Trump Cancels Visit to Iconic Williamsburg Deli as Beloved Owner Passes Away

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A tragic turn of events led to the cancellation of former President Donald Trump’s planned visit to a renowned kosher deli in Brooklyn on Thursday. According to a report in The New York Post, the owner of the celebrated deli, Shalom Yoseph Gottleib, passed away at the age of 76 after suffering a heart attack, just days after being hospitalized with pneumonia. The visit to Gottlieb’s, a long-standing and beloved fixture in Hasidic Williamsburg, was meant to be a stop on Trump’s campaign trail before he headed to Washington, DC, to address a “Combatting Antisemitism” event.

Owner of Gottlieb’s allegedly dies hours ahead of Trump visit

Trump was to visit Gottlieb’s Deli in Williamsburg — where he enjoys support among the Hasidic Jewish community.

An MTA official tells me the appearance has been canceled.

Word is the owner had already been sick.… pic.twitter.com/owuycaLWeJ

— Common Threads (@CommonThreads__) September 19, 2024

The decision to visit Gottlieb’s was part of former President Trump’s broader campaign strategy to connect with key communities. However, with Gottleib’s sudden passing, the planned visit was canceled out of respect. Trump had been expected to stop by the deli before heading to Washington, D.C., for a “Combatting Antisemitism” event. According to The New York Post, Trump’s visit was primarily symbolic, aimed at strengthening ties with the Orthodox Jewish community, and showing support for Jewish-owned businesses such as Gottlieb’s.

Shalom Yoseph Gottleib, the deli’s soft-spoken and hardworking owner, was widely known in the local Jewish community for his generosity and kindness. His sudden passing left the community in shock. As reported by The New York Post, Rabbi Abe Friedman, a close friend of Gottleib, expressed the collective grief of the neighborhood. “Everybody’s in shock. He was a good person, and he was an icon because of the iconic restaurant he ran for a very long time,” Friedman said. Reflecting on the abrupt shift in mood, he added, “Going from welcoming Trump to a funeral is quite shocking.”

In the days leading up to his passing, Gottleib was still actively participating in family events. He was well enough to attend his granddaughter’s wedding just last week, according to The New York Post, before his health tragically declined. Despite his illness, Gottleib remained a constant source of joy and positivity. “He was a very good person, very charitable, always with a smile, always with a good word,” said Rabbi Bernard Frelich, a community leader from Borough Park. These qualities defined Gottleib, both as a businessman and as a member of the community.

Watch how Williamsburg residents reflect on Trump’s cancellation and the tragic passing of Mr. Gottlieb, a”h, owner of Gottlieb’s.
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— Rockland Daily (@Rockland_Daily) September 19, 2024

Gottleib was not only known for his successful restaurant but also for his deep sense of compassion and charity. The son of Holocaust survivors, Gottleib’s father, Shlomo Zelka, founded the deli in 1962 after fleeing the horrors of World War II. From its early days, Gottlieb’s deli became a pillar of the Hasidic community, serving as much more than just a place to eat. As Rabbi Moshe Indig, another prominent leader in the Jewish community, shared with The New York Post, “Let’s say someone came and told him their mother was sick, had to go to the hospital. He’d say, ‘How many portions do you need? Take it.’” This act of generosity was not uncommon for Gottleib, who was known to pack up leftover food before closing each Friday and distribute it to families in need.

Indig’s reflections painted a picture of Gottleib as a kind-hearted and deeply committed man who ran his business with the same warmth that he extended to those around him. “He was a real old-time gentleman,” Indig told The New York Post, adding, “This is a great loss for the community.” For the many who frequented the deli, Gottleib’s passing was not just the loss of a beloved restaurateur but the loss of someone who had consistently given back to the community he cherished.

“People used to come from all over, driving for hours to get here to get the gefilte fish, the matzo balls, the kishka, the knish — all the original, traditional foods,” Indig remarked while speaking with The New York Post. The deli served a broad array of classic Jewish dishes, from matzo ball soup to kishka, all while adhering to strict kosher laws, making it a must-visit for observant Jews from far and wide.

Gottleib’s death came as a shock to many, especially as his son, Menashe Gottleib, has been running the day-to-day operations of the deli in recent years. The restaurant, located on Roebling Street and Division Avenue, remains one of the last Glatt kosher delis in the country, a testament to the family’s dedication to maintaining strict Jewish dietary laws, as noted by The New York Post. Under Menashe’s leadership, the deli has continued to thrive, upholding the family’s legacy of serving traditional Jewish fare to the community.

While Gottleib was a devout practitioner of Judaism, he was notably apolitical, an aspect of his life that Rabbi Indig highlighted. According to The New York Post, Indig mentioned that Gottleib was “surprised” when Donald Trump’s team selected his deli as a campaign stop. “He was never involved in any politics, but somebody – I don’t know why, I don’t know who – picked this location for Trump’s visit,” Indig explained. The choice of the deli for a political visit was more about the deli’s iconic status within the community than any personal political affiliation. “It was good PR, but they had nothing to do with politics,” Indig emphasized.

The loss is particularly poignant given Gottleib’s heritage. His father, a Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor, founded the deli as a way to rebuild and sustain his family in post-war America. Under Shalom Yoseph Gottleib’s stewardship, Gottlieb’s became one of the few remaining Glatt kosher delis in the United States. As noted by The New York Post, this designation refers to the strict adherence to Jewish dietary laws, which among other requirements, mandate that the lungs of slaughtered animals be free of any defects.

Gottlieb’s deli has always been more than just a restaurant—it has been a staple of Hasidic Williamsburg, a place where families gather and traditions are upheld. Shalom Yoseph Gottleib embodied the values of community service, charity, and hard work, often working long hours at the deli every day. His passing leaves a void that will be felt deeply not just by the customers who relied on his delicious meals, but also by those in need who found kindness and support in his presence.

The cancellation of Trump’s visit, while a significant change in plans, pales in comparison to the grief and sense of loss felt by the community. The deli had long been a gathering spot for the neighborhood, a place where residents could enjoy traditional meals in an environment that adhered strictly to Jewish law. The New York Post reported that Trump’s campaign stop was expected to draw attention to the deli’s importance in the Hasidic community, but instead, the attention has turned to mourning the man who made it all possible.

Shalom Yoseph Gottleib’s funeral was scheduled for 2 p.m. at 172 Ross Street in Brooklyn, where friends, family, and community members will gather to pay their final respects to a man who was as much a part of the fabric of Williamsburg as the deli he ran. His funeral is expected to draw a large crowd, as his generosity and kindness touched many lives, both through his business and through his charitable works.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s campaign continues as the former president makes a rare stop in New York, a state where he has little chance of securing a victory in the 2024 election. On Wednesday, Trump visited PubKey, a Bitcoin bar in Manhattan, before holding a campaign rally at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. According to The New York Post, Trump’s focus on New York is part of a strategy to energize his base and secure support for Republican candidates in down-ballot races, particularly on Long Island, where control of the House could be decided next year.