There is a sizable effort underway to boycott James Richardson in Ben-Gurion International Airport, explaining the stores have not sold their chametz on Pesach and therefore, it is prohibited from buying chametz products from the store today.
YWN-Israel spoke with officials in the airport who wish to remain anonymous, officials involved in the halachic aspect of the operation, explaining that “nothing has changed from previous years regarding this, and that the store is also mechalel Shabbos year-round and sells yayin nesach!”
The source explained that what is for certain is that the store at the D7 Gate is indeed fine, and this store has sold its chametz as required by halacha and one may purchase alcoholic products from this store today, as has been the case in recent years. One rav involved in the operation explained he can vouch for the D7 store, and advises the frum tzibur distance themselves from the other stores.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
I have never found the prices or selection at the EL Al shops so attractive that they warrant schlepping a few bottles of schanps or boxes of choclate through the airport and while travelling….has nothing to do with their selling chometz.
There is simply a halachik issue whether any “mechira” which is done is one that the charedi tzibur wishes to be someach on. Calling this a “boycott” cheapens the value of halacha.
Correction: The airport duty free shops….El Al is not involved in their ownership/operations
ikkar khoser min ha’sefer, are they Jewish owned?
Why don’t the “officials in the airport who wish to remain anonymous” meet with the “one rav involved in the operation” and let us know what the real story is.
Surely if they are all called James Richardson they are one group and stock is transferred between the shops. Nobody is going to give a Hechsher on even the D7 branch to say that the whiskey did not belong to a Jew at all over Pesach.
Essesntially this means that no whiskey can be purchased at Israeli Duty free at any time.