When a group of patrons at a Barstool Sports bar in Philadelphia ordered bottle service with a message that read “F–k the Jews,” they probably didn’t expect their night out to make national headlines. But a viral video showing the antisemitic sign sparked widespread outrage — and put Jewish Barstool founder Dave Portnoy in the middle of a social media storm.
What happened at the Barstool bar?
The antisemitic incident occurred at Barstool Sansom Street, a Barstool-branded bar in Center City, Philadelphia. A table of customers had requested the offensive message to be displayed on a light-up sign, typically used to celebrate birthdays or personal milestones. Instead, the sign became a flashpoint for conversations about antisemitism, accountability, and free speech in nightlife spaces.
Once footage of the sign hit social media, backlash came quickly, including from Portnoy himself, who is Jewish. “It goes without saying how disgusting and vile that sign was,” he said in a video posted to his platform. “It makes my skin crawl.”
The founder initially said that he was on a “mission to ruin these people,” but has since changed course.
How did Dave Portnoy and Barstool react?
Barstool Sports acted swiftly. Two employees who had been working that night were fired.
Portnoy walked back his initial inclination to publicly go after the college students, but decided that it would be too extreme to publicly identify them. However, he felt that it was important to call out the behavior as antisemitic because of the spike in Jew hatred he’s seen in the wake of Oct. 7.
“These are young f–king morons who did this. They’re drunk. Do you really want to ruin somebody’s life?” Portnoy said.
“And let me be honest, I don’t know what’s going on in the world … I’ve been doing Barstool for 20 years, I’ve had more hate, more antisemitism in the last year, year and a half, than I’ve ever had doing it,” he explained.
“And I’m not talking politics or what’s going on in the Middle East – just hating groups of people. You hate my parents, you hate my grandparents – s–t like that, it’s crazy. So, yeah, my initial reaction was I’m going to burn these people to the ground, their families, everything. And it’s like, you know what? Maybe that’s not the best course of action. Maybe I can use this as a teaching moment.”
Portnoy also revealed that the company had identified the customers responsible and initially proposed an unusual punishment: sending them on a trip to Auschwitz to learn about the Holocaust and antisemitism firsthand.
“We’re gonna send these kids to Auschwitz. They’re gonna do a tour of the concentration camps (in Poland). Hopefully learn something. Maybe their lives aren’t ruined, and they think twice and, more importantly, other people see it’s not just words you’re throwing around. To me, that’s a fair outcome of this event,” Portnoy said, adding that he got Jewish NFL owner Robert Kraft involved so the perpetrators can work with his organization that fights antisemitism.
Portnoy later shared that the individual in question, Mo Kahn, had completely reversed his story, now claiming he wasn’t involved in the offensive stunt at all. Instead, he insisted he was acting merely as a bystander documenting the scene as a “citizen journalist.”
“His trip to Poland has been revoked,” Portnoy said in the post. “Whatever ramifications come his way, he 100% earned.”
Meanwhile, Temple University confirmed that one of the students involved had been placed on interim suspension pending further investigation. Kappa Delta Rho announced on its website that it has launched an internal investigation after learning that the individual involved may be affiliated with its Temple chapter. The Philadelphia Police Department also launched an inquiry into the incident.
Does Holocaust education actually lower antisemitism?
Holocaust education is often seen as a critical tool in the fight against antisemitism — but how effective is it, really?
Studies suggest that when done well, Holocaust education can help foster empathy and reduce prejudice. For example, a report from the Anti-Defamation League highlights that comprehensive Holocaust instruction in schools can significantly improve students’ understanding of Jewish history and lead to lower levels of antisemitic attitudes.
In Canada, a 2024 survey of sixth graders participating in a Holocaust education program found promising results. After the program, 81% correctly identified that six million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, up from 67% before. In addition, 66% of students acknowledged that antisemitism exists in Ontario, and more than half viewed it as a serious issue, according to Liberation75.
Still, some researchers caution that education alone isn’t a magic bullet. A 2024 study published in the journal Educational Review found that Holocaust education often fails to reduce antisemitic views unless it is contextualized and directly addresses modern-day antisemitism.
Similarly, a University of Sydney report warned that while these programs may raise historical awareness, they don’t always translate into a deeper understanding of contemporary antisemitism.
Experts agree that for Holocaust education to be truly impactful, it must go beyond facts and dates. Programs that connect historical lessons to present-day hate, encourage critical reflection, and foster dialogue are more likely to leave a lasting impression. As Chalkbeat notes, bringing in lessons about modern antisemitism alongside historical education is key to making these programs effective.
Dave Portnoy v. the media
As the story continued to build, Portnoy agreed to an interview with a local Philadelphia ABC affiliate. But he soon accused the reporter of trying to reframe the situation as a failure on his part. The interview grew tense, and the controversial founder later posted the exchange, accusing the station of pulling a “bait and switch.”
“ABC News Philadelphia, they reached out, they begged me to do an interview,” Portnoy said in the video. “They gave me the reporter’s name, and then they do a bait and switch and a new reporter shows up to do it this morning.
“She starts OK, asking questions about the bar, how’d it happen, responsibility, blah blah blah, and then she shifts and then she does what a media scumbag does.
“She pulls a quote out of her ass from I don’t even know, a made-up journal, some professor… They say that Barstool Sports creates a culture of harassment and that basically I’m responsible for this happening at my own bar. I’ve never heard of the quote.
“Oh, you’re saying some f–king liberal college professor said they don’t like Barstool? So I was like ‘who f–king said it and what is this journal?”
What was the response?
Temple University’s president condemned the incident in a public statement and reaffirmed the institution’s “zero tolerance for hate.” Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, are monitoring the investigation.
Portnoy’s decision to speak out so forcefully has earned him praise in some circles. Commentators across social media — and even some critics of Barstool — commended his efforts to publicly denounce antisemitism and call for real-world education.
”Everyone needs to call out antisemitism when they see it. Thank you @stoolpresidente for doing the real work to ensure change,” X CEO Linda Yaccarino wrote to the social media platform.
Jewish actor Ben Stiller commended Portnoy for his response writing, “I don’t agree with Dave on a lot but i do on this,” to X.
At a time when antisemitic incidents have reached historic highs in the U.S., the episode struck a nerve. It wasn’t just about what happened at one bar on one night — it was a stark reminder of how easily hate speech can be normalized, and how important it is to call it out.
Barstool is not just a brand — it’s a cultural powerhouse with millions of fans. When someone with Portnoy’s reach chooses to confront antisemitism instead of brushing it off, it sets a tone. It also invites a deeper question: How do we respond when hate shows up not in the headlines of history books, but in a nightclub, on a neon sign, in 2025?
Originally Published May 5, 2025 11:12AM EDT
