David Ben-Ariel, wherever you are, this is for you

[Scooter]

[Lord Jim]

[Miles]

I am not absolutely certain but I thought someone said he was dead.

[Scooter]

Yes, he is, hence the "wherever you are".

[Lord Jim]

I have to wonder if that isn't Photo Shopped, or maybe a gag tag that was made just to take the picture....

It seems hard to believe that somebody who knew enough about Jewish traditions to even know of the existence of Chanukah would be ignorant enough to think that a smoked ham would be appropriate for it... (Though I know plenty of Jewish folks who eat pork, you still wouldn't advertize it for a holiday meal....)

[Scooter]

It certainly looked and sounded legitimate enough.

In the version that was passed to me, it was claimed that it happened at Walmart. But when I went looking for a webpage for a photo I could link to, I found the original story which said that it happened at Balducci's in NYC.

[Guinevere]

1. Balducci's left Manhattan in 2009.
2. That kind of promotion would never happen at Balducci's.
3. No way that price is from Balducci's.

Pure PhotoShop.

[Scooter]

The photo dates from 2007. I can't speak to the other points, having never shopped there. But it certainly seems to have been quite the elaborate hoax that was perpetuated for a quite a while on that woman's blog, if that's what it was.

[Scooter]

Mainstream media even picked it up at the time:

NEW YORK -- This was REALLY not kosher.

A grocery store in Manhattan made a food faux pas, advertising hams as "Delicious for Chanukah."

Chanukah -- an alternate spelling for Hanukkah -- is the eight-day Jewish holiday that began Tuesday evening, and hams -- as well as pork and other products from pigs -- can't be eaten under Jewish dietary laws.

A woman who saw the mistake over the weekend at the Balducci's store on 14th Street took pictures of the signs and posted them on her blog.

Jennifer Barton, director of marketing, told The Associated Press on Thursday that the signs were changed as soon as the error was noted.

She issued an apology on the company Web site, saying the company would be reviewing its employee training.

(Copyright ©2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Joe Guy]

The woman that wrote the blog - NancyKay Shapiro - claims she took the pictures herself at Balducci's in 2007.

The pictures certainly don't look 'Photo shopped.'

[Rick]

@ 6.29/lb? Shirley they aren't expecting to move very many...

[Lord Jim]

@ 6.29/lb? Shirley they aren't expecting to move very many...

That struck me too...

That's waaaay more expensive than what you would pay for smoked ham around here, (and this ain't exactly a cheap cost of living area) especially at holiday time...

ETA:

Just checked our local Lucky's price on line:

Jones Dairy Farm Cooked Hickory Smoked Ham $3.99 lb

(and this is for 2011, not 2007)

[alice]

http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/hanukkah.asp


Snopes believes it ...

... and Balducci's apparaently apologised for it...

Balducci’s Apologizes for ‘Chanukah Ham’ Error

Dec 7, 2007 8:00 AM


NEW YORK — Balducci’s here issued an apology for an “unfortunate error and oversight” that allowed various hams at one location to be advertised with signs indicating they were “delicious for Chanukah.” The signs were spotted at a Balducci’s location in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan by a writer, NancyKay Shapiro, who photographed the displays and published them on a website; the story was then picked up by the New York Daily News. Shapiro wrote she was “tickled” by the display and the subsequent attention. Her website Thursday was selling the images on coffee mugs and greeting cards. Shapiro noted that on her return visit to the store days later she found the signs had been replaced by tags reading "Perfect for the Holidays." Balducci’s in a prepared statement said it would review employee training. “It was never our intention to offend anyone, especially during this holiday,” the retailer said. “We understand why this is offensive and please know we are attempting to determine the source of the error.” The Daily News reported that a Balducci's official blamed the snafu on a stock clerk who normally doesn't work in the meat department.

http://supermarketnews.com/deli/balducc ... z1gtjsD5Fx

It seems that the story (and prices) were real

[alice]

and this one I forgot to add in on my other post ...

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/e ... e-1.271779

It's the 'NY daily News' article from 2007.

[rubato]

Good story, thanks for checking Snopes.

DBA was still alive back then, I hope he had a chance to enjoy the story.

yrs,
rubato

[Sue U]

I had posted that photo for him several years ago, back at CSB.

Goyim. Whatcha gonna do?

[Guinevere]

Ok, ok, I was wr wr wr. No forget it, can't say it.

[BoSoxGal]