Israeli Falafel Chain Taïm Closes New York Locations Over Tax Debts Amid BDS Claims

The Israeli falafel chain Taïm has shuttered its New York City branches due to unpaid tax debts, with signs on the doors stating the properties were seized by New York State for tax nonpayment. Despite the clear financial cause, some social media users linked the closures to the BDS movement, claiming it as a boycott victory and accusing the chain of cultural appropriation and ethnic cleansing. However, the actual reason for the shutdown was tax enforcement by New York authorities.

Taïm's current owner, Craveworthy Brands, led by CEO Greg Majewski, is responsible for 12 tax warrants totaling approximately $1.35 million related to the chain's operating companies. There is also an ongoing legal dispute between previous and current owners over who should cover past debts, with a separate claim citing $632,000. All New York locations have closed, phone lines are unresponsive, online orders halted, and the chain’s Instagram has not been updated since late July. The last remaining branch in Washington, D.C. closed in July.

Taïm was founded in 2005 by Israeli chef Einat Admony in Manhattan’s West Village and became a pioneer of Israeli cuisine in America, expanding to 14 locations nationwide at its peak with $18.7 million in sales in 2025. Craveworthy acquired Taïm in 2024 as part of a larger restaurant platform deal. Admony has not been involved in management since 2022. Some longtime customers felt the brand lost its original character after expansion and menu changes.

Though Taïm was originally identified as an Israeli restaurant, it later branded itself as Mediterranean cuisine under Craveworthy’s ownership. Following the October 7 attacks, pro-Palestinian groups included Taïm in boycott lists, despite the current owners not being Israeli. Activists celebrated the closures as a BDS success, but available evidence points to financial and legal troubles as the true cause.

The future of Taïm remains uncertain, pending possible settlements with tax authorities. Meanwhile, the incident highlights how Israeli-affiliated businesses abroad can become focal points in political and cultural conflicts, even when their operational issues are unrelated to activism or boycotts.