A federal court in northern California has ordered Abd al-Rahim Harara, owner of Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, to pay plaintiff Michael R. Addis $59,000 for repeatedly violating court orders during the pretrial exchange of evidence.
In his October 29 ruling, Judge Thomas Hixson gave Harara 30 days to pay the amount, which covers expenses Addis incurred because of the violations. The sanction stems from Harara’s failure to comply with orders during discovery, the process through which parties exchange evidence before trial.
Hixson found that Harara had violated at least six court orders. Documents were provided late or incompletely, and emails were not turned over at all. The judge wrote that “he has no good excuse” for that failure. Explaining the financial sanction, he added: “He needs to pay for what he did.”
Judge criticizes Addis lawyers for aggressive litigation, high costs
According to his lawsuit, Addis entered Jerusalem Coffee House wearing a hat bearing a Star of David and the words “Am Yisrael Chai,” meaning “The people of Israel live,” and asked to buy a cookie.
An employee who had confronted him during a previous visit recognized him as “the guy with the hat” and told him he was not welcome. Addis alleges that Harara and another employee joined in forcing him out.
The lawsuit alleges that all three followed Addis into the street, calling him “Jew” and “Zionist.” He says he felt threatened and stepped into the roadway to get away from them. According to his account, they stopped following him only when a board member of the organization where he worked arrived. The court has not yet ruled on these allegations.
The cafe’s drink menu has also become part of the case. According to the US Justice Department, the business announced drinks named “Sweet Sinwar” and “Iced In Tea Fada,” a play on intifada, on the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre. The department cited the drinks as background to its discrimination allegations.
Palestinian business faces three lawsuits
As previously reported by Walla, the business faces three lawsuits: one from Addis, another from Jonathan Hirsch, who alleges that he and his five-year-old son were expelled because of a Star of David on his hat, and a third from the Justice Department. Assistant Attorney-General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon previously said a report from the community prompted the initial investigation.
The lawsuit from the Justice Department also alleged that the coffee house bore inverted red triangles on its walls, a symbol of violence against Jews that has been spray-painted on Jewish homes and synagogues in anti-Semitic attacks.
Jerusalem Coffee House closed in August to focus on the litigation. Its owners said they were suspending operations to prepare their legal defense and urged supporters to donate to a defense fund and buy merchandise. They deny the allegations and argue that the lawsuits are intended to silence their support for Palestinians.