NYC Eatery Faces Backlash Over 'Israeli' Arayes Dish

A Manhattan pita shop, Shifka, owned by Israeli restaurateur Amir Nathan, has become the center of a culinary controversy after adding the dish 'arayes' to its menu. Pro-Palestinian organizations and activists have launched a protest campaign, questioning "Can you steal a cuisine?" They accuse the restaurant of presenting an Arab-Levantine dish as Israeli, labeling it as another instance of "erasing Palestinian and Arab identity." Social media users have echoed these sentiments, with some pointing out that the Hebrew language lacks the Arabic letter 'ayn' found in 'arayes'.

Interestingly, Shifka's original Instagram post did not label the dish as Israeli. Nathan described it as a "Middle Eastern classic built around a simple idea, seasoned ground beef stuffed into a pita and grilled until golden and crispy." The menu features a beef, caramelized onion, and tahini-yogurt sauce version. The 'Israeli' branding stemmed from Shifka's coverage since opening and Nathan's declared identity. Critics, however, found the mere presence of an Arab dish in an Israeli-identified restaurant sufficient grounds for protest.

There is no dispute that arayes is an Arab-Levantine dish, particularly common in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestinian cuisine, and well-known in Israel. Its name is the plural of the Arabic word for 'bride,' with a popular explanation being that the meat and bread are 'married' on the grill. Like many regional dishes, pinpointing a single national origin is difficult, as it has long traveled across kitchens and borders.

The New York debate, therefore, is not about the recipe but about credit and the power of an Israeli brand to claim regional food as its own narrative. Shifka, which opened in October 2025, is a faster, more affordable iteration of Sami & Susu, a Mediterranean wine bar and restaurant opened by Nathan and chef Jordan Anderson during the pandemic. Sami & Susu received a Michelin Bib Gourmand for four consecutive years.

Nathan, who hails from Beersheba, co-owns Shifka with Anderson, Daniel Tartel, and Eli Bendali. Before opening, Nathan, Anderson, and Bendali traveled through Israel for research, exploring flavors from Iraq to Yemen and East Jerusalem, aiming to showcase the cultural fusion inherent in the food Nathan grew up with. The menu reflects this diversity, featuring dishes like schnitzel with Yemenite sauce, sabich, lamb kebab with mango, and Tunisian malawach.