Jews in Philly happily supported this Palestinian bagel shop owner. But he was hiding a nasty secret.

For over two decades, Nick Sammoudi, a Palestinian-American from Jordan, was a cherished figure in Philadelphia’s Main Line Jewish community. As the owner of New York Bagel Bakery in Lower Merion, a kosher establishment near several synagogues, he supplied bagels for Yom Kippur break-fasts, Shabbat luncheons, and countless lifecycle events like brit milahs. Jewish teenagers worked behind his counter, and his warm demeanor fostered a bond that seemed unshakable—until a discovery on social media unraveled it all.

Now, some in the community are demanding the revocation of the shop’s kosher certification, alleging that Sammoudi’s Facebook activity reveals a “double life” marked by support for violence against Israelis. A petition launched last week has amassed over 2,000 signatures, and a growing number of former patrons are boycotting the store. The controversy, which simmered locally for months, has erupted onto the national stage, igniting debates in pro-Israel online groups and exposing deep rifts in a once-harmonious relationship.

A Shocking Discovery

The unraveling began on October 6, 2024, the eve of the first anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel. A longtime customer, scrolling through Facebook, stumbled upon a profile under the name “Nasser Irsen”—Sammoudi’s first and middle names—linked to him through a mutual connection. The profile featured a 2017 photo identical to one on Sammoudi’s personal page and a 2015 image of him with New York Bagel employees in matching uniforms.

Since the October 7th attack, the account had taken a stark turn. Posts depicted Gaza’s destruction and suffering children, while others appeared to criticize Israel harshly or even praise the Hamas assault. One post, dated October 8, 2023, cited a Quranic verse about ancient Israelites facing divine retribution, paired with the caption, “The truth of God is great.” Another labeled Israeli soldiers as morally bankrupt and warned against trusting Palestinian leaders who collaborate with Israel, urging readers to “know your enemy.”

“It felt like a punch to the gut,” said one Lower Merion resident, speaking anonymously to protect their privacy. “This was someone I’d known forever, someone I trusted. I didn’t want to believe it, but how could I not say something?”

Community Response and Escalation

Disturbed, the resident shared the findings with a tight-knit group of Orthodox Jews, sparking a meeting that included a representative from Keystone-K, the kosher certification agency overseeing New York Bagel Bakery. Scott Friedman, a local synagogue member, pored over the posts using automated translations, later consulting an Arabic-speaking contact via an FBI acquaintance for verification. “You don’t have to love Jews, but you can’t celebrate their deaths and still run a kosher business,” Friedman told reporters. “This isn’t a gray area.”

The issue gained traction during the fall Jewish holidays, culminating in a meeting between Sammoudi and Rabbi Yonah Gross of Keystone-K shortly after Yom Kippur. On November 8, Gross released a statement acknowledging “information” about an employee’s Facebook page—without naming Sammoudi—and affirming that, after consulting law enforcement and experts, the bakery would retain its kosher status.

Unsatisfied, critics compiled a PDF titled “Nick and Hamas,” featuring translated screenshots of the posts, which they called a “horrifying endorsement of violence against Jews.” The document circulated widely, fueling outrage that reached a tipping point this month with Sylvan Garfunkel’s petition. Garfunkel, a local who learned of the issue in February, accused Keystone-K of downplaying a clear threat. “This isn’t just disappointing—it’s a betrayal of our safety,” he said. “How can someone who glorifies murder serve our community?”

Sammoudi’s Defense

Sammoudi, in an interview, denied hating Jews and insisted he sold the bakery months ago—though he declined to identify the new owner, noting he occasionally advises them. He admitted the “Nasser Irsen” profile is his, used to connect with Middle Eastern friends since leaving Jordan in 1990, but claimed some posts were hacked or misinterpreted. Regarding the October 8 Quranic post, he said he couldn’t recall it precisely.

“I’m not foolish enough to post that in a Jewish area,” he said, suggesting he’d have locked the profile if he intended such content. On his English-language Facebook, he’s addressed the accusations since October 2024, calling them “lies” and mourning the loss of 26-year friendships. In a November 10 post, he rejected terrorism, clarified that not all circulated posts were his, and apologized for any offense, while maintaining his loyalty to America and his Jewish neighbors.

A self-described critic of Israel, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority, Sammoudi envisions a single-state solution—Israeli or Palestinian, he says it doesn’t matter to him. He condemned the October 7 attack, predicting its devastating fallout for Gaza’s civilians, and said he avoided political symbols in his shop to keep it neutral.

A Community Divided

Despite the uproar, Keystone-K has stood firm, and no synagogues have formally boycotted the bakery, according to Sammoudi. Some locals still support him, but others feel irreparably betrayed. “I fed them for 27 years, went above and beyond, and now they won’t even pick up my calls,” he lamented. “It’s heartbreaking.”

The controversy has left Jewish leaders in Lower Merion reluctant to speak publicly—five rabbis declined comment—while anonymous communal figures grapple with the fallout. “Everyone’s afraid of saying the wrong thing,” one said. “It’s a moral tightrope over a bagel shop.” Another noted the irony of a community opposed to boycotts now facing calls for one, warning of unintended consequences.

Online, the debate rages on. The petition has spread across WhatsApp and hit the 120,000-member “Great Kosher Restaurant Foodies” Facebook group, where administrator Elan Kornblum called it “disturbing” before disabling comments amid heated arguments. Friedman questions how a kosher certification can endure with someone he sees as untrustworthy, while Sammoudi, who once dined at customers’ Shabbat tables, wonders how they could doubt him after decades together.

Soon, he may leave it all behind. Citing health issues, Sammoudi plans to return to Jordan, closing a chapter that began with bagels and ended in bitterness. For now, he remains a quiet presence in a local Jewish Facebook group, where his “like” on a post questioning the petition might hint at a lingering hope for reconciliation—or perhaps just resignation or maybe even guilt.

JTA contributed to this article.