Popular Brookline deli owner says business has been target of antisemitic vandalism

The owner of Michael's Deli in Coolidge Corner in Brookline, Massachusetts says he has been dealing with antisemitic vandalism for years, and this week it happened again.

"We've been targeted just for being a Jewish place," said Steven Peljovich, the owner of Michael's Deli.

For months now they've been the target of antisemitic messages like one posted this week on their store-front window.

"Once a week there'd be a sticker put on our door or a pamphlet stuck in the door, or something put over the picture of my family on the front door to the effect of don't support Israel, don't support Jews," Peljovich said.

Peljovich has owned Michael's Deli for the past 14 years.  On his front window he has a sticker that reads "Proudly Jewish." In his store there's an Israeli flag at the register and because of these things, he knows his deli is being targeted.

"It's not about what was done it's about the message about what was done," Peljovich said. "If you are just putting on the store that has a sign that says proudly Jewish on it then you are just targeting me for no other reason than you don't like me."

Fred Levitan has been coming to eat at the deli for 20 years. "As a Jew it makes me feel awful," Levitan said. "As a Brookline resident it still makes me feel awful."

On Friday state legislators, Brookline selectmen and Jewish community leaders came together to stand in solidarity in support of Peljovich.

"Putting stickers on the window of a shop just because it says proudly Jewish in the window as a way to attack Israel is clearly vandalism and it crosses the line into antisemitism," said Marc Baker, CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies. "This is the targeting of this man's shop."

"We wanted to show our support to Steven, the business owner who is very frustrated that because he is a proudly Jewish owned business that he is being targeted," said Samantha Joseph of the Anti-Defamation League.  

On Friday, the midday lunch line extended outside the deli because of its popularity.

"This community has been our lifeblood," Peljovich said. "We wouldn't have survived COVID without this community, and it's why we are very involved in the community."

Police are investigating the incidents.