‘We are losing sight of human beings’: Tears, hugs and singing after Miznon clash

Every Friday evening after dinner service, staff and diners at Israeli restaurant Miznon Melbourne gather for Shabbat – the Jewish day of rest.

But as staff closed their doors last Friday night, they were sweeping away the shards of a broken front window and the remains of tomatoes that had been hurled by a crowd of protesters.

Only an hour before, a splinter group from an anti-police protest in Melbourne’s CBD had gathered at the restaurant’s entry, yelling offensive chants at diners and upending tables.

The incident had left all of those in the Hardware Lane restaurant shaken, but it continued with its Friday night tradition nevertheless.

When head chef Afik Gal apologised to his staff and the diners who had lingered for Shabbat, one of the staff behind the counter was wiping away tears.

“I owe you a big apology for what happened here tonight,” Gal said. “We have people from all around the world here, and you’ve been dragged against your will for something that has nothing to do with you.”

Miznon restaurant on TuesdayCredit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Staff members, who had had anti-Israel Defence Forces slogans shouted at them, watched solemnly, some of them holding on to each other.

Gal said he wished with “all of [his] being and all of [his] heart” that humanity would prevail.

“I think one of the most extreme and unfair and horrific injustices of the whole situation … [on] any side of the equation and of the conflict is that we are losing sight of human beings,” he said.

“We are not able to see people in front of us as human beings. They always represent something. They’re either with me or against me. They belong to that. They belong to this.”

The aftermath at Miznon on Friday night.Credit: Alex Zucco

In the days preceding the incident, Miznon had been identified on social media as a target by activists over the links of Israeli co-owner Shahar Segal to controversial Israeli and US-linked charity the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

Talia Sofizade, an Israeli national from the UK, was enjoying a dinner with two other Jewish friends at the restaurant on Friday night when she heard “All Zionists are terrorists” being shouted over a megaphone.

Sofizade said her first response was anger.

“I just saw red. I could see a lot of people scared,” she said, describing being blockaded in the venue during the attack.

Talia Sofizade was a diner at Miznon during the confrontation on Friday night

The entire ordeal lasted about half an hour, but as she and other customers sat trapped, Sofizade said, it felt like forever.

“My friend came and hugged me and I just burst into tears and started shaking.”

Sofizade is now back in Israel and said she intended to return to Melbourne to finish her circus arts course in July, but had “no interest in staying in Australia” and that the incident was her “tipping point”.

“I feel safer here [in Israel] than I do in Melbourne.”

In footage obtained by this masthead of the immediate aftermath of the incident, diners can be seen singing Jewish songs in solidarity as they return to tables to finish their meals.

At the Shabbat, Nina Sanadze, a friend of Miznon’s owners who arrived after hearing of the incident, described a scene of “resilience” as candles were lit, songs continued to be sung and challah, a ceremonial Jewish bread, was shared.

“People took a symbolic pinch of challah … we were not in the mood to eat. It was more a thing of tradition and … to stand together,” she said.

In his speech, Gal said it was important for him to carry on with the Shabbat, despite what had happened.

“It’s a little bit of a demonstration of perseverance that I think is one of the things that’s really needed,” he said. “For me, Miznon is about spreading love and spreading light through food.”

In another video taken on the night, Miznon manager Nicole expressed her pride in the restaurant staff.

“They are not just incredible chefs, they are not just really good waitresses … they are family,” she said. “[Former staff] come back to visit … they send friends to work with us. We are really happy working [here].”

At the conclusion of Gal’s speech, he can be seen lighting two candles and saying a series of blessings to the “light of the world … the light in human beings and ... the light of justice and peace”. Blessings he said, “may be more important than ever”.

The staff and diners respond with “Shabbat shalom” – have a peaceful Shabbat.

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