In like an hour all the stores will close, the radios and tv stations will go off-air, and no cars will drive the streets as we usher in Yom Kippur. Up until that time, however, the grocery stores are doing an absolutely booming business! I had to stop in to my local store to pick up another can of wet cat food to make sure I have enough for the baby kittens (who clearly don’t fast). The lines for the cashiers snaked down the aisles and around becoming amorphous blobs (which line is which?) in the back of the store at the dairy section. People held baskets filled to overflowing and then some. Every year I am taken by surprised at this stockpiling mentality. It is like people are getting ready to descend into bunkers for the next 6 weeks or something rather than the stores simply being closed for 24 hours. The woman ahead of me kept sending her reluctant kids off to collect additional items, “Dudi, go back and get 4 more yogurts.” I peer at her basket already containing half the yogurts from the shelf it seems, along with large quantities of everything else. “We got yogurt.” “Yes, and tomorrow when you decided you want two yogurts and we don’t have any more, I don’t want to hear your complaints. Go get the yogurts!” The young couple behind me supplemented their basket with popcorn, cakes, and crackers as we slowly made our way down that aisle toward the cashier in what were clearly impulse buys. Well ya know, when you have a day-long DVD watching party, people do get the munchies.
Myself, I’m already not hungry. Simply looking at all that food going into baskets seems to have taken away my appetite like I’d eaten it. I’m sitting here thinking, hmm, I should maybe eat something before…naahh. I definitely left the store feeling like I’m going to be the only person in Tel Aviv fasting though!
Gmar chatima tova to all those who are fasting and all those who aren’t.
You are right, at certain celebrations one sees carts loaded as if people go on expedition to the Norh Pole.
yes, it’s siege mentality - happens here every Christmas Eve, despite the fact that most shops are open again on Boxing Day!
It seems that even the mere idea of deprivation sends people into stockpiling mentality!
I remember this peculiar atmosphere from when I still lived in Germany, where Christmas usually is a 2-3 day holiday (depending on the Sunday) when absolutely all stores were mandated to be closed. Latest on Dec. 24, which also had become a half-day holiday in many areas) you had to load up on groceries, and people had this unusual air about them, some happy expectation of something special, and they were loading up on good food and things.
Nowadays here in the States grocery stores start to open even on Christmas Day so there is no need for this kind of shopping spree any more. That’s somehow sad. גמר חתימה טובה
Sir John, I agree. Somehow the magic formerly associated with all holidays seems to be gone. In the US, people seem obsessed with shopping. I don’t mean the stocking up on items before a holiday, but just shopping in general.
I agree and that is sad. As much as I like 24 hour open supermarkets during normal weeks, why can’t people live with closed stores for one or even two days once in a while? Why do we need to shop on Christmas Day, or July 4, or similar days?
It is sad when a society only knows two states to be in: working or shopping.
That’s something to think about on Yom Kippur, even if one is not Jewish. When God gave us the commandment to keep the Sabbath (on the seventh day you shall not work, nor your slaves, animals etc.), He knew what He was doing.
Sounds like what happens when there is a forcast of a 1/4 inch of snow where I live. people pannic and buy EVERYTHING at Walmart.
Well, you know with all those threats of Iranian potential nuke missile tests, people wanted to make sure they didn’t die hungry…hope they hedged their bets by giving tzedakah too.
Looks like the Guardian of Israel did His bit and the official guardians of the state of Israel did theirs too…
I used to do this when I observed Shabbat. I’d make sure I had EVERYTHING I might want to eat over Shabbat, especially when I was backpacking through Europe and when I lived in Istanbul and spent most of the day alone. I still do it when the stores close for xmas. I just get SO WORRIED that I’ll want something I don’t have.
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I remember Yom Kippur being a subdued day when I lived in Israel 36 years ago, so I find this very funny … I don’t know if intentionally funny or not on Yaeli’s part … we get our own country and what do we do on Yom Kippur? EAT! (No different from any other Jewish holy day after all …)
Miki — lol and on the most somber day of the year throw the biggest street party of the year and then some!
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