On a conference call with Jewish community leaders Tuesday morning, Waste Management (WM) executives apologized for the sickening incident in Lakewood this past Shabbos, and confirmed that they have terminated the employee involved.
Donny Klarmann, a new hire at Waste Management, posted video on Facebook of him purposely lowering his snowplow as he neared two Jews walking to shul, causing them to be deluged with snow.
During the conference call this morning arranged by NJSP Chaplain and Jewish Community Liaison Rabbi Abe Friedman, WM executives said they were deeply disturbed to hear about the story, and took immediate action to suspend Klarmann.
They also noted that they have worked collaboratively with the Jewish community in the past – including helping in finding tefillin that were mistakenly thrown in the trash – and will continue to do so.
“The moment we found out about it, we took action. We are very sorry that this incident occurred and that Waste Management was involved in any way,” the company’s VP of the Greater Mid-Atlantic Region said.
“We have some 50,000 employees and we do background checks on everyone, but it does not always reveal everyone’s character,” he continued. “This employee worked here for about two months, and we weren’t aware of some of the darker aspects of his character.”
“We suspended the employee pending an investigation, but we have since learned enough to terminate this employee. He was terminated yesterday, but the investigation continues, and legal proceedings could follow.”
WM executives said that as part of addressing this incident, they will be adding additional sensitivity training programs for employees who work in Orthodox Jewish areas.
The askanim on the call included Lakewood Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein, Agudah NJ Director Rabbi Avi Schnall, Mr. Moshe Dovid Niderman of Satmar’s UJO, Rabbi Eli Tabak, Rabbi Eli Liberman, BMG Director of Governmental Affairs Mrs. Chani Jacobowitz, NJSP Chaplain and Community Liaison Rabbi Abe Friedman, and Orthodox Jewish Community Liaison for the ADL Rabbi Yisroel Kahan.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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12 Responses
executives dont have to apologize , he didnt do it the driver did & thats who should apologize
i also think that getting fired is a very big punishment – not sure if it fits the crime- i would offer him to give the 2 yidden 500 A PIECE
Well handled on all sides.
Since Donny Klarmann apparently had posted on the Fbook “This ones for you JC”, I took the liberty of messaging to Donny a link a documentary on the YouTube called “CAESAR’S MESSIAH: The Roman Conspiracy to Invent Jesus”. You need not know what’s in that documentary, just know it contains what to say to a Romanisch cult member.
Not an anti semite
Just a bored trashy loser
this incident sounds like a few employees trying to have inappropriate, but very common fun, not anti-Semitism
Wow askans were 4 x the amount people of the phone call, most with no connection to Lakewood at least they had the 15 minutes of fame
We are fortunate he didn’t kill anyone. I’m sure if he wanted to, he could have run them over God forbid
Agree with Gadol H.
Yo comment #1
It’s not a punishment, it’s a consequence!
No one should hire a rotten human being who has HATE and disregard for other human beings…
That driver was an ACHZOR why would a company want an individual like that?
What consequences to the fellow who filmed it? He sounds like he was having a blast as well. Was he an employee of WM as well?
I don’t think it’s hatred or anti-Semitism to push snow at two IDIOTS illegally walking in the center of the street.
I don’t think it’s funny.
I can see how it might appeal to someone with the intellectual maturity of a sixth grader.
To the extent that it’s dangerous, yes, it’s a fireable offense. But I would have liked to see the man lose the week’s paycheck, while keeping his job.
Nothing is served by making a man unemployed, especially if the goal is to engender love for community.
The one taking the video should also suffer loss of pay.
it may look like an innocent (creul) prank at first glance, but he did say this ones for you “JC”. So obviously he saw they were Jewish and wanted to make “JC” proud.