J'lem opens social shopping fairs to promote businesses, sustainability
The fairs will be inclusive in nature, meaning that anyone interested in erecting a stall or instructing a workshop will be able to do so.
By TOBIAS SIEGALPeople are seen shopping for produce at the Mahaneh Yehuda shuk in Jerusalem.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
As Israel's financial sector slowly comes back to life after months of deep coronavirus-induced hibernation, a new initiative in Jerusalem is trying to change modern consumerism and turn shopping into more of a social experience.Following a whole year characterized by social distancing and closures and with Passover just around the corner, the Jerusalem Municipality has recently started promoting the community-based "Social Mall" initiative, expected to take place in several Jerusalem neighborhoods, including Har Homa, Baka, the French Hill and Kiryat HaYovel.The "Social Mall" initiative will take the form of large fairs scattered over the different neighborhoods and run by local residents according to Health Ministry guidelines.Using stalls prepared by the local residents beforehand in special workshops, people will be able to exchange items like old clothing and games they no longer use.The first of these planned fairs - "Jerus-Sale" - will take place between Wednesday and Thursday, March 17-19, at Silo Cafe near the First Station complex in Jerusalem.It will include second hand stalls, swap meets, local artists' stalls, an all-you-can-eat food market, different artisan workshops and activities focused on raising awareness to recycling and sustainable living.By organizing these fairs, the municipality is hoping to encourage small businesses to reconnect with their environment and to create community-oriented areas that will benefit residents and local businesses alike.The fairs will be inclusive in nature, meaning that anyone interested in erecting a stall or instructing a workshop will be able to do so, as long as their idea corresponds with the overarching theme of sustainability.The "Social Mall" initiative is being led by Jerusalem Municipality's Youth Authority.Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said that the initiative is meant to "assist building and strengthening local communities in the city and encouraging wise consumerism alongside sustainability."He added that the Jerusalem municipality will continue to promote community-based initiatives and will encourage residents to use the city's platforms to promote their ideas.Join the "Social Mall" WhatsApp group for more updates: https://chat.whatsapp.com/FDmDtJHJv7DHgGUChldHkw
