Why Mizrahi Jews are fighting erasure in New York City

Fourteen Sephardi and Mizrahi organizations, coordinated by JIMENA, sent a letter to New York magazine on August 25, protesting the exclusion of Jewish establishments from its "Habibi City" issue. The article, which focused on New York's SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) cultural scene, omitted Middle Eastern Jewish restaurants and other non-Arab Middle Eastern cultures, equating SWANA with a specific, anti-Zionist Muslim identity. The letter stated, "Include us as we are," challenging the magazine's portrayal of Jews only as "Arab Jews" who disavow Zionism.

• The article also criticized the magazine for linking the growth of SWANA culture to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, proclaiming, "Out of resistance, a cultural ecosystem started to bloom."
• This erasure of Mizrahi Jewish culture, including their historical ties to Middle Eastern foods, is part of a broader trend also seen in London, where Time Out London initially excluded Israeli restaurants from its listings.
• Following the backlash, New York magazine's editor-in-chief, David Haskell, agreed to meet with the signatories and ensure future coverage reflects "the multiple perspectives of the region."