(AFP) Shalom Berntholz never closes his kosher restaurant in central Vienna, but as a new coronavirus-induced lockdown approached, he decided to shut early. That saved his life.
A gunman who supported the Islamic State (IS) group kicked off his shooting rampage on Monday evening right in front of his closed restaurant, killing a waitress opposite.
“Normally, we’re open 365 days a year, even for Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Exceptionally, we closed. That’s what saved our lives,” Berntholz tells AFP.
His restaurant “Alef Alef” is located on the ground floor of a white building that houses the offices of IKG, a body that represents Vienna’s Jewish community and counts some 7,000 members.
