Chef Haim Cohen recalculated his route and decided to reverse his decision to open his restaurant "Jaffa-Tel Aviv" on the eve of Tisha B'Av. On Wednesday, hours after announcing that he would open the doors of his restaurant on the eve of the fast, he posted a story on his Instagram account announcing the closure of the business.
The decision by Cohen, who also operates the Knesset cafeteria, comes after harsh public criticism. Among others, by Minister of Communications Shlomo Krei. Karai wrote on Twitter: "If Chef Haim Cohen's restaurants open on the night of Tisha B'Av, his dishes served in the Knesset will now have an aftertaste of the ashes of destruction. And with all the excuses, did the chef open on the night of Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers? If I forget Jerusalem, forget my right."
If Chef Haim Cohen's restaurants open on the night of Tisha B'Av, his dishes served in the Knesset will now have an aftertaste of the ashes of destruction. And as in Rihal's poem: "How will I taste what he has eaten and how will he mix?"
And with all the excuses, did the chef open on the night of Memorial Day for Israel's fallen soldiers? If I forget you, Jerusalem will forget my right hand pic.twitter.com/jCsvPbTKyO
— 🇮🇱Shlomo Karhi (@shlomo_karhi) July 26, 2023
Cohen noted in conciliatory words in the post: "This evening has meaning for a significant part of the nation." Towards the end of his remarks, he went further and addressed the country's leaders with a special request: "We are closing Jaffa-Tel Aviv tonight as a step to bring hearts together," he wrote, adding: "A word that sounds like a cliché today, but giving it up for me is like giving up the State of Israel. In honor of all those who have the good of the state in mind, I call on you to calm down. I wish all the energy of hatred and boycotts that is circulating on the Internet and in general was directed to bringing hearts together!" he continued, criticizing the light hand on the keyboard.
"I'm not ashamed to say – I was wrong!" admitted Cohen to his followers. "This evening has meaning for a significant part of the people, and I respect that. Compromises and closes Jaffa-Tel Aviv," he clarified.
Haim Cohen's story // From the Instagram page
Haim Cohen's Instagram page
At the end, Cohen addressed those sitting in the Knesset: "To all our elected representatives, I appeal to you: Look at what is happening to us and to us – lower the flames, and maybe, compromise. I wish for the same spirit in honor of all our people because we have no other country!"
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