directed against Boichik is concerning both for its content and also the fact that the attacker created what appears to be a reusable stencil for their graffiti. This suggests that they may intend to attack other Jewish businesses or institutions in a similar manner.
Winston’s business was targeted despite Boichik sharing no public opinion in regard to the ongoing conflict in Israel, to which the graffiti presumably refers.
Many Jewish sources say that expecting Jews to publicly share an opinion regarding Israel is itself antisemitic.
“Conflating Israeli policy with Diaspora Jewry implies that Jews are to blame for the decisions of the sovereign Israeli government, a territory in which they do not live,” says the World Jewish Congress. “This antisemitic trope, which has existed for thousands of years, has been used to scapegoat, harass, and vilify Jews, and at times has even led to murder.”
We hope that the Berkeley police and other relevant authorities will investigate this incident and will take steps to protect all of the Bay Area’s citizens.
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