Sephardim And Driving Nazi Cars

My friend rented a german car for two days. As he past the toll booth an MTA officer pulled him over and told him, shame on you I would never drive such a car as my father helped liberate the death camps and I’m not even Jewish.

Akuperman: I meant to thank you for the ride I enjoyed in your BMW.

“why can’t they feel for those of us Ashkenazim who can’t stand to see a Jewish person driving a German car?”

I dont really understand. why do they have to chaneg thier habits to satisfy your meshugas.

Ok perhaps “meshugas” is a bit strong, but it certainly isnt based on anything logical. Just because the grandfather of today’s shareholders were horrible people, is a reason not to but the cars ?

Ok, if it bother s you dont buy it . but why do others have to agree with you?

U know most cars in Israel are German made.
Why do u pick on the sphardim when there are many ashchinazi in Israel with the cars? Are u racist ?

The Frumguy: do you think it makes a difference to the 150,000 survivors of the war, do u think cars or money makes them feel better? You think they think, ok, Germany is trying to make amends. Most of the survivors do not want to see anything German even if it’s given free, for to them nothing can really make them feel better about their whole family, whole extended family got brutally murdered. If Germany was sincere and concerned about the survivors they should have just given money and let Israel use it for good and not have the German cars in everyone’s face. The ashchinazim in Israel should have been more sensitive to this issue too.

It’s pretty hard to avoid all German products, but I can understand those that are against buying really expensive items from them vs. say aspirin.

I’m not here to judge anyone, but it’s wise to keep an open mind about this and at least acknowledge the other side of the argument.

On a similar note, there were survivors that did not want to apply for or accept money from the Germans aka wiedergutmachung so as not to give them zchusim or absolve them from their guilt. (I don’t remember in which book I read that the reason for the Germans’ success post WW2 when historically most enemies of the Jews became non entities after expelling or murdering their Jewish populace, was precisely because of the restitution they gave which somewhat mitigated their collective onesh.)

The word wiedergutmachung itself is offensive when you think about it. No money in the world can whitewash the atrocities that the Nazis did to us Yidden. In a perfect world, with survivors not so desperate for money (rightfully so) no one would have accepted it.

should sephardim not do barbecues because of the spanish inquistion?

This is one stupid thread. You know Henry Ford (inventor of the car) was a rabid antisemite who’s company funded Nazi Germany? Now y’all gonna say cars are assur

@frumshmurda718

That was one incorrect comment. Henry Ford did not invent the automobile.

1886 is regarded as the birth year of the modern car when German inventor Karl Benz patented his Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Cars became widely available in the early 20th century. One of the first cars that were accessible to the masses was the 1908 Model T, an American car manufactured by the Ford

Edited

My grandfather was sephardic and lost many aunts, uncles, and cousins at the hand of the Nazis. He moved from Greece to America with his immediate family before the Nazis obliterated his community. He became a succesful businessman here and bought an awesome brand new Mercedes two-seater sports car. He drove it until his mid-90s. I am so proud of him for all that he accomplished and think that an awesome sports car, regardless if it was made by Germans (some of which may have been nazis), is the least he deserves. Blindly labeling German products as Nazi is absolutely ridiculous. It is racism. Yes, you can be racist against Germans. Not all Germans are Nazis. Just like not all Jews are involved with money fraud. Some might’ve been but you can’t label a group based on the actions of some.

Just curious why bmg recently went and opened up a kollel in germany.
Its mind boggling to say tbe least!

Takes2, because there are a lot of Jews in Germany, many from the former Soviet Union, who were robbed of their heritage. What greater victory over Hitler (and Stalin, et al.) can there be than to teach them Torah, especially in the place where the war against the Jews started? A much better way to respond to the Holocaust than to build museums at concentration camps, no?
That said, I personally would not be able to live in Germany, walk those streets, hear the language, but I understand the significance of those who are doing it.

They’d have good company in mitzrayim- the Rambam in his time, R Ovadiah Yosef (was sent to be Rav there to be mechazek the community when he was young), and many others.

Just wondering, you’re ok with kiruv yeshivos in Russia and Poland and Ukraine and France? The people of those countries persecuted and killed us too, even before and/or after Hitler.

It is interesting that the chachamim made a cherem on living in Spain (some say it only applied to yotzei sefard), yet no similar official cherem was put on ashkenazic lands. So while it is unpleasant, it is also sometimes necessary.

AviK don’t worry, the little yiddish I hear doesn’t remotely sound like German. But let’s not get sidetracked by your opinions on Yiddish please.
As far as Spain vs other countries, I was pointing out the same inconsistency you were.

Discover.
Germany killed the Jews as a country. It wasnt some individual people. Yes there may be some outstanding germans that did not agree, but it would be fair to say that german=nazi.

These companies arent still related to the past? What about when Siemens proudly announced their new vacuum cleaner the Zyklon? Oops they never knew about the connection they claimed. Even though they used slave labor by the Holocaust.

Also you can’t compare not using italian products since they are connected to Rome of past. I mean seriously some of our grandparents have either survived or been murdered in the Holocaust. On the other hand lahavdil elef, for the Germans some of their grandparents were the ones who killed us. And don’t kid yourselves many Germans passionately hate Yidden.
It’s true we can’t avoid everything. Even jpmorgan Chase froze french Jewish bank accounts even before they were asked to do s by Germany. And the list goes on and on. But a Volkswagen or a mercedez surely is easier to avoid.

It’s also true that most of the world hates us. Even Samsung had an anti semitic fit with one of their Jewish investor/partner. Europe hates us and even many Americans do. But it still doesn’t mean we should buy German. That was a direct hit. And most of those companies either originated or flourished in that time on our backs. Look into it even orange fanta was known as a Nazi y”m drink since they ran out of coca cola ingredients. And coke recently aired a banned commercial in German accent which said, just like the good old times.

Lucy, what about those born after?