A New York City bookstore took swift action after anti-Israel hate led to the cancellation of a Jewish author’s book launch.
Powerhouse Arena, a popular Brooklyn bookstore, came under fire for canceling Joshua Leifer’s event shortly before he was scheduled to take the stage with Rabbi Andy Bachman. The New York Post explains Leifer went to the store for answers, recording an exchange between himself and a manager later identified as Hannah Hayes.
“We don’t want a Zionist on our stage,” she explained, despite also insisting that the venue did not actually “cancel the event.” However, the entire book launch was supposed to be a discussion between Leifer and Rabbi Bachman, meaning that if the latter was not allowed to show up, “that in practice was canceling the event.”
On Thursday, the bookstore’s owner Daniel Power told The Post that the manager had acted of her own accord, and had been let go on Wednesday. He also claimed that Hayes had always been a “milquetoast” on politics, so this seemed “so out of character” for her.
It was also discovered that the manager was on track to leave Powerhouse Arena for a nearby bookstore and this event took place a week before her expected departure date.
“Everyone else is scratching their heads like where the hell did this come from,” Power said.
“A former employee of Powerhouse made the grossly misguided decision to unilaterally derail a high-anticipated event,” the bookstore said. “She abused her position as a Powerhouse employee and wrongfully usurped responsibility for planning and logistics from our designated events managers.”
Our statement on Tuesday night’s incident. pic.twitter.com/gvZ79lTPL9
— POWERHOUSE Arena (@POWERHOUSEArena) August 22, 2024
“What she did was unequivocally and blatantly wrong,” the statement explains, going on to claim that the incident “does not define us.”
Leifer appreciates that the store took responsibility for what had occurred and that he plans to hold his conversation with Rabbi Bachman at a different venue in the coming week.
“I hope everyone who planned to attend the original event will come out to hear our conversation,” he offered.
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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