Melbourne Greek Restaurant Faces Antisemitic Backlash and Bomb Threat
A Melbourne Greek restaurant faced severe antisemitic abuse and a bomb threat after hosting a Jewish-Greek Shabbat dinner, though owners vowed to continue promoting unity.
A Greek restaurant in Melbourne, Australia, has become the target of severe antisemitic backlash and a bomb threat after hosting a joint Jewish-Greek Shabbat dinner and posting photos of the event on social media.
The event took place last Friday at the Mediterranean Greek Tavern in the suburb of Elsternwick, in cooperation with Shabbat Club Australia. Guests dressed in white enjoyed traditional challah alongside Greek cuisine, participated in a prayer, and watched a bouzouki band play Greek music while young attendees danced the sirtaki and Hava Nagila.
Backlash and Bomb Threat After Social Media Post
"When two cultures unite, something beautiful happens," the owners wrote in a Facebook post accompanying photos of the evening. "A beautiful moment from our latest evening with Shabbat Club Melbourne, celebrating Greek and Jewish culture through music, food, friendship, and a shared love for family... This is what community should look like."
However, following the publication of the photos, the restaurant was flooded with severe antisemitic comments, including calls to expel Jews from Australia, insults such as "baby killers," and a bomb threat. The venue owners and event organizers reported the threats to the police. As of now, Victoria Police have not issued an official statement regarding the incident or an ongoing investigation.
More than ten reservations were cancelled over the weekend, which coincided with Father's Day in Australia. The owners reported waking up in the middle of the night fearing that someone might attack the establishment.
Organizers and Owners Refuse to Back Down
Chrystal Dias, the founder of the organization and organizer of the event, told the Herald Sun that the reactions were "disappointing, disgusting, and shocking," explicitly labeling them as antisemitic.
Shabbat Club is a pop-up dinner initiative launched in Melbourne about six months ago by Dias, aimed at bringing young Jewish and non-Jewish individuals closer to Shabbat traditions in a modern, non-religious atmosphere, thereby combatting isolation and antisemitism. Dias noted that the threat of antisemitism has long forced her to implement strict security measures, including hosting dinners in small groups of about 22 pre-screened participants and keeping the venue's location secret until 48 hours before the event.
Dias also expressed personal guilt over bringing threats to the restaurant's doorstep, stating, "It puts the restaurant owners at risk."
Restaurant manager Perry La Greco made it clear to local media that he has no intention of backing down and that the establishment plans to continue hosting similar events. "There is enough division in the world right now. We choose unity," the restaurant stated.
This is not the first time the restaurant and its owners have faced antisemitic backlash. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, the venue lost approximately 90 percent of its reservations at one point after publicly expressing support for its Jewish customers and posting a message hoping for the safety of families and friends in Israel, which resulted in abusive messages accusing the manager of taking sides.
