J2 & BJ2 Pizza

Named for: a yearning for Yerushalayim, of course

It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of Broadway’s J2 (BJ2) Pizza in Manhattan. The original Jerusalem Pizza was located in Far Rockaway, New York, named by its Israeli owner for his homeland. In the early ’70s, Eddie Fishbaum bought the floundering pizza shop. With the help of his brother Ari a”h, Fishbaum worked hard to turn the restaurant around, bringing in local yeshivah bochurim to create murals of the 12 shevatim on the freshly painted white walls. After a year, Fishbaum handed management over to his brother Ari and rented a shop on Avenue J in Brooklyn that he called “Jerusalem 2.”

But Fishbaum wanted something even bigger and better, and he had his eye on Manhattan. In 1974, he leased a storefront on Broadway and 36th street and opened Broadway’s J2 Pizza. Five years later, BJ2 had outgrown its space, and the pizza shop moved to a location that could host hundreds of diners at a time.

Word spread quickly, and BJ2 became the go-to spot for nearby fashion industry (NYC garment district) workers and anyone who wanted to enjoy great food and great vibes. On a typical weekday, BJ2 served 1,500 to 2,000 people; busy days saw upwards of 3,000 customers passing through.

Singer Sandy Shmueli, Fishbaum’s friend, hosted a kosher nightclub with him on the mezzanine level called “Upstairs at J2.” He would bring in world-famous Jewish singers from Israel such as Avi Toledano and Svika Pick. On many Saturday nights, Shlomo Carlebach would come into BJ2 to see his friend Fishbaum, often sitting upstairs, telling stories and singing a song or two, kumzitz-style.