Jaffa Bakery Branch Shut Down for Employing Illegal Workers
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Police have shut down an Abulafia bakery branch in Jaffa for 30 days due to the employment of five undocumented workers. This is the third such closure for the chain in six months, following similar incidents at another branch in Tel Aviv. The closures aim to combat illegal employment and impose financial penalties on businesses. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- An Abulafia bakery branch in Jaffa was shut down for 30 days by police.
- Five undocumented workers were discovered employed at the Jaffa branch.
- This is the third administrative closure for an Abulafia branch in six months.
- A previous branch closure in Tel Aviv also involved undocumented workers.
- The closures are part of a police crackdown on illegal employment in the restaurant industry.
Police have ordered the temporary closure of an Abulafia bakery branch in Jaffa for 30 days, effective November 10 to December 9, 2026. The decision by the Tel Aviv District Commander follows the discovery of five individuals suspected of working without proper permits in the restaurant area of the establishment on Jaffa's Shlavim Street. The inspection was part of an ongoing enforcement operation against the employment of undocumented workers.
This closure marks the third administrative shutdown of an Abulafia branch within approximately six months. Earlier in November, a Tel Aviv branch on HaShlosha Street was closed for 30 days after three undocumented workers were found employed there, leading to a criminal investigation against the management. That HaShlosha Street branch had previously been shut down in June for a similar offense, when seven undocumented workers were found. In that June incident, the owner, Mahmoud Abulafia, stated the workers were hired through an external staffing agency and pledged full cooperation with authorities. The court had reduced the duration of that earlier closure to two weeks.
The police emphasized that investigations are ongoing to hold those involved accountable and that enforcement actions against employers, facilitators, and those who shelter undocumented individuals will continue. The administrative closures, in addition to potential criminal proceedings, impose significant operational and financial damage on businesses through lost workdays and revenue. It remains to be seen if the Jaffa branch owners will pursue legal action to shorten the closure period, similar to the previous case.
