Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr apologized to the Rav of Berlin Rabbi Yehudah Teichtal for the anti-Semitic incident last week in which all visibly Jewish passengers were banned from their connecting flight due to several Jews who refused to wear a mask. All the Jews in that specific group were banned but even worse was that even Jews traveling independently of that group were banned – over 130 Jews.
“We apologize for what happened,” Spohr told Rabbi Teichtal via a 30-minute zoom conversation on Wednesday night. “This is not in line with our rules of communication and behavior.”
“Antisemitism has no place in Lufthansa. What happened should not have happened. Our company represents a connection between people, cultures, and nations. Openness and tolerance are the cornerstones and there is no room for antisemitism.”
Rabbi Teichtal responded: “If an employee wearing a Lufthansa uniform acts in an inappropriate manner – fears and accusations of antisemitism are completely legitimate. We should expect more sensitivity from a German corporation.”
Following the apology, Dans Deals spoke with Rabbi Teichtal, who said that the CEO’s apology sounded genuine and personal, unlike the airline’s official apology it issued on Tuesday, and that the employees involved in the incident have been suspended, pending an investigation.
Spohr also requested to meet Rabbi Teichtal in person next week to further discuss the incident. Rabbi Teichtal recommended that all Lufthansa employees undergo sensitivity training to avoid future incidents.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
Once a Nazi ALWAYS a Nazi. Never forget. Imach Shemam. All of them.
Bla bla bla
Too little too late!!!!!
After backlash.,,,,,
Why aren’t they all fired?
But Michael the wiener Savage said that Lufthansa was justified because the Lubavitcher Jews who were on the flight are the same ones who throw stones at irreligious people. I guess not…
Kol Hakavod!
Would all the posters who made comments claiming that these were just whiney Jews, that there was no discrimination, and that people that were already wearing masks should just mask up, like to comment on this?
To be refused to fly? Oy Vei… Oif Alleh Goyim Gezogt. Eisov Soineh L’Yakov.
Oops, I just did collective punishment.
So public pressure did it’s job
We all know all western Europeans are antisemitic. Next time dont travel with nazis. Russia is by fact the only country with mostly no antisemitism. Let’s hope Putin will destroy the rest of Europe and revenge the blood of our ancestors
@JayD are you serious? This is a joke? You heard what Lawrow said two weeks ago. I hope you and your family move to RuSSia asap, if everything is better there. I know personally Jews getting beaten up in Moscow and don’t forget your Immigration Card is written instead of Israeli “Jew”. Just like Nazi Germany.
Jayd, I’m not sure which history books you’ve been reading, but the ones I have read clearly say that Stalin killed tens of millions and Communist Russia as well as the Czarist Russia were never nice to us Jews.
@raficohen, all the European countries including Ukraine (the azov group is a nazi group promoted by zelensky) are infested with neo nazzis. Whoever goes to kivrei tzadikim in Europe knows it very well how the stupid פויערן are hating jews. Russia is the only country that is actively fighting neo nazzis. The Ukrainians killed in butcha and other small towns have a old history of blood labels and they where always known to hate jews. Death to Europeans antisemits
Suspended pending an investigation? What investigation? They have the culprits on video admitting to what they did. If blacks were discriminated against like this half of the world would have been burned down already.
At jayd—
You lost your mind.