Shefa and Shalev. Apology and compensation
Photo: Avi Valdman
Coffee chain owner to pay for racist slander
Sahar Shefa, owner of Aroma coffee chain in Tel Aviv, agrees to pay NIS 100,000 (roughly USD 23,000) to woman whom he called black, inferior
Sahar Shefa, the owner and founder of the Aroma coffee chain in Tel Aviv, who stirred a public row after cursing a Colmobil employee, Mali Shalev, apologized to Shalev Thursday and agreed to pay her NIS 100,000 (roughly USD 23,000).
Last week, the court found Shefa guilty of slander. The compensation agreement is pending the court's authorization.
Shalev took Shefa to court after he verbally assaulted her during a business visit to her place of work. Shalev visited the offices of Colmobil, Mercedes' importer in Israel, and was asked to wait for a while until the company's employees return from a conference they were attending.
When Shalev arrived at the place, Shefa shouted at her: "You see my skin color? I'm white and you're black, I will screw you, this white guy is going to teach you a lesson, you are a black stain. You are a black and inferior woman. You are an idiot. You're nothing and I make 800 dollars a minute."
On Thursday, Shefa said: "The things I said are inappropriate in every way, they go against the values on which I was brought up and according to which the Aroma chain is being run. I sincerely apologize."
Shefa and Shalev held a long conversation, in the course of which Shefa apologized for his words, expressed his deep regret, and presented to Shalev the various social activities sponsored by the chain.
