Vandals Attack Beloved Jewish Restaurant on Dark Nazi Anniversary

Between Oct. 7, 2023 (the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel) and Sept. 24, 2024, there have been over 10,000 antisemitic incidents reported in the United States, according to the Anti-Defamation League. That's a 200% increase over the same period from the previous years.  Over the weekend, a beloved Jewish restaurant in Washington, D.C., most likely became another unfortunate statistic.  

Vandals smashed the windows of Char Bar at some point on Saturday morning. A citizen who spotted shattered glass called police, who came out to investigate and found rocks on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. It's believed that no one actually went inside the establishment, but the eatery's owner had to board up the windows.   

DC police say they're not currently investigating the incident as a hate crime as they have no evidence to prove it, but that could change as more information becomes available. The restaurant's owner, Michael Chelst, told NBC News4 that he initially thought it was "just the idiocy of people." But upon realizing the significance of the date — November 9 — and learning that the police do not view it as an antisemitc attack, he admitted that he was disappointed and felt that it was obviously an act of hate based on the fact that his was the only business targeted in the area. 

November 9 and 10 are the annivesary dates of Kristallnacht. In 1936, Kristallnacht, sometimes called the "Night of Broken Glass," was an act of mass violence carried out against Jewish people, homes, and businesses in Nazi Germany. Nazi supporters looted schools and hospitals and tore the buildings down with sledgehammers. Tens of thousands of Jewish men were arrested and taken to concentration camps, while  267 synagogues were destroyed, along with thousands of Jewish-owned businesses. It's estimated that just under a 100 people died, but scholars say the unofficial death tolls are much higher. 

Chelst told Fox 5 that the vandalism was stressful for him and his employees who are worried about what else might happen. He added, 

We serve the Jewish community. It’s not even political or anything. We are just serving people with Kosher food who can’t have Kosher food elsewhere. It’s a passion project for me to have this place and now you have to think twice about being open and being in business. It’s sad but it’s the reality of life here in America and unfortunately elsewhere in the world

The Jewish News Syndicate reports that the damage will cost Chelst between $8,000 and $10,000 in repairs. And this isn't the first time the restaurant has been under attack in the decade since Chelst purchased it. In 2020, it suffered similar damage during the Black Lives Matter protests.   

A kosher restaurant in DC had its windows smashed in last night - on the anniversary of Kristallnacht (The Night of Broken Glass), named for the shattered glass that littered the streets after the vandalism and destruction of Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues, and homes. pic.twitter.com/spsoKh4q5E

— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) November 10, 2024

Char Bar calls itself "DC's Finest Kosher Restaurant" and serves kosher burgers, sandwiches, stakes, and barbecue. It's a popular dining spot for DC's Jewish population, including many Jewish politicians. The restaurant has nearly 1,000 mostly positive reviews on Google.