“Get Out, Jew”: Oakland Coffee House Accused of Open Antisemitism in Explosive Federal Lawsuit

Federal prosecutors have filed a civil rights lawsuit against Jerusalem Coffee House, a café in Oakland, California, accusing the business of systematically discriminating against Jewish customers and fostering a hostile, antisemitic environment.

Located on Telegraph Avenue, the café and its owners, Fathi Abdulrahim Harara, who is of Palestinian descent, and Native Grounds LLC, allegedly refused service to visibly Jewish individuals and openly harassed them, according to court documents filed Monday by the U.S. Department of Justice.

One widely reported incident involved a Jewish man visiting the café with his 5-year-old son. When owner Harara saw the customer wearing a Star of David hat, he reportedly told him to "get out of my business." In a video of the encounter, the man responds, “You can’t refuse service for a protected class,” to which Harara replies, “Yes I can. Are you a Zionist? Leave!”

In another reported case, a café employee allegedly told a Jewish customer attempting to make a purchase: “You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out.”

Federal Response

“It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business open to the public to refuse to serve Jewish customers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.

The Justice Department's complaint also cites a pattern of antisemitic conduct beyond verbal harassment. Notably, Jerusalem Coffee House promoted drinks called “Iced In Tea Fada” and “Sweet Sinwar” on the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel. The names appear to reference the Intifada and Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader believed to have masterminded the massacre.

ADL and Civil Rights Groups Respond

“No one should have to hide who they are to order a cup of coffee, but at Jerusalem Coffee House, antisemitism was literally on the menu,” said Marc Levine, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Central Pacific. “This is part of a disturbing trend of open antisemitism in public spaces, we will not stay silent.”

Legal Action Underway

The federal lawsuit seeks to bar Jerusalem Coffee House from further discriminatory practices and calls for unspecified remedial actions. In addition to the DOJ’s complaint, the two Jewish customers involved in the reported incidents have filed separate civil suits in California state court, seeking damages for emotional distress and civil rights violations.

As of now, neither Harara nor Native Grounds LLC has publicly commented on the allegations. The café's social media pages have either been deactivated or made private.

This case marks a significant federal response to rising antisemitism in American public spaces and may set a precedent for how such hate-driven discrimination is addressed going forward.