‘Furious and heartbroken’: Wife slams Nomad restaurant founder over Nazi sign
Rebecca Yazbek has written to Nomad restaurant patrons expressing her anger and ‘heartbreak’ over husband Al Yazbek’s Nazi sign protest, on the eve of his appearance in a Sydney court.
Rebecca Yazbek, the wife of embattled Nomad restaurant founder Al Yazbek, has criticised her husband for his offensive display of a Nazi symbol at a pro-Palestine rally, saying she was “furious with his actions and heartbroken by the harm they caused”.
In a message emailed to Nomad patrons, Ms Yazbek said her husband was no longer involved in the management of the business.
“I fully understand the disappointment and frustration felt by those affected, and I am committed to doing everything possible to restore your trust,” she said.
Mass cancellations have been reported at the couple’s up-market restaurants Nomad Sydney, Nomad Melbourne and Reine & La Rue, with major corporations cancelling events and business relationships after Mr Yazbek was charged with knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol in public.
The sign displayed a swastika superimposed on an Israeli flag with the words “Stop Nazi Israel” emblazoned on it.
The message from Ms Yazbek, an interior architect who helped build the celebrated restaurant empire, comes as her husband is set to face the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.
“We deeply regret the impact his actions have had on the community, and for that, we sincerely apologise”, Ms Yazbek said.
Mr Yazbek has previously apologised “unequivocally” for his conduct, but that apology was undermined when The Australian revealed last week that he was questioned by police after acting suspiciously outside a Bondi synagogue in Sydney’s east in 2014, where his car was found loaded with “water bomb” balloons.
The next day, Mr Yazbek made his way into a rally for Israel in nearby Dover Heights where more than 10,000 members of Sydney’s Jewish community had gathered, before the restaurateur was spotted by security and removed by police.
Police also spoke to Ms Yazbek who was found in a car outside the event and said she was waiting for her husband.
After those revelations, Mr Yazbek told The Australian he would be standing down from the Nomad business, for the sake of his family, staff and customers, to attend an ashram in India.
Jewish community leaders were alarmed by Mr Yazbek’s conduct and claimed his display of a swastika superimposed on an Israeli flag was not a one-off event but that the high-profile restaurateur “has form” stretching back at least decade.
However, on Wednesday Ms Yazbek claimed that “for over ten years, NOMAD Group has operated on the basis of inclusivity, integrity, respect, dedication, and excellence. This remains unchanged.
“Our actions in response to Al’s behaviour demonstrate our commitment to honouring these values.”
In answer to a series of questions from The Australian last week, Mr Yazbek admitted he had gone to the synagogue in 2014 to throw water bombs, mistakenly believing the Israel rally was to be held there.
He denied he had gone to the Jewish rally the following day to cause trouble.
“The next day, Rebecca and I were going for a walk with our dog. I asked her to detour so that I could listen to the event – that’s all,” he said. “I was simply going to listen to the speeches.
“I have put at risk my family, my staff and my restaurants. I’ve also, strangely, helped to inflame the discourse in Australia. My intent was the opposite.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin told The Australian: “No one took his apology seriously, which predictably referred to ‘Jewish friends’ and a ‘support for diversity’ to mask deplorable actions. These latest revelations show a pattern of vilification and harassment of Jewish Australians going back a decade.
“Both incidents weren’t spontaneous emotional outbursts but involved planning and premeditation suggesting a disturbing level of fixation,” he said.
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