Chabad Emissary Revisits Non-Kosher Restaurant That Transformed Into a Kosher, Shabbat-Closed Branch

Seven years after regularly visiting a non-kosher restaurant in Rosh Pina as a young yeshiva student to lay tefillin and speak about Judaism, Chabad emissary Rabbi Bentzi Friedman returned to find the branch had undergone a dramatic transformation. The franchisee, Nissim, had fought the restaurant chain’s management, invested hundreds of thousands of shekels to close the branch on Shabbat, and converted it into a kosher establishment, doubling its monthly revenue from about 300,000-350,000 shekels to nearly twice that amount.

Rabbi Friedman recalled how during his weekly visits, he repeatedly urged Nissim to close the restaurant on Shabbat, emphasizing the spiritual importance of Shabbat observance. Although Nissim wanted to comply, he faced resistance from the chain’s management. Months before Friedman left for study in New York, another dairy restaurant in Rosh Pina had become kosher and closed on Shabbat, partly due to Friedman’s encouragement. However, Nissim explained that the key decision was not his alone.

Recently, during a family trip to Rosh Pina, Friedman noticed the restaurant’s new kosher certification and Shabbat closure. Meeting Nissim again, he learned about the intense battles behind the scenes, including Nissim’s ultimatum to management to close on Shabbat or resign. After two weeks, the chain agreed to close the branch on Shabbat and invest about 700,000 shekels in kosher renovations.

Beyond the financial and operational success, Nissim shared a deeply personal miracle: after 12 years of infertility and costly treatments, his wife became pregnant shortly after they began closing the restaurant on Shabbat. He credited Friedman’s persistent spiritual efforts for this blessing, showing a photo of their five-month-old son.

This transformation inspired other branches in the chain to follow suit, leading to tens of thousands of Jews dining in kosher, Shabbat-observant restaurants. For Rabbi Friedman, the encounter underscored the profound impact of small acts of faith and kindness, such as laying tefillin and speaking about holiness, which can yield far-reaching results over time.