Margie Pomerantz and her fellow volunteers from Congregation Beth David, a nearby Conservative synagogue, were out looking for Jews. In a supermarket. Unaffiliated Jews, if possible, but they weren\’t being picky.
It starts with a tireless trek to the mall in search of that stylish synagogue suit. Next comes the culinary juggling act, simultaneously preparing Aunt Sophie\’s tzimmes, Bubbe\’s killer kugel and a 22-pound turkey, dressed and trimmed. The last step is grooming an entire family and shuffling the whole gang out the door and into the synagogue in under an hour.
It happens every year, said Daryl Schwarz — who opened this 100 percent-kosher market in 1989 — only lately it\’s been getting worse. Large supermarket and discount chains are able to undersell kosher specialty markets on the very products that, traditionally, have been the Jewish stores\’ lifeblood.
My friend Rhonda asked me nonchalantly, \”Where are you going for Pesach this year?\”
Envisioning the whirlwind travels ahead, my head began to spin. \”I\’ll begin at Target for new shelf paper, sponges, paper goods, cleansers and a new broom. Then I\’ll dock briefly at Ralphs for the special deal on shmura matzah and whatever else they\’ve got for Pesach that\’s on sale. Next I\’ll bully my way in to the kosher market for meat, wine and enough matzah meal to plug up the Hoover Dam. Then I\’ll get over to Stan\’s Produce for fruits and vegetables. By that time, I\’ll have thought of dozens of other things I need, and start the whole thing over again. How about you?\”
Presents from the Holy Land have resonance for both the recipient and for Israel, whose economy could use a little boost from American consumers.
When it comes Chanukah, you\’ve got eight nights to get your gift giving right. Our Gift Guide points you toward a cornucopia of categories for every evening of the Festival of Lights.
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