guide to the jewplexed


In Time for Shabbat, Blue Friday is Coming


Can Black Friday, the biggest, cha-ching-iest shopping day of the year, turn bluish?

Kmart thinks so, and Jews can get in on the promotion in an unexpected way.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, as the story goes, was originally named after the day's increase in shopping traffic density. Now the spin on the name is that it's the day when retailers begin to go into the black and make a profit.

To begin the holiday selling season, a chorus of retailers and broadcasters love sounding the call, so for Thanksgiving week we will be subjected to the ominous sounding geshrai (cry): "Black Friday is coming. Blaaack Friiiday is commmminnnnggg." The phrase seems such a dark way to begin a season of light and giving.

However Kmart, the national retailer, through a printed sales promotion, is going to give their early morning Black Friday sale, a "blue light special" makeover, so to speak, renaming it, "Blue Friday."

But haven't Jews been having blue Fridays like forever? Blue is our color isn't it? For a tallit, the Torah calls for fringe to include a techelet, a thread of blue, to be among the tzitit (the fringe of the tallit). Related to this, the flag of Israel is blue and white.

We're tangled up in blue: Chanukah wrapping paper, tzedakah boxes; I even have a blue kippah from one of my sons' bar mitzvahs.

It should be no problem then for Jews to go with the color change and turn the day really bluish and Jewish.
blue friday
Since Friday evening is when Shabbat begins, a little Blue Friday shopping is definitely in order. But where? Kmart? What could I possibly buy there to help bring in a day of rest? A new chain saw?

Well, attention loyal Kmart shoppers, after some online research I discovered what I am calling the "blue aisle," a cornucopia of Jewish products available from the Kmart web site.

Who knew?

First, to get you in the mood of Shabbat blue and white Kmart has in their online catalog over 50 CD's of Jewish music including titles like, Hataklit Music: Real and Very Best of Jewish-Israeli Party, Jewish Songbook: The heart and Humor of a People, and Abayudaya - Music from the Jewish People of Uganda.

Looking deeper with a blue eye into Kmart's web site I found simple contemporary glass taper holders that would nicely hold your Shabbat candles. They also carry a wine cooler to keep your Kiddush wine cold, and several bread makers that will knead your challah (You'll have to do the braiding).

There's also a Kidkraft Shabbat Set, and Shalom Sesame "The People of Israel/Jerusalem" DVD to entertain and educate the kids.

For starters, after a hard day of shopping you might also want to order Manischewitz Chicken soup, and some Yehuda hummus imported from Israel. And don't forget a chicken broiler or chicken fryer to prepare the main course.

For dessert, my official Product Irony Award goes to a HoneyBaked Ham's Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake that serves 10-12. Hey, the site says it's kosher.

To welcome the Shabbat Kala (queen), Kmart carries a blue cook's apron which says, "Queen of Kosher."

And while we're talking Sabbath Queen, for the feminine contingent of your household, you might as well throw in a Cubic Zirconia Star of David pendant in sterling silver.

Considering the sale prices and the deep discounts, you will also be able afford to pick up some extra staples: Pasta, tuna, canned goods, baby food, or even some of the cash you saved to give as tzedakah to your local food pantry. Now that's a blue Friday.


Edmon J. Rodman has written about making his own matzah for JTA, Jewish love music for the Jerusalem Post, yiddisheh legerdemain for the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, a Bernie Madoff Halloween mask for the Forward, and what really gets stuck in the La Brea Tar Pits for the Los Angeles Times. He has edited several Jewish population studies, and is one of the founders of the Movable Minyan, an over twenty-year-old chavura-size, independent congregation. He once designed a pop-up seder plate. In 2011 Rodman received a First Place Simon Rockower Award for "Excellence in Feature Writing" from the American Jewish Press Association."