Jewish Deli Owner Apologizes For Nazi Cartoon On High Holidays Catering Menu
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — The Jewish owner of a Jewish deli in suburban Chicago has come under fire for a cartoon of a Nazi resembling Donald Trump on its High Holidays catering menu.
The menu was posted on the Max’s Deli Facebook page on Aug. 23, but only began to gain notice on Thursday.
The doodled figure wears a military uniform and has a Nazi swastika armband, and is wearing a T-shirt that reads “I’m With Alt-Right.” The figure’s blonde hair is evocative of Trump.
The post, which also references the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville also reads: “It was never true, “Never Forget.” It was a lie, “Never Forget.” Look how easily we pretend nothing’s happening. Or the problem is Steve Bannon instead of Donald Trump.”
Deli owner Greg Morelli posted an apology on Friday, a day after several news stories by local media.
Under the heading “Atonement,” the post read in part:”3 Little Words. I Was Wrong. To those of you who called, who reached out, who saw me against the ropes, who offered a hand instead of a fist, L’Chaim! To those of you who bashed, who reacted without thinking, who fed on the indignation of others, who threatened my business, L’Chaim!”
Other menus posted on Facebook in recent days featured references to Charlottesville and the NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protests.
Morelli told the Chicago NBC affiliate that he was afraid to not speak up during this moment in history.
“I’m a Jew. I cannot pretend, in this movement, that I’m not afraid—but I’m also afraid of being afraid I’m not going to go quietly on a train,” he said.
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
