We all have that one storage closet or drawer piled with things from years past, and Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation is no stranger to that.
The Ashburn, Va., synagogue’s storage space had long been full of Judaica items from a gift shop that Beth Chaverim Sisterhood — now known as Women of BCRC — started up in 2002.
“But with the rise of e-commerce and online shopping, we just kind of held on to inventory over the years,” Felicia Schwartz, the president of Women of BCRC, said. “We decided last year, we have all this inventory that’s been sitting here, let’s just see if anybody is interested in buying any of our menorahs or candles or Judaica items.”
Beth Chaverim’s first pop-up Chanukah shop was “really successful,” and Women of BCRC coordinated the effort again in 2024 in the weeks leading up to Chanukah.
Schwartz and Women of BCRC Co-President Rachel Zuckerman set up shop in the lobby of the synagogue. Congregants can stop by on their way in or out and browse the selection of menorahs, candles, Jewish holiday dish sets, challah covers and wrapping paper decorated with dreidels and menorahs.
“I love interacting with our congregants when they stop by the shop,” Schwartz said. “We get to meet some new people. It’s just been a really great experience.”
She said this pop-up Chanukah shop, which closed on Dec. 16, 2024, brought in more revenue than the 2023 pop-up shop, in part because of new members and families involved with Beth Chaverim’s religious school.
The pop-up shop sees the most hustle and bustle around pickup time from the religious school.
“The kids stop by and they get excited about an item they see,” Schwartz said of the religious school students, adding that she received a text from a parent whose child was very excited to buy a decorative menorah.
Candles are the most popular item sold, according to Schwartz, because “everybody seems to be in need of candles.” Some parents invest in an electric menorah for their college-age children who may not be allowed to have a candle-lit menorah in their dorm rooms. Next most popular is gift wrap.
Schwartz noted that when Beth Chaverim Sisterhood was founded in 2002 and members opened the synagogue gift shop, Judaica items were a lot harder to come by.
“At that time, you could only purchase [Jewish-themed] gift wrap and certain Judaica items at your synagogue gift shop or the [Jewish community center],” she recalled. “Nowadays, you can find all of that online with e-commerce stores like Amazon, or you can order it from a specific store out of state.
“But if you’re in a rush, or want to actually take a look at it in person, that’s very hard to do because not all stores will sell Chanukah or other types of gift wrap. We have it, and if someone finds they need it, we are very happy to be able to provide it for them.”
The items at the pop-up shop are typically very inexpensive, with a roll of wrapping paper priced at $1.
“We’re very aware of the state of the economy,” Schwartz said. “We’re very much aware of how inflation impacts our community. So we just want to make this as easy as possible for our congregants. If they need [Judaica items], we want them to be able to purchase it and it not be a great expense.”
She added that some Jewish people feel a sense of connection to Judaism through certain traditional items.
“If there is a dishware set or a jewelry box … maybe it reminds them of a piece of a collection that one of their family members had, or something they had from childhood. So if someone finds something at our table that sparks a special memory, I’m very happy for them,” she said.
Schwartz said the process of organizing the pop-up Chanukah shop with fellow board members was a lot of fun. “I hope we can continue this tradition for years to come.”
[email protected]
link
