A Melbourne Greek restaurant has rejected online hate and a bomb threat after hosting a joint Jewish-Greek cultural evening.
On Facebook, the owner insists it will keep bringing the communities together. Last Friday the Mediterranean Greek Tavern in Elsternwick staged a night that mixed the two traditions.
Guests dressed in white, challah sat beside Greek dishes, prayers were said, and a bouzouki band played Hava Nagila alongside music from Zorba the Greek.
The dinner marked six months of Shabbat Club Australia.
Table setting at the Mediterranean Greek Tavern (photo: Facebook)
The series offers relaxed, modern gatherings designed to let younger people experience Shabbat without the formality of a synagogue.
Owner Perry Le Greco called it a simple celebration of life, family and shared values. Most guests were Jewish, though several Greeks joined in.
He noted how closely the cultures align around food, community and hospitality.
Club founder Chrystal Dias started the dinners to counter isolation and antisemitism by offering an easy, inclusive entry point.
Events are usually limited to about 22 people, with the venue kept secret until 48 hours beforehand.
Earlier nights have been held at other Melbourne spots. Friday’s larger gathering had a long waiting list.
The next day the restaurant posted warmly about the young crowd. Supportive replies came first, then a surge of abuse via social media.
Commenters called the hosts sell-outs, accused them of supporting “genocide killers,” urged that Jews be deported, and one reportedly openly called for the tavern to be bombed.
One of the antisemitic comments on the restaurant’s Facebook page
Le Greco described the threat as “insane”.
On Facebook the restaurant said it had received a number of abusive and hateful messages about an evening meant only to celebrate friendship, culture, food and music.
It asked how anyone could find hatred in a night built to bring people together. The post reminded critics that real people stand on the receiving end.
The owners declared they would not be intimidated or let hatred dictate their actions. They would continue celebrating both communities and the ability to gather with respect.
“There is enough division in the world already. We choose unity.”
An update followed: because the commenters posted under their own names, the restaurant decided to identify them publicly.
It gave them their “five minutes of fame” and left others to judge the writers.
He noted the writers made no effort to hide and hoped colleagues or family might call them out. After legal advice, Le Greco made about 23 of the posts public.
He stressed the restaurant is not trying to impose any culture but is simply combining Greek and Jewish heritage with Australian values.
The abuse felt especially jarring so soon after the Royal Commission into antisemitism.
Dias said the backlash has already damaged the restaurant and the club’s reputation. Some venues have declined to host future events, and she fears more will now refuse.
But both she and Le Greco say they will continue. Backing down, Le Greco argued, would only show that hate can defeat common sense.
This is not the first time the tavern has faced hostility for supporting its Jewish neighbours.
In the days after the October 2023 Hamas attacks, Le Greco posted a message of solidarity on Facebook.
He told Jewish customers the restaurant was thinking of them and hoping their families and friends in Israel were safe.
He noted the Jewish community had been wonderful friends for 22 years.
The post triggered a flood of abuse and the loss of 90 per cent of bookings overnight.
Callers labelled him a “f***ing dog”, accused him of choosing sides, and called him a “f***ing Jew lover”.
What unsettled him most was that the abuse came from well-spoken Australians rather than members of Palestinian or Lebanese communities.
Local MP David Southwick raised the restaurant’s plight on Melbourne radio. This prompted more than 200 messages and calls of support that helped restore trade.
Le Greco said the community’s response had “blown him away.”
The latest episode has only reinforced the owners’ determination to keep the doors open to shared celebration.
Dining and Cooking