‘Shuk to the Core’ Brings Israeli Marketplace Experience to Charm City

November 20, 2024 Alan Feiler, Editor-in-Chief

All Shuk Up: To be held Dec. 4 at Beth Tfiloh, "Shuk to the Core" will feature the offerings of 40 Israeli artisans, merchants and vendors. (Provided photo)

War is hell, as Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman famously said, and one of its first casualties is usually commerce.

With the conflict in the Middle East grinding away in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli merchants, artisans and vendors are struggling. Tourism in the Jewish state is significantly down and business is suffering as a result.

In other words, Israeli vendors need our help.

On Wednesday, Dec. 4, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, the Baltimore Jewish Council and their community partners will present “Shuk to the Core” at Pikesvillle’s Beth Tfiloh Congregation, 3300 Old Court Road. The fair will be held from 3-9 p.m. in Beth Tfiloh’s Hurwitz Hall.

Originally launched in 2002 by New York metropolitan area Jewish community leaders Stuart Katz and Daniel Rothner, “Shuk to the Core” “has not only provided crucial support to vendors but also has forged thousands of meaningful connections between Israelis and communities in America and Canada,” according to its website.

“Your involvement, whether through attending events, sponsoring, or simply spreading the word, makes a world of difference,” Katz and Rothner wrote on the website. “Together, we are making a lasting impact on the lives of those who are the heartbeat of Israeli culture and heritage.”

Approximately 40 Israeli merchants will make Pikesville their first stop on a three-week tour of American Jewish communities, including Potomac, Philadelphia, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Manhattan and Paramus, New Jersey.

Since Oct. 7, the Israeli nonprofit Areyvut has been sponsoring Israel fairs in New York and New Jersey as a means of providing much-needed financial support to Israeli vendors dependent on sales from tourists and currently desperate for customers.

They will bring a wide range of merchandise, including art, jewelry, Judaica, kippot, crafts, books and more.

Falafel and pizza will be available for purchase at the shuk, and there will be supervised children’s activities from 5-9 pm.

There is a $5 admission charge for adults ($18 max per family) attending the shuk to help subsidize vendors’ air fare and the cost of shipping their merchandise to the United States. Timed entry tickets are recommended to be purchased in advance to assist with crowd control and parking.

“‘Shuk to the Core’ is an exciting and unique opportunity for our community to show the strength of our commitment to Israel and to support in a tangible way the Israeli artisans whose livelihoods have been deeply impacted by the lack of tourists to Israel since Oct. 7,” said Kate McDonald, director of Israel and Jewish advocacy for the Baltimore Jewish Council. “In addition to experiencing here in Baltimore the vibrancy of an Israeli marketplace, this is a chance to make meaningful connections with and hear the stories of the vendors, to learn more about Israeli culture, and to celebrate Israeli creativity and resilience. The BJC is proud to be a sponsor of this event and encourages everyone who is able to visit or volunteer on the day as a way of conveying Baltimore’s deep love of and solidarity with Israel.”

Among the sponsors of the shuk here are Jmore, the Baltimore Board of Rabbis, Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Tov Pizza, Hadassah Greater Baltimore, Goldberg’s Bagels, the Chabad Israeli Center of Baltimore, Suburban Orthodox-Toras Chaim Synagogue, Maryland Friends of the IDF, Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, the Baltimore Zionist District and Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom Congregation.

For information, visit form.jotform.com/242697537619169 or shuktothecore.com.