Walmart has been the subject of both criticism and bemusement this week after an item that looked a lot like a tallit (prayer shawl) was being sold on its website as “Elegant Sunscreen Scarves Sun Block Shawl Scarf Beach Shawl Towel Clothing Accessories for Women Judaism (Blue)".
The $40.99 (£34.27) product, which appeared to have been given a name for search engine optimisation, was on sale on the American retail giant's website, which also includes a marketplace where third-party sellers can list their own products.
The item listed looked very similar to a tallit, except for the fact that it had Bible verses printed on the corners, as well as fish imagery, indicating it was likely aimed at Messianic Jews.
I have so many questions.https://t.co/c28gwITpQ0 pic.twitter.com/QuVjRivekV
— Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) November 29, 2022
Messianic Judaism is a movement of Protestant Christianity that appropriates elements of Jewish prayer while still believing in the divinity of Jesus. The growing group includes increasingly right-wing Christian evangelicals and activists, according to the JTA.
The product has now been removed, a Walmart spokesperson told the JTA, saying in a statement: “Walmart has a robust trust and safety program, which actively works to prevent items such as these from being sold on the site.
"After reviewing, these items have been removed.”
Update: the item has now been removed from Walmart’s website.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 30, 2022
The listing had received both criticism and bemusement. The Atlantic's Yair Rosenberg tweeted, "I have so many questions," while the StopAntisemitism group made clear its outrage in a tweet.
On Tik Tok, Ilan Kogan, an Orthodox rabbinical student, asked: "Why wear a tallis to shul when you can wear a very real product from Walmart?”
There was also a variation on the product available on the site for just $18.47 (£15.46), leading synagogue librarian Susan Kusel to tweet: "I’m not sure which is my bigger question here for Walmart: Why is a sacred Jewish object being sold as a sun scarf? For the beach? Women only?
"Or, you can buy a tallis for that little money?"
I’m not sure which is my bigger question here for @Walmart:
— 🌸 Susan Kusel 🌸 (@susankusel) November 28, 2022
-Why is a sacred Jewish object being sold as a sun scarf? For the beach? Women only?
Or
-You can buy a tallis for that little money?
I do appreciate the symbolic gesture of making the price point $18 though. pic.twitter.com/iRfJENWsvJ
On Wednesday, the Walmart website listed 287 items under the search term "tallit". Some made clear that they are prayer shawls, others were clearly aimed at Messianics, and some had no language in the descriptions indicating that they are not traditional Jewish ritual items.
