So I decided to get MrsJ the Lumix FX30 (Blue) for her birthday. It'll be more my camera when we're on big trips as she's the professional artist and has the big Nikon DSLR :p

But when I went to Adorama, B&H, BeachCamera etc they are all closed until Friday or Saturday! (B&H won't even allow online ordering until Thursday night) :confused: What gives? I noticed most all of the places I've looked are in NYC or NJ. Is there some special camera event going on in NY? Amazon and Buy.com are open but I'd rather not deal with them since their prices are higher and they don't have the Lexar Pro chips I want for our other cameras. I suppose I can wait until they open but I may have to spring for 2nd day air shipping to get the stuff here in time. :(

Probably because it's the Jewish holiday of Shavout. Shavuot 2007 falls on Wednesday May 23, 2007 (and Thursday May 24, 2007 outside of Israel). Many NY/NJ cameras stores have Jewish owners/staff and observe the holidays.

Like cheepneezy said, those places close for religious reasons. I'm pretty sure that the owners (and a substantial number fo employees) of B&H are Orthodox Jews. B&H normally closes early Friday afternoon for Sabbath every week, plus a lot of other religious holidays - Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and the entire week of Succos.

They post their hours of operation here (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=CompanyProfile.jsp&A=getpage&Q=HelpCenter/HoursOfOperation.jsp).

I'm guessing that they decided that under the Orthodox rules, they could leave their website running (or else they have a non-Orthodox web team), but that they can't accept an order.

Thanks for the info! Having a very non-observant friend (we had ham for Christmas dinner at her place :D) doesn't help much in these cases. I didn't delve much into B&H's hours of operation after seeing the banner that said they were closed for the next XX hours. Well I can wait until they open and spring for express shipping if necessary.

! (B&H won't even allow online ordering until Thursday night)

Probably becuase it's the Jewish holiday of Shavout. Shavuot 2007 falls on Wednesday May 23, 2007 (and Thursday May 24, 2007 outside of Israel). Note that the calendar, and the holidays, run sundown to sundown rather than midnight to midnight. So, a holiday that falls on Wed. actually runs from sundown Tue. night to sundown Wed. night.

Some Orthodox will celebrate the full holiday, the Israeli and disapora schedule, so it would then run from sundown Tue. night to sundown Thur. night.

Why does the ordering part of the website shut down? Certainly that could run unattended.

Why does the ordering part of the website shut down? Certainly that could run unattended.

Here's a quote from the guy who's the "web presence" on DPReview for B&H:


B&H and Adorama are both owned by ultra-orthodox Hasidic individuals,
and the nature of their religious observations are more traditional
than for "mainstream" Jews. The rules, as I have been given to
understand them, are that neither the owner nor his family nor his
household nor "strangers who sojourn amongst the household" should
engage in commerce on Sabbath and rest days.

B&H CERTAINLY has a diverse staff and CERTAINLY has sufficient
non-Jewish (and non-observant Jewish) employees to keep the store open,
but the owner's religious requirements are that the store close, not
simply that he give orthodox Jews the time off.

While we regret any inconvenience, we've kept this schedule the entire
30+ years we've been in business and we do make every effort to inform
our customers.

Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video, Inc.


They've interpreted "doing commerce" to include accepting web orders.

They've interpreted "doing commerce" to include accepting web orders.

Yet not to displaying the on-line catalog itself. Very interesting :)

Artscroll (a Jewish religious bookstore) does not even display the catalog on shabbos -- so Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon NYC time.

While it's a little more noticeable because you are trying to shop online, think of it as being no different than the reason your local mall is not open Sunday mornings or on Christmas :-)

Yet not to displaying the on-line catalog itself. Very interesting :)

I don't claim to understand the rules. My best guess? If I remember right, they can use electricity if they leave the light switch on. They can ride an elevator if they don't have to push a button to make it stop at their floor. If they leave the website on, but don't make any money during the Sabbath, it's ok.

Not the strongest logic, I know...but hey, I just shop there. I've got my last trip to ABE for my project next week, so I may make the drive over to Manhattan for the heck of it.

Paging Dovster. Dovster to the white courtesy telephone, please. ;)

I don't claim to understand the rules. My best guess? If I remember right, they can use electricity if they leave the light switch on. They can ride an elevator if they don't have to push a button to make it stop at their floor. If they leave the website on, but don't make any money during the Sabbath, it's ok.

It's related to the "it is forbidden to kindle a fire" rule. Completing an electrical circuit is akin to kindling a fire.

So.... my grandparents have special kosher lamps that they don't turn off, but rather rotate so the light doesn't show. The elevator in their building stops at every floor on shabbos. The locks are keyed, not keycards. They live close enough to shul that they can walk there. Lots of rules. They don't seem to be suffering, though. They are some of the happiest people I know!

Yet not to displaying the on-line catalog itself. Very interesting :)

I believe that's because it's akin to people looking in the windows of the store. (Not that in New York things would be left out on display...but you get the idea).

Steve

B&H used to take orders on the web during the holidays and on the Sabbath, then they were filled when the store re-opened.

try crutchfield.com

I even have a $$$ off coupon and a referral coupon (hint hint) that may apply if ya want me to give you more info.

;)MM

I think the announcement on the B&H website is a clear enough indication that they are closed for the holiday:

"We are not accepting orders at this time.

"We resume full operations 9:30 PM EDT Thursday."

I was camera shopping yesterday and ran into the same thing.

Abe's of Maine was taking orders on their website, but their B&M store in NJ was closed.

Thanks for the info! Having a very non-observant friend (we had ham for Christmas dinner at her place :D).

He probably served Kosher ham...It comes from circumcised pigs

It's related to the "it is forbidden to kindle a fire" rule. Completing an electrical circuit is akin to kindling a fire.

So.... my grandparents have special kosher lamps that they don't turn off, but rather rotate so the light doesn't show. The elevator in their building stops at every floor on shabbos. The locks are keyed, not keycards. They live close enough to shul that they can walk there. Lots of rules. They don't seem to be suffering, though. They are some of the happiest people I know!

I realize that we have gone OT on an already answered question. This OT thread an interesting change for those of you who are curious.

FYI, I can remember my Grandfather, pre-cutting toilet paper on Friday afternoon so that he would not work, by cutting it, on the Sabbath.

The stove was left on all day and at least one burner on the stove was always on on Saturday.

Continuing OT: I was a shabbos goy more than once ;)

Artscroll (a Jewish religious bookstore) does not even display the catalog on shabbos -- so Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon NYC time.

While it's a little more noticeable because you are trying to shop online, think of it as being no different than the reason your local mall is not open Sunday mornings or on Christmas :-)

Or Chick-fil-a or Bereans Christian Book Stores being closed on Sunday.

It is funny to recall that during the Camp David summit involving Carter, Begin, and Sadat, the work week was barely 1/2 week long as each leader had to observe his sabath publicly: Friday for Sadat, Saturday for Begin, and Sunday for Carter. I.e., no work officially from Thurday evening till Monday morning!

One theory is, that is precisely why the summit was successful: less time to disagree and fight. :)

Hey, throw in a few other religions that have Tuesdays and Thursdays off and we can have a great world summit! :D