Boycott of Jewish businesses sparks surge of support for Center City eatery

Hundreds of people showing up to support Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses in Rittenhouse Square over the weekend amid a bicycle boycott organized against them. This made national news. And tonight, a sacred gathering in Center City to reflect on a terrifying night for the Jewish people 88 years later. Our Jennifer Joyce is live on the parkway. And Jenny, this planned bike boycott happened on the eve of Kristallnacht, which in 1938 was a day the Nazis terrorized Jewish business. This is an event that's bringing multiple faiths together here at the Holocaust Memorial at 16th and Ben Franklin Parkway. This anniversary of Kristallnacht, also one day after an organization planned a boycott of Jewish businesses in Center City that some might say backfired. I'm so scared. We ran out of food yesterday. People were good to us. Now, Marty Lieberman, owner of Mac Mart, a mac and cheesery kiosk in Center City, working to restock the shelves and fulfill catering orders after a boycott of targeted Jewish and Israeli businesses backfired. Instead, Lieberman says they receive support from all over the world and from people of all faiths. I've had evangelical Christians call me. I've had churches call me. I've had wonderful Muslim customers call me. People from all over of every kind show support and I think it it tells you who we are. It tells you what this community is about and it tells you that people like mac and cheese. Lieberman says she keeps religion and politics out of her business. I mean they said that I send my money to the IDF. They said that I support foundations that aid in what is going on right now in the Middle East and it's just not true. Yesterday's boycott was especially upsetting given the timing. It was on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, which is the night of broken glass, which is where in Nazi Germany they went around and they broke the glass of all Jewish businesses, assaulted the owners. But a bright spot. Lieberman tells us with the outpouring of support they've received, they have enough donations to gift hundreds of trays of mac and cheese to those in need through the new year. For us, even being Jewish, a mitzvah is to give back. They're giving us something positive. Let's put positive back out there. And Philly Bike on your left has said it's going to have a return boycott on Sunday, November 15th. I reached out to the organization on its social media page. I have not yet heard back. Shiva? Yeah, they haven't given any public statements on camera. So it'll be interesting to see with this next boycott scheduled if we'll be able to have anybody come to the camera and address these planned boycotts. All right, Jenny, thank you.