At the table

Jake and Ariel Schneider of Schneider Deli in River North in 2025, where family recipes inspire the menu’s brisket, latkes, and matzo ball soup. (Photo credit: Jeremy Bloom of Bloom Studios.)

There is strength in numbers—and organizers of Jewish Restaurant Week are counting on Chicagoans to show up. From May 11 through May 15, this initiative—part of Jewish American Heritage Month—invites diners to support Jewish-owned restaurants across the city and suburbs.  

Organized by ADL’s Midwest office and now in its second year, Jewish Restaurant Week will feature about 10 restaurants, including Goddess and the Baker, LaShuk Street Food, Milt’s BBQ for the Perplexed, and Schneider Deli. 

The event comes at a time when Jewish-American and Israeli business owners have faced rising antisemitism. According to the Anti-Defamation League, incidents targeting Jewish businesses increased from 34 nationwide in 2022 to 340 in 2024, the latest available data.  

Tamar Mizrahi’s six Goddess and the Baker locations are known for specialty lattes, pastries, and omelets. Since October 7, the Israeli business owner found herself in hostile territory.  

“I have been targeted many times,” Mizrahi said. “It’s been online. It’s been former employees. It’s been people coming into the store and passing out flyers saying that we are a Zionist organization.”  

Rachel Hirsh, senior associate regional director of outreach and partnership at ADL Midwest, said antisemitism against Jewish businesses ranges from targeted boycotts to social media campaigns.  

“It’s incredibly serious, and it’s people’s livelihoods on the line,” she said.  

At LaShuk Street Food, the impact has gone beyond online backlash. During the summer of 2024, owner Yosi Alhadif closed his spot inside Sterling Food Hall by 2 p.m. to shield his employees from nearby Gaza war protests in the Chicago Loop.   

“You definitely know that LaShuk is Israeli-owned. We have a sign that says Shalom and another with the distance to Tel Aviv,” he said. “My biggest concern was protesters coming into the hall with anti-Israel flags.” 

His restaurant, which had long received five-star Google reviews, suddenly saw a wave of one-star ratings, including one urging him to “go back to Tel Aviv.” Many appeared without comments, making them hard to challenge. 

Now that it’s calmer, the busy father of two said participating in Jewish Restaurant Week offers visibility. He aims to recreate the welcoming feel of Tel Aviv for every customer and hopes new faces will stop by to try his signature hummus and falafel. 

For others, the impact is less visible but still deeply felt.  

As Chicago’s only full-service kosher restaurant, Milt’s BBQ for the Perplexed has built a loyal following in Lakeview. Executive Chef and General Manager Bryan Gryka estimates about 75% of its diners keep kosher, while others discover the restaurant and return for the house-smoked barbecue. 
 
Despite its mostly Jewish clientele, Milt’s received several negative reviews on Yelp and Google after displaying an Israeli flag with a yellow ribbon—representing solidarity with the hostages following October 7—inside the restaurant. “I’m not one to run and hide,” said Gryka. “But you feel it in your stomach—it reinforces that antisemitism is real.” 

That sense of visibility—and how to respond to it—has become a defining question for many Jewish restaurant owners.  

Deli owner Jake Schneider said it’s more important than ever to have spaces where people can experience Jewish food and culture. At his spot, Schneider Deli in River North and Lincon Park, pastrami sandwiches and bagels draw a diverse crowd, from local cops to travelers passing through the neighborhood.  

Spending Jewish holidays at his grandparents’ home gave him a strong Jewish identity. The deli’s menu staples—brisket, latkes, and matzoh ball soup—are inspired by his grandmother Eunice’s recipes. 

“The recipes and traditions are a way to keep those stories alive—that’s what Jewish delis are all about,” he said.  

For Schneider, that identity is not something to downplay.  

“I’d rather lose a customer and still be openly and proudly Jewish as a business,” he said. “It’s who we are.” 

To learn more about Jewish Restaurant Week, visit tinyurl.com/jewishrestaurantweek. 

Jennifer Brody is a freelance writng living in the Chicago area.