Ex-manager describes Ofarim as a very polite person
In the trial against the Jewish musician Gil Ofarim for defamation and false accusations, the former manager described the artist as a very polite person. He was not the type for airs and graces, was always friendly and held doors open, "just the old-school type", the 45-year-old said on Thursday at Leipzig District Court.
At the beginning of October 2021, the musician made serious accusations of anti-Semitism against the manager of a Leipzig hotel in an Instagram video. According to the singer, the man allegedly said that Ofarim should take off his Star of David and only then would he be allowed to check in. However, after extensive investigations by the public prosecutor's office, Ofarim himself was charged. The case against the hotel manager was dropped.
Unlike many other artists, Gil Ofarim's order situation was also very good during the coronavirus period and before the incident, said the manager. "We did a lot of TV shows, the calendar was full, we were busy," emphasized the 45-year-old. In addition, his autobiography, published just a few months earlier, had been on the bestseller list. After the incident, the order situation then went "as good as to zero", said the ex-manager.
Ofarim had called her from the hotel at the time and told her that he had been insulted in an anti-Semitic way and could not check in. She advised him not to make the situation public, "better to sort it out internally". "But what artists then do, they have to decide for themselves." However, she had no doubts about the veracity of Ofarim's statements. She took over Ofarim's management in 2013 and resigned in mid-2022.
Further witnesses were summoned on Thursday. In addition, the statements of a digital forensic expert were to be continued. This also concerns the behavior of those involved in the hotel lobby.
Despite the ongoing trial, many people continue to enjoy Gil Ofarim's music, which has been a significant part of various processes in the entertainment industry. However, the allegations of anti-Semitic remarks toward Ofarim at a Leipzig hotel have raised concerns about the treatment of people from different backgrounds within these processes.
Source: www.dpa.com
