Support for Bakery Amid Union Dispute
A large gathering of supporters showed up at a popular Jewish bakery on Friday, backing the owner after some employees called for severing ties with Israel. The line at Bread Bakery’s Upper West Side location stretched for blocks, with many supporters wrapped in Israeli flags and waiting for hours to purchase baked goods.
Elisha Fine, 34, was among those who came to show support. She expressed, “We are quietly fighting back with Jewish dignity against this moment of anti-Zionism and hatred.” Although Fine doesn’t usually visit the bakery, she felt the need to be there after learning about the newly formed union, dubbed the Bread Alliance to Destroy.
The union’s demands, which represent about a third of the bakery’s workforce, included the cessation of what they termed as “support for the genocide taking place in Palestine.” Alongside typical grievances about working conditions and pay, the appeal to politics raised eyebrows.
The bakery’s management responded by emphasizing their commitment to their team and passion for baking, while refuting claims of genocide. They highlighted past actions, such as fundraising via challah sales for Israel after the October 7 attacks, to clarify their position.
As the crowd gathered on Friday, some wore stickers proclaiming their Zionist beliefs to demonstrate solidarity with the bakery. Fine remarked, “It sounds a lot like entryism to me,” expressing concern about the merger of union politics with Israeli issues.
Others echoed her sentiments. Leonor Katz, 71, called the union’s demands “very upsetting,” sharing that she’d never witnessed anything like this before in her long history in the area. Meanwhile, Avi Mendelsohn, 31, noted a noticeable change in support for the Jewish community since the events of October 7 and voiced concerns regarding the current administration’s approach.
Mendelsohn shared, “I don’t feel as confident in the well-being of the Jewish community as I did under the previous mayor.” However, the Breaking Bread Union had not yet responded to requests for comments.
