Hate Closed Her Ethiopian-Jewish Cafe, But Beta Israel Owner Beejhy Barhany Won’t Stop Serving Love!

Beejhy Barhany, the pioneer of Ethiopian Israeli cuisine in Harlem, discusses the Black Jewish experience with Jonah Platt and why she’s closing Tsion Cafe to the public. In this special on-location episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt, we travel to the historic Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem to visit Tsion Cafe—America’s first and only Ethiopian Israeli restaurant. Proprietor and Executive Chef Beejhy Barhany shares her incredible journey as an ambassador of the Beta Israel community, from her family's treacherous month-long trek from Ethiopia to Sudan to her upbringing in an Israeli kibbutz. Beejhy opens up about the painful decision to close her dining room to the daily public due to persistent anti-Zionist hate and harassment that accelerated after October 7th. Despite these challenges, she remains a "boss" in the culinary world, using food to nourish her community and educate others on Jewish diversity and Black excellence. In this episode, we explore: - The History of Tsion Cafe: How a former Harlem Renaissance hotspot (where Malcolm X once worked!) became a hub for Ethiopian Jewish culture. - A Journey of Resilience: Beejhy’s story of keeping Shabbat while fleeing Ethiopia and her deep spiritual connection to Zion. - Cultural Fusion: A taste of authentic Ethiopian espresso, honey wine, and "Jew-thiopian" cuisine like Malawach and Shakshuka. - The Impact of Hate: A raw conversation on the harassment facing Jewish business owners and the need for a "reset" to focus on education and private events. 00:00 - Introduction to Beejhy Barhany od Tsion Cafe 04:00 - The History of the Space 07:58 - Facing Hate and Closing Doors 16:35 - Reclaiming the Meaning of Zion 20:01 - Journey from Ethiopia to Israel 30:15 - Building a Life in Harlem 40:48 - Black Jewish Excellence & Food 45:15 - Cooking Lesson: Ethiopian Samosas 54:10 - Quickfire: Five Deep Questions 58:15 - Conclusion and Farewell Follow Beejhy On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/beejhysgursha/ Tsion Cafe Website - https://www.tsioncafe.com/ Thank You To Our Sponsors: Jewish Communal Fund - https://jcfny.org Chutzpod - https://chutzpod.com Support the Show: Enjoying the podcast? Please take 30 seconds to leave a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and Spotify! #BeingJewish #JonahPlatt #EthiopianJewish #JewishPodcast #BetaIsrael #HarlemHistory #TsionCafe #JewishDiversity #IsraeliCuisine #BlackJewish #BlackExcellence #BeejhyBarhany