Thursday, October 3, 2013

Hobby Lobby Chain Won't Carry Hanukkah Items; Because of Owner Steve Green's "Christian Values"

Hobby Lobby -- the national craft store owned by conservative billionaire Steve Green -- does not carry merchandise related to Hanukkah because of Green's "Christian values" -- and some Jews are taking offense -- the Religion News website reports today (October 3, 2013).

"I will never set foot in Hobby Lobby. Ever," wrote Ken Berwitz, the New Jersey blogger who brought the Hobby Lobby Hanukkah flap to light in a blog post on September 27.

Berwitz's outrage has spread to other bloggers who are taking Hobby Lobby to task as a store that courts the general public, but refuses to stock anything related to Judaism -- even in communities with significant Jewish populations.

Green owns more than 550 Hobby Lobby stores nationwide, all of which are closed on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. He is also known for his lawsuit against President Obama's health care law, which he says tramples on his religious liberty by forcing him to insure employees for medical services he objects to on religious grounds. Many legal experts agree that his lawsuit has a good chance of being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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