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Edited by:  TJVNews.com

Abdul Elenani, a 31-year-old Palestinian restaurant chain owner, is organizing a free Sabbath dinner on Friday as a gesture of appreciation to his Jewish customers and an effort to foster community harmony, according to a recently published report in the New York Post.  Elenani, who faced backlash over his restaurant’s controversial “river to the sea” menu header, aims to use this event to bring Jews and Muslims together, transcending cultural and political divides through the universal language of food.

Elenani is the owner of Ayat, a chain of Palestinian eateries named after his wife, a 34-year-old lawyer and the daughter of Palestinian immigrants. The Post report indicated that the restaurant has gained popularity with locations in such New York City neighborhoods as the East Village, and in areas of Brooklyn such as Ditmas Park, Bay Ridge, Industry City, Staten Island, and Allentown, Pa., since its launch in 2020. Elenani’s venture into the restaurant business during the pandemic reflects his commitment to bringing people together through shared culinary experiences.

Ayat restaurant drew attention for its “from the river to the sea” fish options on the menu, particularly in the aftermath of the brutal October 7^th Hamas terrorist attack in Israel which claimed the lives of 1200 Israelis and others, according to the report in the Post. The Anti-Defamation League labeled the phrase anti-Semitic, contending that it implies a call for the destruction of the state of Israel and the annihilation of Jews. Elenani, however, maintains that the phrase signifies the pursuit of equal rights and freedoms for Palestinians in their homeland, emphasizing peace and freedom, the Post report added.

The controversial messaging led to death threats and negative reviews for Elenani’s restaurant chain. Despite the challenges, he remains steadfast in providing his own interpretation of the phrase and controlling the narrative, as was indicated in the Post report. Notably, Elenani has received unexpected support from his Jewish customers, and the free Sabbath dinner is intended as a gesture of gratitude for their backing during trying times.

The upcoming Sabbath dinner, hosted at Ayat’s latest location in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, is a tangible expression of Elenani’s desire to unite people from diverse backgrounds. He envisions the dinner as a means to bring Jews and Muslims together under one roof, transcending the Middle East conflict, the report in the Post said. Elenani believes that food has the power to unite people and hopes to create an environment where differences can be celebrated.

Born in New York to Egyptian immigrants, Elenani sees the Sabbath dinner as a crucial step toward realizing his larger restaurant vision. He envisions a massive warehouse with a kosher kitchen on one side, a halal kitchen on the other, and communal tables in the middle. In this setting, individuals from different backgrounds would sit together, breaking bread and discussing life in an atmosphere of understanding and compassion, according to the report in the Post. Elenani believes that creating spaces that bring people together is essential, especially amid societal divisions fueled by politics.

Elenani emphasized the timeliness of his vision, countering the prevailing negativity by bringing opposites together. He rejected the notion of inherent differences, asserting that people share commonalities that should unite rather than divide them, as was indicated in the Post report. The separation, he believes, is senseless and a consequence of political influences.

Aside from his ventures in the restaurant industry, Elenani works as a building contractor and owns a farm in central New Jersey. His passion for the restaurant business was evident pre-pandemic when he launched Cocoa Grinder, a chain of coffee shops in Brooklyn that roasts its own beans, according to the information provided in the Post report. Additionally, Elenani and Masoud recently became parents to a 2-month-old daughter, a transformative experience that has influenced Elenani’s perspective on life and self-reflection.

The arrival of their daughter has prompted Elenani to reevaluate his life and question the kind of person he is. Parenthood has brought about a shift in his demeanor, making him more nurturing and contemplative. The responsibility of caring for another life has led him to assess how he is perceived by his child and the world, prompting self-reflection and a commitment to being a positive influence, according to the report in the Post.