The Blogs: 88 years after Kristallnacht, why are Jews still targeted? | Jay Abramson

A planned bicycle boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia, scheduled for November 8, 2026, has been condemned by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Attorney General Dave Sunday, and Mayor Cherelle Parker. The organizing group, Philly Bike On Your Left, identified six restaurants and businesses as Jewish-owned, using language that called owners 'disgusting humans.' The demonstration is set for the day before the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht.

A planned bicycle boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia, scheduled for November 8, 2026, has drawn condemnation from state and city officials. The demonstration, organized by a group called Philly Bike On Your Left, targets six restaurants and businesses identified as Jewish-owned. Promotional material reportedly describes the owners as 'disgusting humans' and calls for the establishments to be removed from the city. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Attorney General Dave Sunday, and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker all condemned the planned action, stating that targeting individuals because of their faith is unacceptable. The article, written by Jay Abramson on The Times of Israel's blog platform, draws a historical parallel to Kristallnacht, the Nazi-organized pogrom of November 9-10, 1938, noting that the timing of the protest—the day before the 88th anniversary—is significant. The author argues that such targeting, even if nonviolent, represents a normalization of antisemitism and warns that discrimination can escalate if left unchecked.