Beginning your shopping list for Hanukkah gifts and decorations? If so, make sure to avoid Hobby Lobby, a swiftly growing U.S. crafts store with 561 stores, which sells zero Hanukkah merchandise, and hires Jewish intolerant employees.
On September 27th, Ken Berwitz took to his blog to explain what happened when a friend of his entered Hobby Lobby seeking Hanukkah goods. To the customer’s surprise, a sales associate callously replied, “We don’t cater to you people.”
Understandably, Mr. Berwitz had to hear this supposed truth for himself, and quickly made a call to Corporate to ask why Hobby Lobby didn’t put Hanukkah goods on their item list this year.
The response: “Because Mr. Green is the owner of the company, he’s a Christian, and those are his values.”
WHAT? Yes. Really. Sadly, this Oklahoma-based business owner, David Green (which sounds pretty Jewish) equates being a Christian with disregarding Jewish holidays in a town such as Marlboro, New Jersey, which is 1/3 comprised of Jews. His response is fluff talk for what appears to be unequivocal anti-semitic feelings.
Yesterday, a company spokesperson offered the following statement to Entrepreneur.com:
Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. is currently working with our buyers over our merchandise selection. Due to multiple customer requests, we are currently evaluating our Holiday items and what we will carry in the future.
Alleged comments made by employees are currently being investigated and will be addressed accordingly. These comments are in no way indicative of Hobby Lobby culture, the owners and the operators.
Marlboro is a great city and has wonderful people and we are blessed to be apart the community.
Hobby Lobby is reportedly responding to questions on their Facebook page about new store openings and discounts but are swiftly deleting and ignoring Facebook comments inquiring about Hanukkah merchandise.
One has to wonder if this is the first year Hobby Lobby has decided to neglect Hanukkah merchandise, and if the aloof company has ever sold Jewish holiday products in general. So far, I’ve found none on their website.
Separately, Hobby Lobby has been in the news for challenging the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that the company provide birth control coverage to its employees.
Anti-Jew and Anti-female–spare us, Hobby Lobby.
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