Delicious for Hanukkah

Balducci’s, a gourmet market in New York’s Greenwich Village, accidentally found itself in an embarrassing situation. Sometime over the weekend a store clerk mistakenly put a sign over a set of hams describing them as “Delicious for Hanukkah.”

Manhattan novelist Nancy Kay Shapiro, a self-professed unobservant Jew, noticed the advertisement of trafe – unclean, forbidden foods – for Chanukah. Instead of being offended, Ms. Shapiro took photographs and posted them on the web.

Chanukah hams - trafe for the holidays

I just thought it was funny, I wasn’t offended in any way. I just thought, here’s somebody who knows nothing about what Jews eat.

Nancy Shapiro
Author of What Love Means To You People

 

When Ms. Shapiro returned to the store on Tuesday, the first night of Chanukah, the signs had vanished. A manager at the Balducci’s gourmet grocery store apologetically said that the sign had been a mistake and blamed it on a stock clerk.

Thank you, Ms. Shapiro! Where many people would have been grossly offended, you showed good humor and tolerance for other’ ignorance and fallibility.

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7 Responses to “Delicious for Hanukkah”

  1. Christy Says:

    I second that! Fabulously refreshing. =)

  2. jonolan Says:

    Yeah it is! So many people would have been “up in arms” and crying antisemitism at the top of their proverbial lungs, but Ms. Shapiro showed humor and class.

  3. Ben Says:

    Ha, I heard about this last night on the news…it’s good to be able to laugh.

  4. jonolan Says:

    Ben, yes it is and so few seem to be able to. We’d apparently much prefer to be offended.

  5. Pat Says:

    Whew! Dodged that bullet! I thought that maybe the distaste for pork in many religious menus was about to fall which would make pork more expensive! Since a good smoked ham or breaded pork cutlet are some of my favorite foods I’m relieved the prohibitions remain in place, thus costing me less!

  6. jonolan Says:

    LOL! No hope for you. China’s in the middle of a nasty Pig Flu that seriously impacting their production. I think they’ll be importing pork products soon, so the prices will go up.

  7. Pat Says:

    LMAO, and just when I thought my culinary habits were safe! Darn capitalism and its ability to get people to eat more protein!

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