All over the globe the busiest shopping days are the two weekend days. Consumer life in Israel is no different. Despite the religious observance of the holy day of Sabbath from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday, it is still a busy shopping day. The biggest revenue day at the Shfaim shopping center, just 15 miles north of Tel-Aviv, is by far on Saturday.
However for Jews who strictly observe the Sabbath, the holy day of rest according to the Jewish religion, shopping and enjoying any other form of entertainment are not an option. Moreover, ultra-orthodox Jews are even stricter and will boycott shops and restaurants that operate on Saturdays.
Now, Bank Leumi, one of Israel's largest banks, and a group of ultra-orthodox leaders and entrepreneurs see that business opportunity in niche market. They plan to introduce a special credit card that will not operate on the Sabbath, and which will not work in stores that operate on the religious day.
A special chip will be added to the card that will reject it on the Sabbath.
Avoiding the desecration of the holy day
According to Rabbi Rafael Halperin, who initiated the new marketing move, the main idea is to respond to the desecration of the holy day in Israel.
Halperin, once Israel's karate and boxing champion and a secular Jew who became an-ultra orthodox leader, is now the sole owner of a successful nationwide optical chain store.
He has orchestrated a pledge from his community not to shop in stores that operate on Saturdays. He claims that such a ban may cause shop owners to rethink operating on Saturdays.
The next step in his plan is the launch the new credit card on Jan. 10, 2005, at a rally of thousands of yeshiva students and their rabbis at a local Tel Aviv stadium.
His plan is have all those who attend the rally sign a petition stating they will not shop in stores that operate during the Sabbath, notably the "tax-free" shops in the airports that operates 24 hours, seven days a week.
The tax-free shops are considered to be a huge attraction for Israelis flying abroad — amongst them many ultra-orthodox Jews.
Small, but potentially lucrative community
The ultra-orthodox community in Israel is estimated to be approximately 800,000 people and the marketers say that up to 200,000 would be offered the new card.
But there are obstacles. The ultra-orthodox community is considered to be a relatively poor community.
It consists mainly of large families, with an average of six children per household. In many cases, the father does not work, but usually studies religion at yeshiva schools and the mother stays at home and takes care of the children and the household. Most families are dependant on government social security, leaving little disposable income.
However, according to market research conducted for the Leumi Bank, despite their low incomes, the average orthodox household spends 22 percent more than their secular counterpart on basic necessities like food and clothing.
The Leumi Bank estimates the market value for the new venture at over 10 million shekels ($2.3 million) per month, according to their public relations official.
New platform for other marketing ventures
Some commentators have criticized the endeavor as a patronizing move that takes the ultra orthodox community as an obedient bloc, while in reality is much more multi-layered and diverse. Others think that it will be successful and a new platform for marketing other products to the community.
Shifra Krimlovsky, who specializes in marketing to the orthodox community, says a special credit card is not a real necessity.
Krimlovsky maintains that those who want to get a credit card can easily obtain it and that they do not need a special card that does not operate on the Sabbath, simply because of the fact that they will not use it.
Krimlovsky also argued that the orthodox community already knows which stores operate on the Sabbath and which do not.
They can decide for themselves where they want to shop, and they do not need a "special" credit card to will let them know that, he said.