Parisians Michael and Devorah Sitbon were heading to Eretz Yisrael, making a stop-over in Germany. Their experience is one that will leave emotional scars for a long time to come. German diplomatic officials have received an official complaint, promising the allegations will be investigated. Apparently one of the German border police spat on Devorah’s Israeli passport, and the couple accompanied by their four young children were threatened, humiliated and targeted with racial epithets.
Michael, 28, explains the incident was extremely painful, adding Devorah, 27, is a grandchild of survivors. He added the stopover in Herman was strictly due to financial consideration – it was simply the cheapest ticket they could find.
Michael goes on to explain that once the border policeman saw the Israeli passport, he spat on it and then their troubles began. Realizing they had only a short time to make their connecting flight, the policeman detained them, deciding to check each child against the passport photo, traumatizing all the children ranging in ages from 4 weeks to 4-years-old. The parents had to pick each child up next to the passport photo, and while holding the child, the guard made sounds mimicking gunfire.
The couple did land in Israel on Friday morning, and they reported the incident to the German Embassy in Israel. Michael adds that they are no stranger to anti-Semitism living in France, but the ordeal they endured in the Frankfurt Airport was on a level they never experienced in their lives. They said they hope to never set foot in Germany again.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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14 Responses
as the song goes – …some things will never change….
I too have used germany as a stopover to save money. I ‘ve never felt too comfortable there.
I don’t usually believe in collective guilt,but, in the case of Germany in the 1940s or even after the war ended, the entire country should have been razed to the ground. Like the command to eradicate Amalek.
I had to have a stopover in Frankfurt for 6 hours on my way to my daughter in Europe last year. I smuggled water in from the US. I refused to spend a cent in Germany & I stood and davenned Shacharis there, said all my Tehillim, & waited for my plane.
It made me sick to my stomach. I had to ask the way to the new gate & I felt the hate. I saw one Chasid & I tried to keep close behind, but he wasn’t going my way. I have never felt so alone.
I will not go there again, not even to save a few bucks. I’m glad you posted this. Now I ask: will the Charedim in Israel riot & burn garbage cans outside the German Embassy or will they be happy to either continue taking the blood money (to which they’re entitled) in silence, or just pretend this doesn’t concern them? After all, the officials who behaved like Nazis ARE German Nazis & not Israeli Jews, so it’s OK to do nothing.
Disgusting. May this policeman be humiliated. How dare he do this!!
SUE them for everything they are worth! also get the ADL/JDL involved and give it to them.
Is there really a need to put a picture of neo-Nazis next to this article? If true, the situation is lousy, but there is no need to editorialize at that level with the photo.
I keep hearing the arguments of “no the German’s have changed, they don’t hate Jews anymore.” Typically the argument is presented when one is purchasing a Mercedes or other German status symbol.
And yet we keep seeing that nothing has changed. Stop being a bunch of idiots. They don’t like us. They never will like us. Stop buying their cars, stop spending money in their airports. They’ll smile when they take the payment and as soon as you walk away their true colors will come out.
I’ll pay the extra cash for a non-stop or if necessary stop in London. They can keep Germany to themselves.
They shouldn’t be living in France.
I occasionally visit Kivrei Tzaddikim in Frankfurt and therefore stopp in Germany on the way home from Eretz Yisroel.
Many years ago I was one of the first off the EL Al flight into Frankfurt. Handing my recently issued American Passport to the Border Police, he stared at me and announced loudly that I must stand on the side and let others pass. I followed his instructions. After about 10 or so people had passed without incident, I again approached him asking what the problem was.
He then announced slowly, with a rough German voice, “I CANNOT ALLOW YOU INTO MY COUNTRY”. Shocked by this statement I asked him sheeishly, ‘but why not’. He then said that my passport was not valid. I looked at him in astonishment and asked him what was wrong. He made a florish and showed me that my signature was missing on the passport.
After signing the passport, I was on my way in a few minutes.
Of course, I’ve had to endure angry stares on the train to and from the airport. Even a cap does not seem to help with my obvious Chassidishe face.
But I must conclude that it’s worth the possible difficulties just to daven at the Kivrei Tzaddikim in and around Frankfurt. It can be done in 5-6 hours connection time in between flights.
Recently I traveled with several people to Ukraine and we had a stop over in Germany. In the airport in stead of going to a private corner to daven, I made sure to stop in the center of the airport and put on talis and tefillin right there.
I do not have to tell you about the looks and stares I got….
I will not let some German goy tell me what to do and where, this aint 1939 any more!!!!!
PS On a side note, as someone who traveles often for business, having been in more than 50 countries, the worst vibes I have EVER gotten were on my trips to Poland. That was way worse than my multiple trips to Germany.
Amoleik mamash al pi kabollas haGR”A – doed the Torah change? of course not, so Amoleik remains Amoleik. I stopped in Frankfort had no problem from the people. i am a germen citizen among other citizenries, as i was born in a dp camp.
We have no self-respect!! We should not be visiting
(or stopping over in) Germany. We should not be
buying their products, certainly not their Mercedes
and Volkswagens, Audis and BMW’s. Diamler (the parent of Mercedes) built the crematoriums.
If we can’t respect ourselves, why should they?
from the ashes sprouts the yeshua. yes, some things never change, but that land seems to be witnessing a miraculous revival of yiddishkeit, with a thriving toradikke kehila growing in what was once east berlin. the nazis ym”sh left, the communists ym”sh replaced them, and now the sounds of torah learning of tinnokos shel beis rabban can be heard in the courtyards that once witnessed burning sifrei torah and other destruction.