NY Attorney General Warn Against Discriminatory Car Washes Before Pesach

The New York Attorney General Letitia James released a statement urging New Yorkers, especially Jews, to be aware of potential discriminatory pricing at car washes, an issue raised by District 48 Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein five years ago, and heralded by the Assemblyman since then.

In the last few years many car washes in NYC and the Hudson Valley have raised their prices in the days leading up to Pesach to take advantage of their Jewish customers, which is illegal since it is discriminatory behavior based on someone’s religion. 

“New York has zero tolerance for antisemitism and discrimination of any kind,” said Attorney General James. “Passover is an important holiday for millions of Jews in New York and beyond, and it is illegal and discriminatory to take advantage of a religious holiday to charge more for a service. We will not hesitate to take action against any business that engages in such offensive behavior, and I urge anyone who has been a victim of this discrimination to contact my office immediately.”

Anyone who is aware of businesses using discriminatory practices or believes that they were charged more for services because of their religion, race, or background is encouraged to file a complaint online or call 1-800-771-7755.