German Jews raise $40k to save Halle kebab shop hit in deadly neo-Nazi attack

Students run online campaign to prevent bankruptcy of eatery amid COVID-19 crisis; diner was shot dead last year on Yom Kippur as gunman failed to enter synagogue

By Cnaan Liphshiz 11 March 2021, 8:53 am

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Cnaan Liphshiz was a Jewish World reporter at The Times of Israel

Flowers and candles lie in memory of the victim of a right-wing shooting attack in 2019 in front of the kebab shop where killing took place, in Halle, Germany, October 9, 2020. (Hendrik Schmidt/dpa via AP)

JTA — Jewish students in Germany have raised more than $40,000 to help the owner of the kebab shop in Halle that was attacked after a neo-Nazi gunman was unable to enter a nearby synagogue.

The Jewish Student Union Germany started a GoFundMe campaign last year to assist Ismet Tekin, who owns the shop with his brother, surpassing by far its original goal of 7,000 euros — about $8,300 — Deutsche Welle reported.

Tekin’s business suffered massive losses and was on the verge of bankruptcy because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a drop in sales following the 2019 attack on Yom Kippur. A neo-Nazi killed a woman and a diner after failing to enter the synagogue. He has since been sentenced to life in prison.

Tekin was not injured and thus the shop does not qualify for assistance under the Victims Compensation Act.

The attacker reportedly said he targeted the shop because it was Muslim-owned.

Tekin and his partner now have enough money to stay open for the foreseeable future and renovate the restaurant, Deutsche Welle reported. They plan to add tables to the backroom for when restaurants reopen in Germany.