HOBBY LOBBY UPDATE — We reported last week that the Hobby Lobby craft store chain wasn’t carrying Chanukah merchandise in its new New Jersey store located in a heavily populated Jewish area. Comments from a store employee stating that “We don’t cater to you people,” ended up making headlines first on a Facebook blog and eventually in stories published by such mainstream news outlets as CNN, USA Today, Huffington Post and the Washington Post. Here is the latest update from our own news partner, JTA:
Hobby Lobby president says chain will carry Chanukah items (JTA) — The president of Hobby Lobby said the Oklahoma-based chain will carry Chanukah items in its stores near areas with large Jewish populations.
Steve Green in an interview with The Associated Press published Saturday, Oct. 5, said the items will be in his crafts stores in New York and New Jersey by November.
On Oct. 4, Green called blogger Ken Berwitz, who started the anti-Hobby Lobby backlash with a post last week. The two spoke for about 15 minutes, according to the AP, and Berwitz said the conversation was “pleasant” and the situation should be “diffused.”
Berwitz said in the post that he would never visit the retailer again after being told “We don’t cater to you people here” during a call to a New Jersey Hobby Lobby store in which he inquired whether it would be carrying Chanukah items.
In a statement published Oct. 3 on the ADL’s website, Green apologized for the alleged remark and indicated that his company has “deep respect for the Jewish faith.” The statement made clear that the owners “do not tolerate discrimination at the company or our stores.”
The ADL also issued a statement saying that the organization “has no reason to believe that Hobby Lobby has refused to stock Chanukah items because of hostility to Jews or anti-Semitism.”
“A store choosing not to carry Chanukah items does not violate anyone’s rights,” the organization added.
ATRIUMS MINYANS — This week, Rabbi Scott White of Congregation Ohev Sholom and Rabbi Doug Alpert of Congregation Kol Ami began offering a morning minyan once a week at the Atriums. It will take place at 7 a.m. every Wednesday. In his weekly message to members, Rabbi White said he and Rabbi Alpert “are delighted to host a traditional prayer service there … The service is open to all comers.” He noted that Ohev’s regular morning minyan will be held per usual on all weekday mornings, including Wednesday.
HBHA BLOOD DRIVE — If you’re in the mood to perform a mitzvah and save a life, stop by the Jewish Community Campus tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 10, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and give blood. The Community Blood Center needs to collect 580 units of blood daily to meet the needs of area hospital patients. For more information contact HBHA Health Coordinator Elisa Pener at 913-327-8189.
AUTHOR APPEARANCE — Kansas City native Chip Fleisher owns Steerforth Press, a small publishing company in New Hampshire, and he thinks its newest book will be of interest to members of the Jewish community. He is referring to “The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard,” written by Stephen Jimenez. The author will appear in an event hosted by Rainy Day Books at Unity Temple on the Plaza next Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. This month marks the 15th anniversary of the murder and Jimenez, an investigative journalist, unravels a tragic story involving one of the most serious problems that has faced the American heartland. The book relies on hundreds of hours of interviews with more than 100 subjects in 20 states, including the men convicted of killing Shepard — Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. Jimenez first reported some of his material as the co-producer of an hour-long story on ABC News “20/20” in 2004. He has spent the last nine years on further investigation, bringing forth new sources and explanations as to why this story has not been told. People Magazine has called it “A gripping read.” The Jewish Daily Forward has already run a review filled with high praise under the headline “What If Matthew Shepard’s Murder Wasn’t an Anti-Gay Hate Crime?” You can read the full review at http://forward.com/articles/183494/what-if-matthew-shepards-murder-wasnt-an-anti-gay/?p=all. To RSVP or for more information, contact Rainy Day Books at 913-384-3126 or visit www.rainydaybooks.com.
