El Al has published recommendations for tours of 'Christmas markets' across Europe on its website.
Haredim 10 learned that following the publication, the CEO of the Hotam organization, Rabbi Aviad Gadot, contacted the owners of El Al - Kenny Rosenberg, a Haredi from the United States, with a request to remove the advertisement, which is offensive to many of the company's customers.
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In his letter, Rabbi Gadot emphasizes that for many years Christians have exploited their holiday to harm their Jewish neighbors: "I am addressing you in painful protest against the fact that El Al, which carries the flag of the State of Israel - the state of the Jewish people, chooses to actively promote and recommend Christian 'Christmas' markets, as part of promoting its flight destinations.
""The decision to recommend these markets is shocking and deeply offensive to many of the company's customers. It is impossible to ignore the fact that Christmas is recorded in the annals of our people as a day of terrible persecution, riots and massacres that took place in our communities throughout the generations. Thousands of Jews were murdered, tortured and expelled under the symbols of the holiday and the atmosphere that surrounded it," Gadot wrote.
Rabbi Gadot addresses Rosenberg and asks that he take action to remove the offensive advertising: "Advertising and encouraging visits to these markets is insensitive and obscures the Jewish identity of the company. I am addressing you and asking that your company remove this offensive advertising from the company's website.
""El Al is committed to respectfully representing the values of the Jewish people, not foreign values in whose name we have been persecuted for years. Since you are a Jew who observes the Torah and mitzvot, I am sure the publication was not made on your own initiative and is contrary to the values you were raised on. It would be good if Torah removed the publication.".
