Switzerland’s leading Jewish organization on Monday denounced a sign posted at a ski store near Davos that forbids Jews from renting equipment.
The sign on Mount Pischa near Davos, a town known for hosting the World Economic Forum each year, says no more skis, boots or sleds will be rented to “our Jewish brothers” after a series of “extremely disturbing incidents,” including the theft of a sled.
The message, written in Hebrew, appeared to be addressed to Israeli Jews who have been traveling in increasing numbers to Davos in recent years for both summer and winter vacations.
The store’s owners could not be reached for comment.
The Davos tourism agency declined to comment at first when contacted by The Associated Press, but said there would be a response later in an email.
“Following a series of disturbing incidents, including the theft of a sled, we will no longer rent sports equipment to our Jewish brothers,” the poster said.
The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities condemned the incident, which was reported in the Swiss press following a post on Sunday on social networks by a Zurich councilman, Jehuda Spielman.
“It is an indisputably discriminatory poster,” Jonathan Kreutner, the federation’s secretary general, said in an email. “I was astonished. It’s really a new level of chutzpah.”
“This is anti-Semitism,” he said later by phone. “A whole group of customers is being collectively branded just because of their appearance or origin.”