Today’s Wall Street Journal reports that all across America, holiday shoppers at malls are being “accosted” by pushy, money-hungry Israelis selling everything from hand cream to toy helicopters. One of the twenty-something salespeople describes what he is doing, not to selling but to “hunting”. Is this a story which trumpets old anti-Semitic stereotypes, or is it just accurately reporting a cultural phenomenon? Might it be both, simultaneously?
Even the non-Israeli vendors who work alongside them at the malls, report mixed feelings about the phenomenal success (as much as $500.00 a day) of these post-army Israelis financing everything from trips to South America to their next folk albums with their push cart earnings.

Some non-Israeli cart operators have mixed feelings about the competition. Israelis “are really hassling people a lot,” and people are losing respect for the carts, says Ayhan Yuce, a Turkish immigrant who sells jewelry, sunglasses and toys at carts in about 60 U.S. malls. Still, he’s considering studying Hebrew.
“I really would like to hire some of those Israelis,” he says. “They are really good salesmen. You have to admire them.”

So is this just another story of people finding financial opportunity in America? Is it a source of pride to those who admire the Israeli can-do spirit? Is it an ugly tale of money-grubbing Jews preying on their Christian neighbors doing some innocent Christmas shopping?
I am not sure, but I bet you all have an idea. Let me know what you think.