A tourist was charged NIS 10,100 ($2,800) last month for a shawarma plate in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Laura Ziff was refunded for the charge some three weeks after the fact, according to her post on social media, after the incident was publicized on Israeli media Monday.
The owners of the shawarma joint insisted the transaction was a mistake, but a former worker told Channel 12 it was part of a broader scheme to swindle unsuspecting tourists.
“This is one of the reasons I left the place,” said the former employee, who was not named. “They started playing with the prices, it’s terrible. Police came three times with tourists.”
“It works like this: They don’t have a menu. They request like [NIS] 80 for a shawarma plate and charge them in euro or dollars. Sometimes the customer notices and sees and sometimes he just gives his card and signs… It’s crazy. ”
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition
by email and never miss our top stories
By signing up, you agree to the
terms
“There are those who go to the police… and there are those who just give up, poor people,” the former worker added.
Is The Times of Israel important to you?
If so, we have a request.
Every day, even during war, our journalists keep you abreast of the most important developments that merit your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fast, fair and free coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
We care about Israel - and we know you do too. So today, we have an ask: show your appreciation for our work by joining The Times of Israel Community, an exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and financially support our work.
Yes, I'll give
Yes, I'll give
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You appreciate our journalism
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.
Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.
So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you'll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this