Glasgow anti-Zionist Yiddish café which blamed ‘capitalism’ for its closing eyes up move to New York

The self-described queer, Yiddish, anti-capitalist, kosher café in Glasgow that closed its doors after experiencing an “astonishing” amount of antisemitism from other leftists in the city is instead trying its luck in America.

Having opened in 2020, the vegan, alcohol-free Pink Peacock café which did not charge for drinks closed down in June 2023 with the owners blaming “a frankly astonishing amount of antisemitic vitriol” directed at the establishment’s owners and “unchecked antisemitism in Scotland”.

Co-founders Moishe Holleb and Miles Grant, who are both American, moved back to the States and hope to revive the café in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, to open in the summer.

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, like the Glaswegian original, Brooklyn’s Pink Peacock will also be an anti-Zionist community space but doesn’t have a lease signed yet.

Holleb and Grant are optimistic at their American venture. Grant said in New York City anti-Zionism is “a missing voice”.

“Jewish New Yorkers definitely have a much wider stream of opinion than is represented in a lot of Jewish institutions in New York. So we think that it’s important that we’re clear in our values and that we also provide a home for people who share those values.

“It makes sense that this unique Jewish voice should exist in a place where there’s other Jewish voices as well,” Grant said. “We’re not just in the middle of nowhere in Scotland. We’re actually sort of among other Jewish communities here.”

While in Scotland, the café garnered significant controversy for its stances and actions, such as advocating for the abolishment of the police and for selling universal handcuff keys. Other merchandise on sale within its premises included “ACAB” patches, “Guillotine the rich” stickers, and “be gay do crimes” reading material.

Still from a video posted online by the Pink Peacock shows a police officer outside the cafe.[Missing Credit]

A 32-year-old staff member was arrested and charged with breaching the peace in 2023 after a tote bag with the words “F*** the police” was put in its high street-facing window.

At the time, the café did not reply to The Jewish Chronicle’s multiple requests for comment.

Announcing the café’s closure, its owners said staff were subjected to “antisemitic harassing calls” and “direct messages, emails, phone calls, cyber-stalking, physical stalking, broken windows, doxing, attempts at Nazi-infiltration.”

It blamed “burnout” of staff due to alleged antisemitism and “capitalism” for the cafe’s failure in Scotland.