Chareidim and others who recently entered the Pelephone cellular store in Tiveria felt a measure of discomfort when seeing an icon on a speaker in the display window in the store bearing a what they feel is a crucifix.
Some have turned to the store manager explaining their dilemma, but their concerns of the icon being too similar to a crucifix were ignored.
On Wednesday evening, Mekubal Rav Dov Kook sent a letter to the branch manager expressing protest over the icon, which he explains is an affront and threatens “all chareidim” will stop buying in the store and if the icon is not removed then chareidim will launch a boycott against Pelephone nationwide.
Pelephone’s response: “In contrast to the claim, Pelephone in Tiveria received no inquiries regarding the speaker in question, but the product does not have a cross shape but rather a minus and a plus, but Pelephone is attentive to its customers and out of respect for their feelings, will be removing the speaker from the display window.
The photo shows the objectionable Wonderboom speakers.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Google “Wonderboom speakers” to see the symbols. They’re not “a minus and a plus”, but a plus above a vertical line. And — even though there’s a small space between them — they do look like a cross together. So this isn’t wild imagination run amok.
All they need to do is turn it sideways, then it looks like a minus and plus!!
Marketing would have had to be complete idiots to not notice that advertising it the way they did looks exactly like a cross. It had to have been on purpose.