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| Post: September, 12 2008 | ShalomShopper.com Press Release |
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E-Commerce Inspired by Aliya To Israel
There are dozens of Judaica retailers on the Internet. Each offers unique and exquisite pieces of art, traditional and ceremony items, Bar/Bat Mitzvah gifts and more. These websites offer niche products and hand crafted artisan pieces, as well as commodity items.
The issue with these disparate online retailers makes itself apparent when you search for a special item or try to find the best price for a product you’ve had your eyes on. For years now, sites like Shopping.com and many others have attempted to solve this issue. These sites function as comparison shopping engines, allowing consumers to search for and compare products across retailers, easing the online shopping experience. To this date, a comprehensive Jewish comparison shopping engine has not been available.
Now, a Central Florida owned comparison shopping engine, ShalomShopper.com, has solved this issue for the Jewish online shopper. ShalomShopper.com provides a cross section of kosher goods, Judaica and more. Now, consumers of Jewish and Israeli themed goods can go to one single website, compare and contrast products between retailers and find the right item for the right price. Shoppers can also choose to rate products or write product reviews so that fellow consumers can benefit from the community’s input. Some of the types of items found on ShalomShopper.com include
honey dishes,
Etrog boxes,
Menorahs,
Mezuzot,
Havdalah sets,
books,
Israeli music,
Israeli made/themed clothing and jewelry,
just to name a few.
Another interesting tidbit about this site is that it offers more than just consumer goods. ShalomShopper.com offers features pertinent to the Jewish community as a whole. Its goal is to eventually become a Jewish community hub providing goods, services and information. ShalomShopper.com currently offers a Hebrew calendar, blogs, links and headlines to current events within the Jewish community from various news sources, links to Jewish groups and organizations and more.
The founder and owner, Jonathan Winer, a member of Congregation Ohev Shalom got the idea for this site upon his return from this year’s Or Hadash Israel trip in March. A quote from his blog provides some insight on how the site came about:
“I've never been a religious person, although I have always held steadfast to my Jewish heritage, traditions and opinions. Despite my lack of religiosity, this most recent trip rekindled something in me.
Being in Israel, surrounded by Jewish life and culture, I was inspired to create this website. You may argue that this was not logical or in line with some sort of spiritual awakening, but it really was. My background is in software, and in recent years, my focus has been directed towards e-commerce.
I've always struggled to define my Jewish-ness through traditional means like attending synagogue or keeping kosher. Creating this website has allowed me to use my technical knowledge and combine it with my love of Judaism and Israel.”
ShalomShopper.com is currently in its infancy and is expected to change and grow over time. The owner is focused on working with additional retailers to make additional online product catalogs available through the site.
To shop ShalomShopper.com, visit www.ShalomShopper.com.
-Shalom.
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| Post: August, 12 2008 | The Unetaneh Tokef Prayer |
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Throughout my childhood and most of my adult life, the Unetaneh Tokef prayer has haunted me. It is sung with a dark and somber
melody, much like a Mozart funeral dirge. Its lyrics are dark and foreboding. It harkens back to the stern yet merciful G-d
often depicted in the Torah and referred to in peoples' Deuteromistic interpretations of history.
This prayer is recited only twice a year on Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur. It speaks of us standing before G-d in judgement.
It serves as a not so subtle reminder that our actions have consequences. That if we chose to live unrighteously, G-d will
ensure we are held accountable.
My issue with this prayer is not its intent or message. I tend to agree in accountability for the actions in our lives.
My issue, until recently, was with its raw and carnal descriptions of how we will be made to account for our poor decisions.
In the past, Rabbi's have offered commentary on this prayer within their sermons. But to be honest, the comments offered did
not resonate with me. To be even more honest, I don't remember their comments.
So my standing question has been, 'How did such a dark and foreboding prayer become canonized into our modern prayer service?'.
I decided to do some research...
The Unetaneh Tokef prayer:
"On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed: how many shall pass on, and how many shall be born; who shall live, and who shall die; who in his time, and who before his time; who by fire and who by water; who by sword and who by beast; who by hunger and who by thirst; who by storm and who by plague; who by choking and who by stoning... Who shall rest, and who shall wander; who shall be tranquil and who shall be harassed; who shall be at peace and who shall suffer; who shall become poor, and who shall become rich; who shall fall and who shall rise... But repentance, prayer and charity revoke the evil decree!"
The story
of this prayer begins some 800 years ago with a man named Rabbi Amnon in the city of Mainz, Germany. He was a respected sage within the Jewish
community and friend to the local Bishop. There came a point when the Bishop sought to convert the Rabbi to Catholicism. Rabbi Amnon hesitated
in his answer to the Bishop, but his answer was inevitably 'No'. Because of the Rabbi's disrespect for the Bishops request, the Bishop had
Rabbi Amnon's legs amputated just prior to Rosh Hashanah eve and was left to die. Jewish community members brought the ailing Rabbi back to the
synagogue per the Rabbi's request so that he could offer up prayers during the Rosh Hashanah service. With the Rabbi's lasts breaths, he offered up
the Unetaneh Tokef prayer. Days later, in the dreams of a local scholar, Rabbi Amnon appeared requesting that the Unetaneh Tokef be included
as a traditional Rosh Hashanah prayer.
Upon doing further research, it appears that this story, while colorful, romantic and cruel, is not true.
The other interesting tidbit is that this story seems out of alignment with modern Jewish thought; that G-d has control over our lives.
Judaism teaches that we are given the gift of self-determination, not pre-destination. So why did this prayer find and keeps its place
in Jewish liturgy? I'm sure the Rabbis have answers, but I'll offer up mine.
When Rosh Hashanah begins, a year has passed since its last occurence. 365 days is a lot of time to forget and rationalize our mistakes and missteps.
The Unetaneh Tokef makes a strong statement, it evokes strong emotions; strong enough to rattle our minds to remember what this observance of
Rosh Hashanah is about. To take an earnest look at ourselves, to inspect our lives for the past year. To accept that we have wronged others and to own
up to making things right. To me, this prayer is not to be taken literally. Its role is to shake us into reality; to remind us that we are human.
That with the gift of free will comes the responsibility to recognize our misgivings and that we need to account to the people we have wronged.
On this Rosh Hashanah may your name be inscribed in the Book of Life and on Yom Kippur may it be sealed.
-Shalom.
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| Post: July, 14 2008 | Questions of faith |
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Judaism is novel in that it is a religion that almosts requires us to question it.
It is a core tenant of Judaism to inquire and learn. This can be a challenging and exciting exercise.
In the end it clarifies our understanding of our faith, history and heritage.
Often times we are questioned about our faith by another. When that individual is Jewish, is can be a wonderful
interchange of sharing common experiences, doubts, etc. When that individual is not Jewish, it can often be a similar
experience, but when it is not, it can leave us in a free-fall; wishing we were better able to verbalize our thoughts and
our love of Judaism. We are left recounting what we said and did not say.
My wife, a convert to Judaism, had many similar experiences in her journey discovering the Jewish faith. Not being raised as
a Jew, she did not have the benefit of years of Hebrew school and life experiences to aid in 'defending' her positions and beliefs.
Through her journey, many people and several books helped her to solidify her beliefs and provide her comfort to speak plainly and confidently
about why she chose Judaism.
Below I've listed several of our favorite books that my wife and I have found along the way:
-Shalom.
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| Post: June, 12 2008 | I love Gefilte Fish! |
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I love Gefilte Fish! For most, this is a love/hate food. I don't know many people that are ambivelant about it.
Its odor, its texture, the gluppy, gloppy gelatin its often packed in raises some pretty strong emotions and probably tests
the iron will and dogged determination of stomachs the world over.
I have to confess, I'm not a fan of the gelatin packing myself. I prefer the broth. I like it served cold, with a large
slathering of red beet horseradish and a hard-boiled egg on the side. This is Jewish sushi at its finest.
I love the stuff not only for its flavor and texture, but because it brings back fond memories of Passover Seders and Rosh Hashanah dinners spent with the family.
The other thing I love about this food is that it has come to symbolize more than just a traditional food in American Jewish life.
You can find decals on cars mimicing the "Christian Fish" symbol, pet toys and even more amusing, folklore has begun to develop around it.
If you are one that hasn't yet braved the wiley Gefilte Fish, give it a try. I hope you'll grow to love it as I have.
-Shalom.
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| Post: May, 3 2008 | A Bat Mitzvah Weekend |
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Last weekend my wife and I returned from my cousin's Bat Mitzvah. It was a wonderful time; seeing family and friends that
we know we should have stayed in better touch with, but all is always forgiven as we are all so glad to simply have the opportunity
to see and spend time with each other again.
As enjoyable as the weekend was, it was also bitter sweet. I only have one cousin yet to be Bar/Bat Mitzvah'd.
It was bitter sweet because I will miss these family gatherings. Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are joyous occasions. They are the culmination
of lots of hard work and study and hopefully the beginning of a richer, more involved life within the Jewish community.
Along with Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Hanukkah and Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs provide the rare occasions when distant family members come together
for a festive celebration and meal. It provides a great venue for remembering the 'old days' and sharing new experiences with loved ones.
I hope the next generation in our family will remember these occasions as foundly as I and strive to keep the tradition of family alive.
-Shalom.
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| Post: April, 5 2008 | Why I created this site |
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My first trip to Israel was in 1993 as a college student. I was young, self-involved and uninterested in what Israel had to offer me aside from what any foreign country has to offer a college student on vacation.
Fifteen years later, now married, a bit older and I'd like to think less self-involved; my wife and I made a second trip (her first) to Israel.
I've never been a religious person, although I have always held steadfast to my Jewish heritage, traditions and opinions. Despite my lack of religiosity, this most recent trip rekindled something in me.
So I created a website! You may argue that this was not logical or not in line with some sort of spiritual awakening, but it really was.
My background is in software. And in recent years, my focus has been directed towards ecommerce.
I've always struggled defining my Jewish-ness by traditional means like attending synagogue or keeping kosher. Creating this website allowed me to use the technical knowledge that I possess and combine it with my love of Judaism.
I hope you find ShalomShopper.com useful. I hope as it grows, it will function not only as an ecommerce site, but a place where people will want to come for news, information, community, dialogue and much more.
I leave you with an essay my wife was inspired to write following our trip to Israel. I hope it touches you as it did me and perhaps inspires your next visit to Israel.
-Shalom.
I get it now...
That’s all I can say about my recent trip to Israel. I stepped off the plane and out of Ben Gurion Airport just two weeks ago in Tel Aviv and the first words that came to my head were “I get it now.”
As a Converted member of the Jewish Community, I didn’t grow up with a family who actively supported Israel. As a matter of fact, we never spoke or thought about it, pleasantly in the dark, not knowing or caring about what was happening thousands of miles away. I look back now at all the students I met through my high school graduation and I can’t say that I knew anyone who was Jewish. If someone was, it wasn’t discussed, so you can imagine how many times we were introduced to the concept of “Zionism.”
As a Jew-By-Choice, I’ve had to learn everything from reading Hebrew to understanding what the Federation was and why we support it. In the beginning, I was like a child in an adult’s body who wanted so desperately to fit in, yet I felt I couldn’t ask the questions that seemed so basic and simple for fear of seeming like an intruder. While active in our Synagogue after my conversion, I slowly learned words, terms, Yiddish expressions and how to follow services. But still, the one word that came up often that I couldn’t wrap my head around was “Zionism.”
A few years ago, I was asked to join the Bornstein Leadership Program for up-and-coming leaders in the Central Florida Jewish Community. It was a fabulous program for a Convert, yet still I hid my lack of knowledge, still unsure of my short-lived Jewish identity and the importance of Israel in our lives. As the program progressed, it included an evening discussion of just these things: how we think about ourselves as Jews and our connection to Israel. After the discussion, I understood the basic definition, but didn’t really get the full meaning of the term “Zionism.”
Over the past several years, I’ve wanted to go to Israel, yet I’ve been a bit fearful of what I would see and experience. American news reports show the country as desolate with settlements in almost unlivable desert conditions and major cities under siege. As we all know, the only things we see in these vignettes are the news-sellers: devastation, people pushed to extremes and the sick things people do as reactions to their brain-washed realities. I expected to see Haifa bomb-torn and on the rebuild, feel tension in Jerusalem between the many cultures that converge there and meet people, who aren’t as fortunate as us Americans, living scared every day. Let’s help out the unfortunate country that doesn’t have much and is constantly under fire, literally and figuratively. Is this “Zionism”?
Humbly, I say, “I get it now.”
The plan of the Or Hadash sponsored program was for us to travel extensively throughout the Northern areas of Israel to the borders of both Lebanon and Syria and then down to Jerusalem and the Dead Sea while learning the history of the country and key events that have shaped it since its inception. Looking at the trip as an opportunity to vacation and not worry about a thing, I went along for the ride. Little did I realize that from the moment I stepped out into the sun on the first day to the moment I had to sadly get on the plane to go home, I could feel an energy that was unexplainable. Something inside of me changed on that first day and I said to myself “I get it now.”
Israel is a magnificent and flourishing country. Everywhere you look you see stunning picturesque views from rocky deserts to lush citrus crops and green mountains. Nowhere have I ever had such overwhelming experiences, from overlooking Haifa at sunset to walking along the beach in Tel Aviv, dipping my feet into the Mediterranean Sea. I met and spoke with young soldiers, protective at every moment, and watched them go through maneuvers in massive tanks. Eagles soared over the ruins of Ancient Gamla and I felt a harsh, but refreshing wind while looking down into a volcano at the top of the Mt. Avital – Mt. Bental Nature Reserve. “I get it now.”
Not only are the sights in Israel vibrant, but the people and communities are too, especially in Jerusalem, where there exists the crossroads for peoples and religions from around the world. During the trip, I learned about the importance of all religions in the formation of the country, but my lessons resulted in quiet confirmations to myself of why I chose Judaism. “I get it now.”
The world works in mysterious ways, and through some new friends we met at the Shuk, my husband and I had the chance to experience real Jewish life in Jerusalem. We were invited to and attended Friday evening services at a small Orthodox Shul in Mekor Baruch. After services, we were then invited to meet the family of a local Rav, who along with his wife and five young children, opened his family’s small home for Shabbat dinner and a thoughtful and passionate d’var Torah (in English this evening just for us) to anyone who chose to arrive, including two complete strangers from America. “I get it now.”
Placing my hand on the Western Wall underneath Jerusalem and realizing that our ancestors from thousands of years ago touched this same rock and walked on the same path, I said to myself, “I get it now.”
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