Shabbat Shopping at the Shuk

The aromas of fresh bread and pastries wafted through the air as I eagerly walked through the shuk of Machane Yehuda.  The Jewish, open-air food market was packed, with droves of Jews rushing to purchase delicious fresh produce before the rapidly approaching Shabbat.  Although the sun was beating down on shopkeepers and consumers alike, the enticing sights and smells easily distracted me from the heat.  

 My friend and I walked side-by-side, sipping cool slushies, locally known as a barad, which comes from the Biblical Hebrew term for hail.  Cooled down by the refreshing beverages, we zigzagged our way through the long streets and alleys of the market, gathering a diverse assortment of Jewish foods.  Freshly-baked zatar bread served as a mid-afternoon snack to satisfy our growing appetites as we stocked up for Shabbat.  Our first stop was one of the dozens of small bakeries which line the main street of the market.  The baker and his son shouted out discount prices and stuffed rolls, baklava, and loaf cakes into bags after weighing them.  The distinctly middle-eastern theme of the baked goods was a refreshing change from the monotony of Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts pastries.  After buying three large challot for Shabbat, we decided to venture further into the side alleys of the shuk.  

The narrow side streets were lined with smaller vendors, many of whom solicited potential customers by handing out free samples.  A tray full of bite-size halva pieces led us into the shop where we bought a pizza-slice sized chunk of the chocolate-filled, sweet sesame desert. 
  
Our desert was comprised of bottles of Israeli-made Shabbat wine, gooey chocolate rugalach from the famous Marzipan Bakery, and heavy bags of gummies.  Freshly–cut salami and spicy sausages would fill our challah sandwiches, and cold ice tea and peach nectar would wash down our feast.  
  
Our final purchase was two and a half pounds of grapes, which a desperate fruit salesman gladly parted with as he closed his shop before Shabbat.  
  
The food was even tastier than it looked, and it truly enriched not only my meals but my entire Shabbat experience.  Furthermore, hours of hastily shopping with hundreds if not thousands of fellow Jews instilled in me a sense of nationhood and camaraderie with complete strangers.   Another aspect of the shuk which intrigued me was how so many of the businesses were run by families.  There was something harmonious about a family-run business dispensing goods before Shabbat, which is a time for families to relax and bond together.  
  
I look forward to returning to the shuk for all of my grocery needs! 

  
Shalom for now!

- Camille Pilar Phillips