she was speaking to the other workers in Arabic, so what happened to the other workers? If they were all speaking Arabic and only she got fired, that puts a hole in the idea that it was the reason she got fired... must have been something else.

this is unacceptable thingh!!!

to yell across the stores in their language. To boot, at Home Center especially, most of the ex-Soviets wear crosses over their exposed bosoms - a proud euphamism for the middle finger or a sign that says "gotcha, $uckers". Even if she was "fired for other reasons," the fact that she was counseled for her language is suspect. We want proof that other nationalities are similarly counseled - espcially the aforementioned biggest and most treasonous perpetrator.

I have no idea if she was fired based on racism or not but the fact that a manager told her not to speak Arabic during work is racist and wrong. We are all allowed to speak our language of choice with one another at work.

Russians (or others) wearing crosses is not an insult to Jews. It is a declaration of religious beliefs and since we have freedom of religion in this country, I see no issue with it. If the cross wearers have a Jewish grandparent or they converted to christianity, I don't care. They are doing nothing wrong, yes, even in a Jewish country.

is an official language of the State. It follows from this that it is illegal to fire someone for using that language. If indeed this was the pretext for dismissing her then her ex employers will be responsible before the law of the land and for the civil suit brought against them. I doubt that this was the reason. There is more to this than is written in the article, either that or her employers are very stupid.

People are so naive! The biggest booboo today is to be called a 'racist', money can be made on this accusation, everybody over the spectrum agrees this is a big offense.

The fact that the manager asked the employee not to speak arabic when speaking with a fellow employee when they are off the floor is purly racist. Home Center should make sure their managers are trained not to hate others based on their background, religion or color of their skin.

This country (or at least the talk-backers) are sometimes too narrow-minded. They don't even let my daughter use the + sign at school for fear that it is a cross...

The chutzpah of those Christians who just wanted a better life in the most Holy Land of Christendom. And to hear Jewish Israelis talk you'd think that all Russians were Mafioso. Good on ya Russian mates!

In the US there was a similar case, with Latina employees told to speak "English only" at work. I don't remember how it ended up, but the big difference here is that Arabic is one of the official languages of the country (in the US there is only one official language). If that manager was making up rules, s/he should be dealt with. If Home Center is making up such a ridiculous rule, that should be brought out in the open and dealt with. In any case, it's an absurd demand. She should have her job reinstated and get damages for the hassle. Ridiculous. All that said ... we have an American-immigrant friend who works for a bank and has been bluntly told he's forbidden to speak English on the job. Not easy for him, either, since he's a relatively new immigrant. The argument in his workplace is Zionism (as the early Zionist insisted on Hebrew only, right?) What's the argument in Home Center?

WOULD AMERICANS REACT RIGHT AFTER JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR ,IF AN AMERICAN -JAPANESE SPOKE TO HER FRIENDS IN JAPANSE AT STORE THEY WORKED IN?

What school does your child go to that would say such a thing?! I think you need to find a new school and at least raise the issue with the school.

in ny there are many many Jews who speak arabic as their jewish language and many Syrian Jews consider it not jewish if one can't speak arabic. Would the Rambam be fired for writing his works in his native language Arabic? If there are no security concerns in Israel why shouldn't everyone speak this language ? It would certaninly promote friendship with the many Israeli Arabs who are loyal citizens who want to live a peaceful life in Israel.....

anti-Israeli comments; in this case, perhaps, for once, you are being more balanced in your approach. I resided in Ashdod, a centre for post-communist Russian Israelis. While there is their share of organized criminal figures, alongside the Sephardim, Arabs and white-collar Ashkenazim, they have taken their place in Israeli society, added to it immensely and have solidly contributed. Russian Jews (and perhaps their Christian counterparts) make up a huge section of the professional classes, notably in engineering, medicine, nursing and software as well as business and commerce. They make up an invaluable section of the IDF including a growing presence in the officer's category. As soldiers, they tend to be very very tough. They are eager to educate themselves as anyone who has ever attended an Ulpan can testify. They have become exceedingly important in Israeli politics as can be noted by the achievements of Avigdor Lieberman and Yisrael Beiteinu. One of the areas where government has been deficient is in the area of integrating those Russians who would like to be part of Jewish society but are condemned to remain outside it because they are not considered "Jewish enough" to be considered Jews. This has been the cause of some juvenile delinquency and even outright rebellion against the Jewish state as seen in the occurrence of young Russian Israelis portraying themselves as Nazis.

HS, I really do not believe that the individual was actually fired for speaking Arabic. I know the store, and I really do not believe that this would be the cause. As someone else brought up, what about the other workers, were they fired? I don't think so. If so, they it would be wrong. For security, Israel does not generally racially profile, it is behavior based contrary to what may believe.

Very good description of what's happening in Israel, mostly among the Russian population. I totally agree that they have brought a lot of positive to the country mostly in the areas you mentioned. Like I always maintained, there is good and bad in all people...not all Russians are Mafiosi and not all Jews are angels. As for the story at hand about the girl being fired for supposedly speaking Arabic, there is an underlying story that we are not aware from this article except for her tardiveness showing up for work and the attitude she gives her superiors which that alone is ground for dismissal even in Canada.

idiocy and stupidity. Because they are afraid of tourists reactions maybe ? Which is not an excuse of course. Yes Arabic is also an official language in Israel. She has my support. Tell me where I have to sign... We need to learn to live really together, the sooner the better. There is no alternative, not for us not for them ;-)

I don't think that home center is a shopping place for tourists . They don't buy paint , dishes , installation material .....

...converse in Yiddish, so why should Russian and Arabic, an official language of the State be a problem.

go get a job in an arab store will ya? You people think you can yuk it up in a Jewish store and get away with it. Enough!

I am sorry but there is 1.5 Million Soviet Jews in Israel and the majority is sitting in high engineering positions in huge Israeli companies. Soviet Jews did as much if not more for Israel then Arab country Jews. Go read a text book Ben-Gurion, Meir, Begin even Sharon. And now Liberman, Dayan and others all came from the former Soviet Union, Israel would not be Israel without the Jews of the Soviet Union and Russia. The little small amount of Goyim who arrived are the ones working in Supermarkets wearing there crosses. But, Don't you dare claim that Russian Speaking people in Israel don't belong there. There is a big difference between Arab & Russian in Israel

In the many places I worked people always talked in non hebrew to each other including arabic and nobody cared. so thestory is probably not true. should it be the reason for firing her the management should be sued big time.

Which haredi workers???? They don't need to work!!!!

in this country , where the courts are part of the racism structure , everyone will see that the case will be lost and the employee still be fired with no admittance to racism from the home center company . their is no hope for change !!!!!!

They were both born HERE , in then called Palestine . Most ex Russian in high positions ? What about the many cashiers at supermarkets , clecks at post offices , banks and so on ?

....waiting to see who commented on that!!!! If Yisraeli Yisraeli is so afraid of what might be said in Arabic, I suggest he learn the language...