Tuesday, August 22, 2006
This is scary!
INDIA JEWS RIP 'HITLER' EATERY
August 22, 2006 -- MUMBAI, India - A new restaurant in India's financial hub, named after Adolf Hitler and promoted with posters showing the German leader and Nazi swastikas, has infuriated the country's Jewish community.
Hitler's Cross, which opened last week, serves up a wide range of continental fare and a big helping of controversy, thanks to a name the owners say they chose to stand out among hundreds of Mumbai eateries.
"We wanted to be different. This is one name that will stay in people's minds," owner Punit Shablok said.
"We are not promoting Hitler. But we want to tell people we are different in the way he was different."
But India's remaining Jews - most have immigrated to Israel and the West over the years - say they are outraged by the gimmick.
"This signifies a severe lack of awareness of the agony of millions of Jews caused by one man," said Jonathan Solomon, chairman of the Indian Jewish Federation, the community's umbrella organization.
"We are going to stop this deification of Hitler," he added, without elaborating.
The cross in the restaurant's name refers to the swastika that symbolized the Nazi regime.
The swastika has its roots in ancient Indian Hindu tradition, and remains a sacred symbol for Hindus.
August 22, 2006 -- MUMBAI, India - A new restaurant in India's financial hub, named after Adolf Hitler and promoted with posters showing the German leader and Nazi swastikas, has infuriated the country's Jewish community.
Hitler's Cross, which opened last week, serves up a wide range of continental fare and a big helping of controversy, thanks to a name the owners say they chose to stand out among hundreds of Mumbai eateries.
"We wanted to be different. This is one name that will stay in people's minds," owner Punit Shablok said.
"We are not promoting Hitler. But we want to tell people we are different in the way he was different."
But India's remaining Jews - most have immigrated to Israel and the West over the years - say they are outraged by the gimmick.
"This signifies a severe lack of awareness of the agony of millions of Jews caused by one man," said Jonathan Solomon, chairman of the Indian Jewish Federation, the community's umbrella organization.
"We are going to stop this deification of Hitler," he added, without elaborating.
The cross in the restaurant's name refers to the swastika that symbolized the Nazi regime.
The swastika has its roots in ancient Indian Hindu tradition, and remains a sacred symbol for Hindus.
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