Canadian-Slovakian Jewish model Miriam Mattova was kicked out of an Uber in Toronto when the driver realized she was a Jew. Mattov’s lawyer, Howard Levitt, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.
The incident occurred on November 30, when Mattova got into an Uber on Dundas Street (booked by her friend) to travel to her home. Once in the car, Mattova facetimed another friend and casually recounted details of her recent trip to Israel.
In the middle of the intersection, the driver, a Muslim woman, suddenly hit the brakes and told Mattova to get out of the car. She asked her what was happening, and the driver responded that she did not feel comfortable with Mattova in the car.
“I asked why, because I still didn’t understand the situation, and then the driver responded by saying they do not drive Jewish people,” Mattova told the Post.
“At that moment, I chose to step out of the car, not out of fear but out of clarity. When someone reveals open discrimination, there is no reason to remain in that space.”
Mattova called another Uber, returned home, and the next day filed a detailed complaint in the Uber app. The friend who had ordered the Uber also filed a complaint.
However, they only received a response after the story was published in The National Post.
'More than the cost of a ride'
“Uber responded with a phone call, saying that they are going to give me a refund. I wanted to be clear that this situation is about more than the cost of a ride and that the incident I experienced was a blatant act of antisemitism.”
Mattova inquired as to whether the driver would be removed from the company, to which Uber responded that it could not give her an answer. In a subsequent email correspondence, Uber said it would speak to the driver, but no more information was provided.
“When [Uber] called [Mattova], they wanted to ask whether she had an injury from it, like an insurance company does,” added Levitt. “That is all they were interested in, not about the racism of the driver.”
Levitt sent Uber a letter demanding that it stipulate in every driver’s contract that there can be no discrimination, basing the stipulations on human rights grounds, which of course include religion and race.
Levitt confirmed that if Uber does not respond, he will file a human rights application before the Human Rights Tribunal in Ontario.
Mattova told the Post that since she posted about the incident on Instagram, scores of people have been reaching out to her to say they have experienced similar antisemitic incidents. They had also reported the incidents to Uber but had received no answer.
“This is not a one person’s problem,” said Mattova. “I think this is a bigger issue, and Uber has not been taking accountability for what’s been actually going on.”
“When a company as large as Uber fails to respond, it sends a completely wrong message. Like a serious incident involving hate should trigger immediate action within 24 hours,” she said.
Mattova wanted to make it clear that she isn’t seeking money from this incident, and if Uber wants to give money, she would want it to be donated to a charity based in Israel named Israel Friends. Additionally, she is seeking the dismissal of the driver and a formal apology to her and to the Jewish community in general.
The Post asked Mattova how she connects such incidents to her grandmother’s experience as a Holocaust survivor.
“My family’s history significantly shapes my views,” she said. “My grandmother survived the concentration camp, which reminds me of the necessity to remember these events, like ensuring such hatred never reoccurs. We must remain vigilant against antisemitism and all forms of hatred. That’s exactly why I’m doing this. That’s my main reason.”
Nevertheless, this is not the first such incident Mattova has experienced in Canada. Does she see a future in the country?
“At this moment, I question if I do have a future in Canada,” she said.
Levitt concluded: “Much of the Jewish community is fearful in Canada and is considering leaving to go to the US or Israel. The problem is, if you show fear, you make your enemies more ebullient. The mainstream organizations are not being sufficiently aggressive, preferring condemnation to concrete action.”