Deerfield Beach, FL – Officials are now investigating a number of hate messages that were left at a South Florida restaurant.
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The Mozart Cafe in Deerfield Beach has only been open for four months, but in that short period of time, the business has been hit by hate.
The kosher Jewish restaurant has reportedly received hate mail, and someone left anti-Semitic messages on several cars outside the business. “The first time, somebody left a note on the car with all kinds of words against the Jews and stuff like that,” said Shimi Avini, the owner of the Mozart Cafe. “In the beginning, we didn’t pay attention.”
What did catch Avini’s attention was a suspicious gas leak at his Deerfield Beach restaurant. “Somebody opened it a little bit and left it like that for a couple of days,” he said.
Surveillance cameras installed at the business captured a suspicious person who was lurking near the gas meter. The following day, the restaurant had to be evacuated. Avini said, “We told all the customers to leave the restaurant. Then, we called the police, and the police came right away, and then, we called the FBI.”
The hate messages have intensified. One read, “Take the long way home,” and another read, “Go [expletive] yourself.” Some of the notes even contain the Star of David.
The FBI and the Broward Sheriff’s Office are now involved and are conducting an investigation into the incidents. “This is just not acceptable in our community for any religious minority,” said Andrew Rosenkranz of the Anti-Defamation League.
harav bromstein of bais avraham said yidden should eat att home.
Maybe this rav would like to reimburse restaurant owners their lost parnosso from his psak? Ra-bonim like him help convince people to go OTD.
Even though there are 700,000 Jews in southern Florida, there is still anti-semitism and hatred of Jews amoung the locals. There are even Nazi groups living in southern Florida. At a meeting of the Century Village Retirement community in Boca Raton, a number of years ago, the residents complained about anti-semitic graffiti, which was scratched on various buildings, presumably by maintenance personnel.
Sounds like vandalism. Should be handled by the police. Maybe install cameras to capture suspect on film and then hand over to police to prosecute.