Shas ministers are opposing plans to make Audi the official supplier of cars to the Israeli government, saying it was unacceptable that government ministers drive German-made vehicles.
An Israeli company that imports Audi and Skoda cars to Israel recently won a government tender to supply Audi A6 and Skoda Superb cars to government ministers. Israel has been relying on Volvo to supply its officials with cars since the state’s establishment.
Minister-without-portfolio Yitzhak Cohen sent Prime Minister Ehud Olmert a letter in which he wrote, “I was amazed to hear that one of the proposed cars is made in Germany. This is not a technical choice, but one that has a deep and fundamental symbolic aspect.”
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27 Responses
I suggest that YW readers bombard the Israeli government with emails, faxes, etc., protesting the use of German-made cars for ministerial use. The symbolism is enormous and Israel should display great sensitivity to the hundreds of thousands of survivors and children of survivors of the holocaust.
Maadanim
Well Skoda is also owned by VW (just like Audi).
Remember who Henry Ford was, and his pro-Nazi and anti-Jewish activities!
Shouldn’t Ford products from America also be off limits to the Israeli government?
Just wondering what the logic is behind excluding Audis.
#4 – it’s not logical, it’s emotional – there is no mathematically justifiable equation that explains why I would not purchase anything German – it’s a visceral reaction based on my family’s experience in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s.
I agree with Eli Yishai. But, I believe the Israeli government should only buy American cars for their politicians. The United States funds the Israeli government to the tune of a couple of billion dollars a year. Doesn’t the American government deserve appreciation and recognition for what they do?
I agree with #5 that it’s not logical but emotional, because, a la #1,Israel should not buy anything from just about every country in the world, because at some time during this long Golus, every country has been involved in opressing Jews.
The answer is that the Holocaust is too close in time, and there are still people living (ad me’ah v’esrim) who experienced it.
Bubby,
How does buying a couple of Americam made cars, thereby making shareholders in an american company a little richer show great appreciation? its not even a blip on the radar screen.
So much of what we do is EMOTIONAL, originates and is based on the heart. When the emotions roar, listen carefully, ‘think’ (site of the brain) and deceide.
I’d buy some motorized bikes for the MK’s in the Knesset. Many people boycott German, French, Arab (even in shmittah yr),etc. products,, why not? If it works for you, do it…
#6, Well put. Israel should buy American in appreciation for America’s massive funding of the regime in Israel.
They should buy American cars.
If you dont want to buy their cars then dont take their money either !!!!!
cherryhill, its a known fact that when purchasing goods from a certain country it shows a level of appreciation , no matter who is making the money. Plus the government gains from US sales aswell.
Send regards to joseph.
flatbush bubby the united states do not grant israel anything except loan guarantees. that is they guarontour loans that they take you must get your facts straight how can america give anything to anyone with a 3 trillion dollar defecit
I understand that German cars may hurt people’s FEELINGS, but the facts are that right now Germany is acting kindly both towards Israel and towards its own Jews (on the state level at the very least). There are better countries to buy from, but there are many things that should be taken into account when buying a product aside from the country of origin.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE SHOULD BE BUYING GAS/ELECTRIC HYBRIDS AND THE LIKE, AND THE REAL OUTRAGE IN THIS FORUM SHOULD BE THAT THAT IS NOT BEING DONE. WE SUPPORT OUR CURRENT TORMENTORS EVERY TIME WE FILL AT THE PUMP. STOP DRIVING SUV’S ETC. AND STOP SUPPORTING TERROR.
whether we should buy products of our enemies[former or current]is subject to debate
to buy german products is a maybe. to buy products from eretz yisroel is an obvious yes. this past chanukah i couldnt find any olive oil from eretz yisroel. from spain plenty[i dont have to remind anyone about their history to the jews] i looked everywhere from shoprite to the local shul. what is going on?
lakewood maven, America provides massive amounts of CASH to the State of Israel for both military and civilian purposes.
yidel it is not true i just read it look in the bbook israel myth or fact it was on the new york times book review
lakewood maven, Israel is the #1 foreign aid recipient from the United States — it gets about $3 BILLION DOLLARS a year in military aid plus another $# Billion Dollars in non-military aid a year.
oops, that should read:
plus another $3 Billion Dollars in non-military aid a year. (Total $6 Billion a year.)
what is interesting is that the spiritual head of the shas partys’ car is a….BMW.
yidel where is your source the book i mentioned said that is not true of all the critics on the book no one said the book was wrong please dont repeat the sin of the mraglim israel doesnt need anyones help plus where are these so called billlions coming from the usa has a multi trillion dollar defecit
lakewood maven: I can’t believe in this day and age that a yid could actually deny the enormous foreign aid and military support by the US government. Please don’t be mechallel shem Shomayim here since that’s exactly what the sonei Yisroel would like to sieze upon.
hs cohen i just asked for a source i gave a reputable one
hscohen dont believe the propoganda if you have any friends or family in gov ask them
Hey this was pretty good, over 26 comments and no one suggested to ask Daas Torah on this point.
Lakewood Maven, the loan guarantees are another issue. The deficit is shrinking. The money they give is under the budget item called “Foreign Aid”. Look it up.