Vandal strikes D.C. kosher restaurant on anniversary of Kristallnacht

The Char Bar, one of Washington DC’s few kosher restaurants, was vandalized last night, with unknown assailants smashing its windows in a chilling reminder of past attacks on Jewish establishments.

The incident unfolded on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass,” a devastating pogrom in 1938 when Jewish-owned businesses, homes, and institutions were ransacked across Nazi Germany.

Prominent voices condemned the vandalism. Newsweek editor Josh Hammer wrote, “Every Jew in political circles has been to Char Bar before. I was last there just a few months ago. Disgusting and horrific."

This is not the first time Char Bar has been targeted. In June 2020, the restaurant suffered a similar attack when its windows were shattered by unidentified vandals. Despite investigations, the perpetrators remain unidentified.