Far Rockaway, Queens – Ahead of this year’s popular Small Business Saturday sales event, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D – Far Rockaway) is calling on American Express to expand the national shopping bonanza to Sunday to accommodate the observance of Shabbos.
“Every year, Shabbos-observant frum shoppers are forced to fit all of their shopping into the few hours between havdalah and midnight on Small Business Saturday,” said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. “For our local, family-owned businesses, this means less sales and less of a boost for the local economy. I urge American Express to consider expanding its Small Business Saturday to the whole weekend and give our families a fair shot at braving the holiday shopping crowds like everyone else.”
In a letter to American Express Chairman and C.E.O. Kenneth I. Chenault, Assemblyman Goldfeder urged the major credit card company to expand its popular Small Business Saturday event to include the Sunday after Thanksgiving. This, Goldfeder wrote, would provide extra time for shoppers in the Jewish and Seventh – day Adventist communities that regularly observe the Sabbath. The expansion would also give a much-needed boost to communities in Queens still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, Goldfeder added.
According to its website, American Express started Small Business Saturday in 2010 as a counterpart to Black Friday that would help encourage shoppers to patronize locally-owned businesses. In years past, American Express offered special discounts to its card members during the holiday. However, the company has phased out the practice as it has become more established and has instead offered resources and customer giveaways to small businesses to promote themselves.
Small Business Saturday is celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving and has grown into a multi-billion dollar alternative to the more established Black Friday event. Last year, 88 million shoppers spent a record $14 billion at independent and family owned businesses across the country. This has included many in the orthodox community, who are forced to fit Chanukah shopping into a few hours the evening of Small Business Saturday.
“With Chanukah just around the corner, it’s only fair to give our families the chance to find deals on the gifts they’ll be buying for families and friends,” concluded Goldfeder.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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4 Responses
Given that real Jews don’t engage in pre-holiday shopping for the holiday observed on Dec. 25 (originally Saturnalia, but renamed as of late), who cares? Is he demanding time so Shomer Shabbos people can do avodah zarah?
What is the point? This year American Express is not paying back people who shop.
But this year, the discount for using your card at small businesses goes from the time you add the offer to your card UNTIL Saturday 11/28. It is available before Saturday as well….
Akumpera, I’m a bit confused by your posting for a few reasons. 1. Channuka presents 2. Beneficial for Jewish owned businesses, some of which don’t sell “presents”. I’ve seen an ad for a rug business benefiting from this promotion, owned by a frum person. 3. What avodah zara are you talking about?? Is it the Chinese I order for dinner or is it the response of “Merry Christmas to your family” after he wishes me a “Happy Channuka” to a friendly co-worker on the way out of work? ….. I’ll let you worry about avodah zara, I’ll be careful with chillul Hashem and supporting a Jewish business.