From time to time, haredi Rabbis such as Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv from Bnei Brak as well as the Gerer Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, threaten to place a "Cherem (ban)" on ELAL if the company continues its flights on Shabbat. Usually ELAL and the Rabbis somehow make a compromise until new clashes come up.
Now the "bad guy" is not called ELAL but "Shefa Market". The two leading litvishe Rabbis from Bnei Brak, Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman and Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv, as well as the Gerer Rebbe Yaakov Aryeh Alter, have placed a ban on the market.
A Shefa branch
Why ?
The reason is very simple and the time of placing a ban (Cherem) on a food chain, only a few weeks before Pessach, seems to be chosen very carefully. Owner of the Shefa - Market is the Israeli Dor Alon - Group. The Dor Alon - Group owns several food chains and among them is also "AM:PM".
AM:PM was founded not too long ago from two young guys living in Tel Aviv. These two got the American idea to provide groceries around the clock and even on Shabbat. The first store in Tel Aviv was a tremendous success and the two guys started opening more and more branches. Only a short while ago, the two entrepreneurs sold their AM:PM to the Dor Alon - Group.
Due to the great success, the Dor Alon - Group kept the same business policy. AM:PM remains open for 24 - hours and Shabbat doesn't make any difference. As you can imagine, the haredi population is not rushing into AM:PM to buy groceries but use their own kosher chains only. Among those popular kosher stores is the Shefa - Market. It is totally kosher and cheap and, therefore, the Haredim love buying there. At least in the past because Shefa is now placed with a Cherem. Rabbi Eliyashiv & Co. announced to the Alon - Group that until they don't close their AM:PM - branches on Shabbat, Haredim won't continue buying at Shefa.
A few weeks before Pessach, no store can afford a Cherem and loosing all the customers. Pessach is big business and money time and the Shefa - Market is making anything but profit these days. In Jerusalem, haredi customers have enough choices anyway and now run to buy at the "Aleph" in Rehov Nagara in Givat Shaul, to Vishnitz or to other kosher chains. So far, the Alon - Group hasn't announced anything about changing its policy and closing down the AM:PM on Shabbat.
Details to the Shefa - losses:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3525754,00.html
What I haven't really understood is why Rabbi Eliyashiv & Co. only placed the Cherem now ? Is it really due to the Pessach business and they assume that the Dor Alon - Group would give in much faster in order not to loose the customers before the holiday ? The trade giant bought AM:PM quite a while ago and the Shabbat business has never been a secret. So, what policy is behind the ban ?
btw
ReplyDeleterav elyashiv shlita does dot live bnie brack he lives in your neighborhood in mea SHEARIM a bit after the womens entrance to breslov
B"H
ReplyDeleteWhat, Rabbi Eliyashiv lives in Jerusalem ?
I always thought that he lives in the deepest Bnei Brak.
Shabbat Shalom
Miriam
Good morning Iran!
ReplyDeleteit's actually cool, at the end ampm owner will sell the network to tiv-tam and we will get 24/7 non kosher (ampm is still kosher) network. This times the rebbes outsmarted themselves.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteThe AM:PM management said that they won't give in and rather so without Shefa but not without AM:PM.
I am just coming back from Tel Aviv and AM:PM really makes huges profits. Especially at the beach area in Allenby and Ben Yehudah Street.
On the other hand, the rabbis won't give in as there are enough possibilities replacing Shefa.
In the meantime SHEFA looses its customers and the staff worries about the jobs.