Ellington

Supporters and friends of Ted Riter, the interim rabbi at Beth Israel in Jackson, are spreading the word about an incident this afternoon at a local eatery.

According to a post from Riter (pronounced "writer") making the rounds on social media, the exchange between the rabbi and an employee of Greek Gyros & Salads, whom he called the owner, went like this:

(Riter): I'd like the lunch special and a Greek salad to go.

Owner: A full size or a Jewish size? Me: (With a quizzical look) What does that mean?

Owner: It's small. Jews are cheep and small. Everybody knows that. Me: Did you really just say that?

Owner: What are you a Jew?

(Riter): Yes

Owner: #%#&$&@(%&(@#&% Get out of here.

Riter added: "30 minutes later, I'm at home eating an Amy's spinach wrap and Sabra hummus, and thinking about all of the calories I just saved."

A male employee who answered the phone at the restaurant, who declined to give his name or the names of managers or the owners, denied that Riter was tossed from the spot, saying that Riter left after the employee made a joke.

According to the male employee, another worker taking Riter's order asked if he wanted Greek salad or Jewish salad.

"He took it the wrong way," the employee told the Jackson Free Press. "No one knew he was Jewish."

The employee who spoke with the JFP said the employee who interacted Riter has not been reprimanded and he suggested that Riter might be engaging in a publicity stunt.

"Evidently he doesn’t have a sense of humor," the employee said.

Warren Yoder, a Jackson social-justice activist, hopes the synagogue takes action.

"Stuff like this can't go unchallenged," Yoder said.

Reached by phone, Riter said he initially hoped it was a joke, "but when he launched into expletives, I knew he wanted me out of there." Riter noted that this all happened just ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year—a time for atonement and understanding.

Riter also stressed that in the three months that he's lived in Jackson, he's been welcomed with open arms.

"It's not in keeping with how I've been received by the rest of the community," he said of the incident.