A Jewish woman was shocked to find a “Free Palestine” note tucked into a Hanukkah-themed gift her boyfriend purchased from Bloomingdale’s, prompting the retailer to launch an investigation.
New Yorker Arielle Harris shared the incident on TikTok Monday, showing off the holiday pajamas she received on the first night of Hanukkah, decorated with Stars of David and menorahs.
To her surprise, a store-branded card with the message “Free Palestine” had been placed on top of the receipt inside the package.
“At first I was like, ‘ha, what, Free Palestine?’” Harris told The Post.
Her boyfriend, Andrew Jones, who bought the gift, said his “heart dropped” when he saw the note. The couple reached out to their family for guidance, particularly shaken by the recent antisemitic attack in Bondi Beach, Australia, but determined to speak out.
“This never should have happened, and Bloomingdale’s needs to answer for their employees,” Harris said in the video, which had been viewed nearly 110,000 times by Tuesday evening. She noted that Jones had not opened the package before giving it to her.
“Craziest part is how many commenters think I faked this. Typical denials of antisemitism,” Jones wrote on X.
The couple later spoke with a senior Bloomingdale’s executive, who offered “a heartfelt apology” and a full refund. Harris said the executive explained that the fulfillment center where the gift was shipped is reviewing every package to ensure nothing similar occurs in the future.
“They had a substantial response and are taking action to figure out who did this and how it slipped through the cracks,” Harris said.
Despite the response, the couple said the note left them feeling violated. “Our nice moment, private celebration was totally turned upside down by this note,” Jones said.
Harris added that the outpouring of support online has been uplifting.
“Everyone we know has been positive, which gives us hope. It’s been nice to see all these messages, and we’ve gone on with our day. It’s a sad thing and a sad reality, but it’s not going to stop us from living our life and enjoying this Jewish holiday,” she said.
A Bloomingdale’s spokesperson confirmed to The Post that the company is investigating the matter.
“This was an unauthorized and unacceptable act,” the spokesperson said. “Antisemitism, or discrimination in any form, has absolutely no place in our business and does not align with our values or our care for our customers. Please know we are treating this with the utmost seriousness.”
Some Jewish leaders also weighed in, condemning the alleged incident. “A ‘free Palestine’ note in a Bloomingdale’s Chanukah gift. No limits. No shame,” Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, wrote on X.
The couple remains uncertain if they will shop at Bloomingdale’s again.