There is a Jewish Deli in Brooklyn that closes for Ramadan – which makes perfect sense since the owner of David’s Brisket House, Riyadh Gazali, is an American-Muslim of Yemini descent.
First opened in the 1930s, David’s Brisket House was a traditional (though not kosher) deli offering classics such as Reubens and pastrami sandwiches (still popular today). In 1970, the deli was sold to two Yemini men — one was Jewish, the other Muslim. The Jewish owner left the business and the other, Riyadh’s uncle, became the sole owner. Today Riyadh runs the deli with his cousin Sultan, and his son Aladdin works in the kitchen.
In this short video, Riyadh comments about the unique set-up. “All kinds of people come here – to the point where you don’t get shocked if you see certain people of certain cultures serving certain food from another culture. Y’know, it’s just New York.”
Check out this related study on Muslim-Jewish relations, too!
