The cousin of released hostage Luis Har was targeted in an antisemitic attack at a restaurant in New York on Saturday, he told the New York Post.
Josh Tepper was having a business meeting at El Cabron Taqueria on Essex Street when someone poured a pitcher of water over his head and yelled, “Free Palestine.” He said he believed the attack occurred after he mentioned a desire to visit Tel Aviv in his conversation, which was reportedly overheard.
“Literally, out of nowhere, this guy took a pitcher — swear to God — and poured it on me, on the table. My phone was covered. And he said ‘Free Palestine,’ and he said something else that I kind of blocked out, and he just walked right out.”
According to restaurant staff, the assailant had asked for the pitcher saying he was thirsty, but dumped it on Tepper instead.
Tepper told the Post “It was a very shocking experience.”
Increased vigilance
"I’ve lived in New York for 28 years; I’m from here. I’m very proud to be Jewish, went to Jewish state school. Never have I ever in that way been accosted for being Jewish.”
He added that he has become more vigilant since the October 7 attacks. “I’m always on alert because I’m Jewish, especially now. But this was to a new level,” he said.
“It’s been like a year and a half, almost two years of things just progressively getting worse, and more and more of my friends are having nuanced experiences like this.”
Tepper's cousin, Luis Har, was abducted on October 7 from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak and was later freed in a daring military operation in Rafah in February 2024.