My Favorite Coffeeshop Put Up An Anti Semitic Sign. Now What?

The un-neighborly vibes of political slogans

Photo taken by the author

I leapt out of the train station and fast walked home with the determined pace of a New Yorker on a mission. My two-day visit was already on a countdown. Before being immersed in the commotion of family, I had one singular goal — to savor the perfect latte from my favorite coffee shop in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, renowned for its Yemeni coffee.

Having been intrigued by coffee from Yemen after reading “The Monk of Mokha,” I was thrilled when this boutique cafe was established in this working-class Latino neighborhood in which I grew up.

Nestled in an expanse of bodegas and food carts selling colorful jugs of agua frescas, I sometimes yearned to savor something different—an expensive porcelain mug of sheik privilege.

I hurried home, threw down my luggage and readied myself to go out again. I blissfully soaked up the sun and relished the thought of having a quiet moment with my special drink.

But just a few steps away from the cafe, I stopped in my tracks.

Right next to the door was a sign, beautifully drawn and unfailingly clear:

“From the River to the Sea”