Yom Ha Atzmaut: Arak Cheer, L’Chayim, To Life!

Yom Ha’Atzmaut!  L’Chayim! To Life Pledges!

This past weekend, my husband and I went to dinner at 12 Chairs at the Williamsburg, Brooklyn, location. If you haven’t been,  go.  It is everything to love in a restaurant: Fresh food, casual, great vibe,  fusion palate, Israeli-Euro-veggie, stocked great music.  Music and the food switch from French to Hebrew to house back- to- back. We love it.  The  menus literally say, “Cheers!” “LeChayim!”  and “Salut!“ in an ideal, pluralistic mashup.

As we left, full of hope and nostalgia, after watching people of all ages and ethnicities half our age dance and sing on their chairs, eating our childhood “home foods,” as though they are delicacies, we decided to add “sabiche” and “arak” to our weekly go-tos at home.

For people our age, observing the Middle Eastern fusion vibe become trendy,  is . . . moving. We lived through the Iranian Revolution as kids, him there, me here. Everyone is still living through the aftermath of October 7.  We toasted the night with Arak, just as our grandfathers might have decades ago. 

“Arak” is an acquired Middle Eastern taste. It is delicious! A distilled aniseed spirit which basically hits like licorice with alcohol. It is fire! To be honest, when I was a little kid, a child of immigrants from the Middle East, parents would even put it on kids’ gums in lieu of anbesol for a sore tooth.  It was that good.  Anyway, on the way home we decided to purchase Arak for our home. 

Why not?  

Why not indeed…

The following day,  we went to a large national discount retailer in Westbury, New York to inquire about “Arak.” There was good news and bad news…

The good news was that they sold three brands of Arak, in two aisles, the Kosher and non.  We were also informed that one of the types had been “discontinued.” It was  reduced price, on sale at half off.  We went to the shelves to find the three kinds of Arak.  My elation for the three kinds quickly disappeared.  So did my happiness to be able to purchase two full shelves “on sale,” which I did.

It turned out that the three Araks were bottled differently:  The first labeled “Arak Ashkelon, Made in Israel” had a drawing of a lion on it.  The second was labeled “Arak Razzouk, Made in Lebanon”  had Arabic written on it.  The third, had the  blue and white flag of Israel on it.  It was this brand, “Evan Zahav,” which was “discontinued” and marked at half price.

I spoke to the manager to inquire. We had a polite conversation. I asked whether he knew why only one Arak was discontinued? Whether the one with the flag was selling? Whether the store had a policy or knew the implications to the employees of the discontinued  company of the boycott divestment and sanctions movement? The manager did share that his college roommate had been called to the Israeli reserves after October 7.  The store manager very politely asked  for my phone number,  which I provided. Unfortunately,  however, I have yet to hear back from him, as of this writing. 

Today, I decided to call the company on the bottle, Doyna wines, to ask whether they had discontinued the production of the Arak with the flag themselves. I reached the owner, a forthcoming man named Yaacov. Yacoov confirmed that, in fact, he and his company have *not* discontinued the production of the bottle with the flag of Israel on it.  In fact, he stated that he very much wishes for it to continue to be sold, even though there are some who may object.

I am glad!!!

I am an American. I shop in both aisles. The kosher aisle and the pluralistic aisle.  My family are generations of  supporters of Israel. My family moved from Iran to the United States in the 1960s and 1970s for a better life, on lists for being “Zionist” in Iran before the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. It is my badge of honor that we are not permitted back to that country whose Hamas-sponsoring government  would jail us on the spot. F*ck them.  My grandparents are buried at Har HaMenuchot Yerushalayim. Our family founded synagogues in Jerusalem, and on Long Island. We are proud Zionists who march in the Celebrate Israel parade every year come rain or shine and exhort others to do so, too. That blue and white flag and six point star complement the red white and blue. 

The very notion that the symbol and flag of the very country which is the United States’ greatest geopolitical, and strategic, and economic ally in the Middle East would cost a contract in a nationally recognized liquor store in Nassau County, New York is  thus both offensive and sobering.  No amount of Arak could or should anesthetize any supporter of Israel.

Reader, we  bought two shelves full of the discontinued Arak. God-willing we  will enjoy toasting with it. We will, also, be proud to use our empty bottles as vases and collectors items. As for that store, you can be sure I will *never* spend  a penny there ever again.  That is capitalism in Nassau County, New York, in  the U S of A. And this essay is the First Amendment.  God Bless the United States of America and the Modern State of Israel! Happy Yom Ha’Atz maut!