LVMH, the luxury conglomerate owned by Bernard Arnault, has acquired a majority stake in Chez L'Ami Louis, a 100-year-old traditional Parisian bistro famous for its roast chicken, snails, and finely cut fries.

Chez L'Ami Louis has attracted numerous celebrities over the years, including Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac, Roger Federer, Kim Kardashian, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola.

LVMH plans to preserve the unique character, family identity, French savoir-faire, ambiance, recipes, and culinary offerings of Chez L'Ami Louis, including its sourcing from loyal small breeders and market gardeners, aligning with Arnault's passion for preserving Parisian cultural identity.

The acquisition reflects Arnault's interest in preserving Paris's identity and betting on the city's image as a global business capital, as well as LVMH's expansion into hospitality, including properties like Cheval Blanc and the Orient Express.

Despite its special reputation and attracting an exceptional clientele, including American tourists, Chez L'Ami Louis has received mixed reviews, resulting in a 3.5-star rating on Tripadvisor, with one critic describing it as the worst restaurant in the world.

Bernard Arnault competes with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk for the title of the world's wealthiest person, surpassing the estimated wealth of Europe's second-richest person, Amancio Ortega.

Sources: Business Insider, Actu.fr, Fortune, Bloomberg, CNN, Tapas Magazine.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Just under half of all food businesses in the Tel Aviv District are kosher compared to 66% of all businesses across the country. Among those businesses with kosher certificates, 79% are certified mehadrin, the most stringent level of kosher supervision, according to a new study carried out by Ariel Finklestein and Gabriel Abensour of the Israel Democracy Institute.

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The study comes as the government has announced plans to implement comprehensive reform in the kashrut market that will make the Chief Rabbinate a regulator of independent organizations that provide kashrut supervisory services, rather than the body controlling the process as a whole. The measure aims to improve the level of services provided as well as create competition in the field, often criticized by small businesses as being corrupt.

At 90%, the study found that food businesses in the Jerusalem District and Judea and Samaria were the most likely to have kashrut certification. In the center of the country, the study found 81% of food businesses were certified kosher.

In the Tel Aviv district, 49% of businesses were certified kosher. Eighty-one percent of food businesses in the north of the country had kosher certificates compared to 72% in the south.

"This data corresponds to the traditional-religious profile of the Jerusalem District and Judea and Samaria, in contrast to the more secular profile of the Tel Aviv District. Also, in the Northern and Southern Districts, where the traditional-religious population resides at a relatively higher rate, a relatively higher rate of kosher food businesses can be seen."

In 2019, a majority of food businesses, 79%, had been certified kosher by the Chief Rabbinate, compared to 21% who were certified mehadrin (glatt) kosher by the Chief Rabbinate. Just 9% of restaurants that offer meat were certified mehadrin kosher.

According to Finkelstein, the study clearly indicates high demand for kashrut certification, and as a result, a need for a shift in the way in which kashrut supervision is carried out. "The number of kosher businesses indicates the great potential for necessary reform in the field, which the state comptroller noted, and how significant this can be for consumers and business owners in the field."

Although the study relied on data from 2019, it nevertheless reflects a growing trend in recent years. In addition to the many business certified kosher by the Chief Rabbinate, some businesses have opted to receive kosher certification from Tzohar, an Orthodox organization that aims to bridge the gaps between religious and secular Jews in Israel.

Noting the organization's  certification of two branches of a Tel Aviv falafel chain this week, Tzohar's Kashrut Director Yehuda Ziderman said, "There is great satisfaction in that this is another business that operated without formal kashrut [certification] and chose to become kosher under Tzohar's supervision, thereby helping us to increase kashrut in Israel."

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The majority of Israeli owners of restaurants in New York state do not believe their businesses can survive the COVID-19 pandemic if they are unable to offer patrons an indoor dining option, according to the findings of a study released last week by the New York-Israel Business Alliance.

The study offers a snapshot of the challenges confronting the restaurant industry during the pandemic and the measures adopted to overcome them. From Oct. 19 through Dec. 9, 2020, NYIBA distributed a questionnaire to 100 Israeli owners of restaurants in New York State. The data presented in the findings is based on the 30 owners who responded. Throughout its research, NYIBA used publicly available information and individual outreach to identify and verify that there are 173 Israeli-owned restaurants in the state today.

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"New York's restaurant industry stands at the forefront of a vexing, high-stakes public policy decision that, in many cases, pits economic livelihood against physical health," said NYIBA president Aaron Kaplowitz.

"Based on the study's findings, Israeli restaurant owners are by no means immune to the difficulties posed by the pandemic and, nevertheless, remain confident that they will make it through these trying times," Kaplowitz added.

According to the study, 77% of Israeli restaurant owners believed that they need to offer indoor dining in order to remain financially viable. Even so, with cold weather limiting outdoor seating options, 93% of the restaurateurs remained confident that their businesses would survive the pandemic.

Almost two-thirds of the restaurant owners felt that the government has been helpful during this ordeal, and respondents were evenly split on whether the government had clearly communicated standards and regulations.

Even with 93% of Israeli restaurants receiving federal loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, primarily intended for entities to retain employees, at least 70% of the establishments have been forced to downsize staff during the pandemic. A number of owners specified the need for a second PPP loan or other form of government stimulus.

Half of the respondents said that another government stimulus would be most helpful to restaurants at this time, while 35% cited the return of in-person office work or tourists as the most beneficial boost.

"The feedback we're receiving from an industry that must squeeze a profit out of tight margins is that it needs more help," Kaplowitz said. "There are other factors, of course, that are contributing to the economic hardships, such as reduced foot traffic and an inability to attract new customers."

A majority of the owners have adopted new technology solutions to help their businesses stay afloat, such as updating online order and delivery systems.

"Israeli business owners across all industries have shown a willingness to adapt and innovate," Kaplowitz said. "I think that part of the reason Israelis are drawn to New York and New Yorkers are drawn to Israel is that both business cultures address challenges head-on and require resilience in order to succeed."

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The rate of positive tests for the same period hit 8.8%.

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As of Friday, the number of Israelis identified as having contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic stood at 146,542, with 33,920 active or symptomatic patients.

On Friday morning, 982 coronavirus patients were hospitalized, including 489 who were listed in serious condition, of whom 134 were on ventilators. Another 180 hospitalized patients were listed in moderate condition.

On Thursday, he special ministerial forum on the COVID-19 pandemic approved coronavirus czar Ronny Gamzu's proposal to re-impose a nationwide lockdown.

The decision now moves to the cabinet and then to the Knesset for final approval, but it is expected to be fast-tracked by early next week, with the lockdown taking effect by next Friday, the eve of Rosh Hashanah.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced a national furor over his handling of the coronavirus. Netanyahu has said a lockdown remained an option. But imposing one on all Israelis after walking back the restrictions on Haredi communities following pressure from Haredi local authority leaders could be viewed as political surrender.

"Netanyahu has a commendable record of folding magnificently but this time it concerned life and death," wrote Yossi Verter, a political commentator, in Haaretz. "Because of petty politics Israel may experience disproportionate collective punishment."

The lockdown will come at a heavy economic cost, especially to businesses and sectors that were just beginning to get back on their feet from the previous lockdown of March-April, particularly retail, tourism, and hospitality.

"We don't know what to do," marketing director of Tel Aviv's Dizengoff Center shopping mall Alex Kaplan told Israel Hayom on Thursday.

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"Again, they didn't share the decision with us, or how they will compensate malls for the upcoming lockdown. We expect the government to announce a system of compensation for employers and workers," Kaplan said.

"This is a fatal blow to businesses that are just starting to recover and will set them back by six months. The biggest concern is the small businesses, which once again won't have any safety net, will collapse, and take a long time to recover," he said.

Kaplan noted that August had been a "very good month" and "put a smile back on business owners' faces and bank accounts. The next 'peak' was supposed to be the holidays. The damage we are expecting is major, given the fact that following [the lockdown] there are no vacations or special events coming up."

Supermarkets, which have stocked up ahead of Rosh Hashanah, expect to continue operating as usual during any lockdown or restrictions that will be put in place, and industry experts said that no shortages were expected.

While Israelis will be able to keep their refrigerators full, the option of meals out will be taken off the table. Restaurants and cafes were among the first to close in the last general lockdown, and were among the last businesses to reopen in a sector that is by its nature volatile.

Owner of the Café Café chain Ronen Nimni said, "When corona burst into our lives, the food and beverage sector was one of the first to suffer the worst of the blow to the economy. A lot of businesses didn't make it through and those who did, are still fighting. The feeling among restaurant owners is that finally, a month has passed without warnings or decisions, and now it looks like there's going to be another lockdown, one that will be hard to survive."

Tomer Mor, director-general of the Misadanim Hazakim Beyachad (Restaurateurs Strong Together) union said Thursday, "Restaurateurs have to protect their livelihoods … and won't agree to close their businesses. If the government is leaning toward a lockdown, it has to compensate independent restaurant business owners before declaring it, and present them with an exit scenario."

Mor warned that if the government did not do so, it would encounter "strong resistance" by restaurateurs and independent business owners "fighting for their lives."

Associated Press, Hili Yacobi-Handelsman and Liran Ohali contributed to this report.

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The poll, conducted by the New York State Restaurant Association, questioned more than 1,000 restaurant owners across the state, according to outlet Just The News.

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Around 63% of respondents replied they would likely shut down by the end of the year, with 36% saying they expected to be operating in January.

Since March, New York has been under a strict lockdown due to to the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken a severe toll on the state. New York had 32,585 COVID-19 deaths as of Monday.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has come under fire for his prolonged measures to curtail the disease, which include a prohibition on indoor seating.

"It is painfully clear that without financial assistance, the restaurant industry in New York State could collapse," NYSRA President and CEO Melissa Fleischut told Just The News.

"These recent survey results illustrate just how dire the financial situation has become for most restaurants, and it shows how critical it is that elected officials understand the urgency of the situation," she added

Earlier this week, New York City officials said that roughly 1,300 of the city's 25,000 restaurants and bars have shut down during the pandemic.

This article was originally published by i24NEWS.

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On June 22, the number of hospitalized corona patients listed in serious condition stood at only 44, the ministry said.

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Israel's death toll from coronavirus stood at 422 as of Tuesday.

From midnight Sunday to midnight Monday, a total of 1,855 new cases were confirmed by the 27,290 corona tests carried out in that same period. The percentage of positive results continued to rise, standing at 10.2% for that 24-hour period.

Meanwhile, the Knesset Corona committee decided on Tuesday morning not to approve the government's plan to close down restaurants, but did pass the rest of the parts of the cabinet's directives.

Per Tuesday's decision, restaurants will be allowed to operate with up to 20 customers sitting inside and 30 outside.

Chairwoman of the Knesset Corona committee, MK Yifat Shasha-Biton, supported the decision. Coalition Chairman Miki Zohar (Likud) reported that coalition members of the committee abstained.

CEO of the Israeli Restaurants Association Shai Berman said that "cancelling the order to close restaurants is a necessary step in light of the government's delusional decisions.

"We want to thank committee chairwoman Yifat Shasha-Biton, who according to her conscience and not according to the unrealistic dictates of the government, and for the health and economic security of the citizens of Israel," Berman said.

Zohar said in a tweet that the government had offered restaurateurs a "reasonable compromise" that would allow them to keep their businesses open, but that Shasha-Biton had "fallen into the trap set for her by the opposition, which is willing to endanger the public's health to bring down the government."

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