Café associated with Jews for Jesus will close on Shabbat due to 'friction and danger'
The Jerusalem café associated with Jews for Jesus, Café Basimta, which had orginally garned attention and protest over its decision to open on the Sabbath, announced today that it will close on Shabbat.
In a statement released to media, the café said, "The decision was made after a long deliberation and a heavy heart, out of a desire to prevent and lower the hearts and restore calm to the café."
Eli Birnbaum, Chief Innovation Officer for Jews for Jesus, said "This is a difficult and painful decision that stems from a deep responsibility to our customers, to our faith, and to Israeli society as a whole. Over the past few months, the café has become a focus of friction and danger, a reality that contradicts our identity as Jews who believe in Yeshua and our belief in love of others, respect and closeness between people, even in the face of those who oppose us."
"Now we want to return Café Basimta to be what it was meant to be: a calm, pleasant, and open place of coffee, culture and dialogue."
The café has faced weekly protests for over two months by ultra-Orthodox Jews over the decision to open on the biblical day of rest.
