Gollar’s last social interaction with Muslim Iranian colleagues (Early 1970’s)
Sasson: In Hamburg, all of the carpet traders — Jewish and non-Jewish — lived in the same neighborhood, and met each other on an almost-daily basis in the city’s fish restaurants or Iranian restaurants. Being so close, we would also invite each other to parties and weddings. One day, one of these so-called “friendly” neighbors, a Muslim whose name I do not recall now, said to me: “You Jewish carpet retailers avoid us and keep your distance.”
I said: “No way!”
A while later, he and his wife invited Gollar and me to an extremely sumptuous high-class party, and welcomed us with great honor. After a few drinks our host became quite jolly, and said loudly so everyone can hear: “Friends, have you ever seen a good Jew? Sasson is one of those Jewish guys who panned out!”
He may have meant to praise me, but I was deeply hurt. He knew me. He knew other Jewish business people. How could he say such horrible things and insult my whole nation?! Our friends said: “The guy is drunk, don’t pay attention to what he says,” but the fact of the matter is, I haven’t forgotten it to this day.
Gollar was deeply hurt too. We had been such good friends, and they mocked our identity! She decided to never go to Muslim parties and never visit their houses again.
