Why One Bakery's Passover Closure Brings Blessings All Year

Every year, the owners of the famous Abulafia Bakery stick to a tradition they've upheld since 1969, closing their bakery entirely about a week before Passover. This year, a sign posted on the bakery shared with customers the fascinating story behind this seemingly uncommon decision:

It all started with Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Strauber, who lived next door to the bakery owners back then. On the eve of Passover, while the day was being sanctified and as everyone was preparing to embrace the holiday's sacredness, a long line formed at the entrance of Abulafia Bakery. Seeing this public transgression, Rabbi Strauber was troubled enough to take action: he called over Grandpa Sa'id, the bakery's owner at the time, and offered him a tempting proposal. "The Rabbi asked Grandpa Sa'id how much the bakery earned during Passover, and Grandpa answered him," says Sa'id Abulafia, named after his grandfather.

The amount the bakery earned in that week equaled the cost of an apartment in Jaffa at the time, yet the Rabbi remained firm in his generous offer. "I'll make sure you receive the money if you close the bakery for Passover," the Rabbi said to his neighbor, who agreed. "During this week, Grandpa did renovations and enjoyed some rest and quality time with the family," his grandson recounts. "And so it was every year, for five years. A week before Passover, Rabbi Strauber would arrive with the money, and Grandpa would close the bakery."

Until the sixth year. That year, Grandpa Sa'id visited the shoe factory owned by the Rabbi and told him that from that point forward, there was no need to make any payments. "Grandpa told him that because we're closing for Passover, we received an incredible blessing during the rest of the year, and from now on, we'll continue closing for Passover, without payment. And we proudly continue the tradition of Grandpa Sa'id to this very day."