Tensions between Jewish guests and Swiss locals in Davos: an explainer

Davos has become a popular destination for Orthodox Jewish guests in both winter and summer. Keystone-SDA

Sparks have been flying between locals in the mountain resort town of Davos and Orthodox Jewish holidaymakers over the last few years. What’s behind the tensions?

This week the hotel-restaurant at the Pischa mountain station in Davos made international headlines after it posted a poorly worded sign in Hebrew indicating that it would no longer rent out sledges and skis to Jewish guests.

The restaurant owner apologised for the wording, tellingExternal link the Blick paper and other Swiss media that the decision had nothing to do with faith or personal inclinations but rather about safety concerns and the hassle when guests rent equipment in sneakers and then abandon sledges on the slopes.

“We no longer want to bear the risk that a guest will cause a serious accident at some point and hold us accountable for it,” Ruedi Pfiffner, owner of the Pischa mountain station restaurant, told Blick.

Swiss top diplomat to mediate

The Davos authorities said they were to set up a task force last autumn to address the repeated problems between the local population and tourism businesses on the one hand and Jewish guests on the other.

In response to the latest incident, Michael Ambühl, a former Swiss diplomat and negotiator, is set to mediate between the groups involved.

The Davos Tourism organisation hopes that Ambühl, with his extensive expertise as a mediator in cases of conflict, will be able to work out credible measures and solutions, as tourism director Reto Branschi toldExternal link Swiss public television SRF.

The sign was eventually removed and replaced by one in German, that didn’t call out Jewish guests but rather specified that suitable winter clothing and shoes are required to rent sports equipment.

But the damage was done. The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities called the sign discriminatoryExternal link and said they are considering taking legal action. The police in canton Graubünden have also opened an investigation.

The Pischa incident isn’t an isolated case, nor are confrontations like this new. Tensions between locals in Davos and Orthodox Jewish guests have been simmering for years. Last year, the Davos Klosters Tourism CEO went as far as to say Davos was reaching a boiling point. What’s going on?

Why Davos?

Davos has been a popular holiday destination for Orthodox Jews for decades. It’s estimated that during the peak season in summer around 3,000-4,000 Orthodox Jews spend holidays in Davos – a town with a resident population of 11,000. For comparison, there are about 18,000 Jewish peopleExternal link living in Switzerland, which has 9 million people.

According to historiansExternal link, Jewish guests started coming to Davos around 1870 when the Alpine resort became known as a centre for treating patients with lung conditions. At the turn of the century, Orthodox-run guesthouses emerged and in 1919, a Jewish sanitorium, Etania, opened in Davos. Though it was closed in 2000, it was recently converted into a hostel cateringExternal link specifically to the needs of Jewish guests.

Over the last twenty years, members of the Swiss Jewish community have helped build the infrastructure in Davos including a synagogue in a former hospital.

In the summer months, several hotels are now run by Jewish families, providing a kosher kitchen, prayer rooms, and other accommodations. Supermarkets in the village sell kosher food. Well-known rabbis from Israel, Antwerp and New York have been known to make appearances, which also draws further guests from abroad.

While other mountain resort towns such as St Moritz and Crans Montana are also popular with Jewish tourists, it’s about supply and demand. “Places that offer facilities [catered to guests] have more Jewish customers,” Jonathan Kreutner, general secretary of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities, told SWI by email.

Davos Klosters Tourism spokesperson Samuel Rosenast informed SWI that they themselves don’t provide any specialised services for Jewish guests. “Our offer is the same for all guests. We don’t differentiate according to origin, religion or culture.” Services are from private providers.

Davos has expanded its kosher offering in recent years and recreational activities in the area have become a key selling point for Jewish families, noted Kreutner. The number of foreign guests has grown steadily including travelers from the United Kingdom, Belgium, the US and Israel.

Boiling point?

While more Orthodox Jews enjoy their holidays in Davos, tensions with locals have flared. Reports have circulated of locals complaining about Jewish guests littering or picnicking in areas reserved for restaurant guests.

Some reactions have gone even farther. In 2017, a hotel in Arosa, a three-hour train ride from Davos, caused an uproar after it put up a sign addressed to Jewish guests asking them to take a shower before swimming – sparking an official complaint from the Israeli foreign ministry.

In 2019, some locals complained about a procession of 2,000 Orthodox Jews, who participated in a Torah dedication ceremony, in the streets of Davos. Last year, the CEO of Davos Klosters Tourism, Reto Branschi, added fuel to the fire after he complained about the behavior of Jewish guests in an interview,External link stating that some people don’t behave in a respectful manner.

Kreutner said while there are some isolated antisemitic incidents “most of the so-called problems have been due to misunderstandings or a lack of knowledge about the other culture”.

Last year, Jehuda Spielman, an Orthodox Jew who sits on the Zurich city council, told the Tages-Anzeiger that part of the problemExternal link is that behaviours of individual guests is used to generalise an entire group. As Orthodox Jews stand out by their clothing, this can lead to discrimination.

Kreutner doesn’t want to paint a broad brush across Davos. “Some providers of hotels, shops and rental flats warmly welcome these guests. However, there are obviously others who have a completely different attitude towards Jewish guests,” he added.

However, the situation hasn’t dampened Jewish interest in Davos. “Jewish tourism in Davos has been increasing for years,” he told SWI. “The vast majority of guests aren’t aware of such problems.”

Easing tensions

This isn’t to say there are no concerns and that there isn’t a need to ease tensions.

The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities initiated the Likrat Public dialogue project a few years ago, which included seminars, workshops and informational brochuresExternal link for local hotels, businesses and Jewish guests alike. Young Jews also went to various mountain resorts to mediate between locals and Orthodox visitors.

Last August, the Davos Klosters Tourism office unilaterally ended their involvementExternal link in the dialogue project, a step which Kreutner from the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities regrets. According to media reports, the tourism office was of the view that the mediation wasn’t taken seriously.

“There is clearly a lot going wrong here,” said Kreutner. “A rethink is needed.”

Edited by Reto Gysi von Wartburg/avma. This story was updated on February 16 to include mention of the engagement of a top Swiss diplomat in mediation between the parties.