Employees of Breads Bakery, famous for its babka and rugelach, specifically cited the business’s participation in a Jewish food festival, which they claimed was connected to IDF fundraising
January 9, 2026 14:47
Workers at a famous Israeli-owned bakery chain in New York City have called for the business to end its support for “Zionist projects” and the “Palestine genocide" as they announced that they would form a new union.
Breaking Breads, which now claims to represent more than the 30 per cent threshold of workers required under federal law to form a labour union, announced the withdrawal of support for Israel among their key demands amid a growing pay dispute.
“We see our struggles for fair pay, respect, and safety as connected to struggles against genocide and forces of exploitation around the world,” the group said in a statement.
"There are deep cultural changes that need to happen here, and we need to see accountability from upper management.”
Organisers cited the business’s participation in a Jewish food festival, the Great Nosh, as an example of these “Zionist projects”.
The event is billed as the “ultimate summer picnic” and last year boasted collaborations with New York institutions like Katz’s Deli, Apollo Bagels and Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani.
But Breaking Breads claimed it was “connected to organisations that donate millions each year to the IDF”.
The statement went on: “The workers refuse to participate in Zionist projects such as fundraisers that support the ‘Israeli’ occupation of Palestine…
"We cannot and will not ignore the implicit and explicit support this bakery has for Israel.”
Breaking Breads is an offshoot of a Tel Aviv-based bakery, with six locations in the US and both CEO Yonatan Floman and founder Gadi Peleg are Jewish Israelis.
It also hosted a fundraiser for Israel’s Magen David Adom ambulance service in the aftermath of October 7, selling heart-shaped challah baked by Israeli food influencer Ben Siman-Tov, which raised $20,000.
And it contributed its iconic black-and-white biscuits to a separate event, which raised $27,000 for Israeli food relief.
Representatives for the union also alleged poor working conditions, low pay and a lack of “respect” from management.
A spokesperson for Breads Bakery said: “Breads Bakery is built on love and genuine care for our team.
"We make babka; we don’t engage in politics. We celebrate peace and embrace people of all cultures and beliefs.
"We've always been a workplace where people of all backgrounds and viewpoints can come together around a common purpose, sharing in the joy and love of a bakery, and we find it troubling that divisive political issues are being introduced into our workplace."
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