As every Israeli is aware, ahead of the Passover holiday certain businesses raise prices, particularly car-washing services that promise to clean your car of every last crumb. Apparently, this unfortunate practice isn't limited to Israel, and in New York, the attorney general has decided to put an end to it.
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Last Friday, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert urging the residents of her city to be mindful of potential discriminatory pricing practices at car washes in the days leading up to the Jewish holiday – when many Jews clean their homes, cars, and other spaces to remove "chametz," or leavened products, from these spaces because they are not eaten for the duration of the holiday.
In previous years, car wash businesses in predominantly Orthodox Jewish communities in the city have reportedly raised prices by as much as 50% for Jewish customers seeking cleaning services close to Passover.
James also sent letters to two organizations representing car wash owners in New York to remind their members that any such business practice is illegal and should be reported to the Office of the Attorney General.
"It's shameful that we even have to warn Jewish communities about the possibility that companies would take advantage of them during the holidays," said James. "If we learn of any businesses engaging in such disgusting and antisemitic practices, we will not hesitate to take swift and serious legal action. No New Yorker should ever be forced to pay more for a service because of their religion, race, gender, or sexual orientation, and I urge anyone who has been a victim of this discriminatory behavior to report it to my office immediately."
New York City Assemblymember Simcha Eichenstein said: "The Passover season is expensive enough and unfortunately many local families struggle to make ends meet at this time of year. Given the Jewish tradition of cleaning our homes, our cars, and our possessions before the Passover holiday, car washes provide an essential service during the pre-Passover season.
"In the past, I have received multiple reports of car wash establishments in my district and beyond that have raised their prices up to 50% during the pre-Passover weeks for the exact same service that they offer all year round. Shameless overcharging before the holiday is clearly religious discrimination and totally unacceptable in this industry or any industry. I thank Attorney General James for giving this issue the attention it deserves and issuing this pre-season warning to car wash establishments, ensuring that this discriminatory practice does not continue this year."
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