Jewish Deli Owner Apologizes For Nazi Cartoon On High Holidays Catering Menu
(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.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.