Ashkelon Restaurant Continues Legacy Amidst Personal Tragedy
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Chani Heinic continues her family's 77-year-old restaurant legacy in Ashkelon, "Hani's Victory," despite personal tragedy. Her brother, Reuven Heinic, was murdered by terrorists on October 9, 2023, after returning to his work at a kibbutz barn. Heinic's restaurant, known for Romanian-inspired dishes like chorba and stuffed cabbage, maintains a lively atmosphere. She aims to broaden the restaurant's appeal beyond its traditional Romanian roots, serving a diverse clientele.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Chani Heinic is continuing her family's 77-year-old restaurant legacy in Ashkelon, "Hani's Victory."
- Her brother, Reuven Heinic, was murdered by terrorists on October 9, 2023, at Kibbutz Kissufim.
- The restaurant serves traditional Romanian-inspired dishes, including chorba, stuffed cabbage, and Papanasi.
- Heinic aims to make the restaurant appealing to a wider audience beyond its Romanian roots.
- The establishment has been in operation since 1949, with Heinic taking over the legacy in recent years.
Chani Heinic, owner of "Hani's Victory" in Ashkelon, is keeping a 77-year-old culinary tradition alive, even after experiencing profound personal loss. The restaurant, originally opened in 1949 by Yeshayahu and Surika Leibushur and later joined by Heinic's parents, Gabriella and Yosef Heinic, was a fixture on Ashkelon's main street. After the founding generation retired and the original location closed in 2019, Heinic decided to continue the legacy, initially operating a weekend eatery from her home before opening the current restaurant in the old market complex.
Heinic's journey has been marked by immense hardship, particularly in the last three years. Her brother, Reuven Heinic, was murdered on October 9, 2023, by Hamas terrorists who had hidden in a barn at Kibbutz Kissufim, where he worked. He had returned to feed and milk the cows two days after the October 7th massacre, despite the risks. His body was only identified ten days later. Heinic herself lost her home to a rocket on the same day her brother was killed.
Despite these tragedies, Heinic maintains a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere in her restaurant, which she runs with her partner, Dafi Rotenberg. She serves a menu of Romanian-inspired dishes, including her signature "Chorba de Puișori" (Romanian sour vegetable soup with chicken meatballs), Romanian eggplant salad, and Ikra. Other popular items include stuffed cabbage, Romanian kofte, and Papanasi (fried doughnuts) for dessert. A "Reuven Schnitzel" is also offered in memory of her brother, who loved meat.
Heinic is keen to move beyond the "Romanian restaurant" label, finding it "unsexy" and associated with a niche Ashkenazi clientele. She aims for a broader appeal, noting that many of her customers now come from Tel Aviv. The restaurant, while one of Israel's oldest, avoids self-importance, offering a lively, homey, and joyful dining experience. Heinic and Rotenberg, both previously married to men and with grown children, have also navigated societal conventions in Ashkelon and now, profound grief, all while sustaining this historic establishment.