You might consider buying a Judaica item online if you’re looking to purchase one for yourself, your home, or as a wedding gift or bar mitzvah present. You don’t need to buy tallit, tefillin, or mezuzah from Israel when you can easily find it in a Judaica Webstore, Jewish bookstore, or synagogue gift shop. These are just four reasons.
EXPERTISE
You may not find the same expertise at your local Judaica shop if you order online.
If you’re looking to buy an item that has a ritual scribe involved, such as a Sefer Torah or tefillin or Megillat Esther, it is important to remember that many of these scribes live in environments that are imbued in piety, holiness, and trustworthiness. Israel is home to the top tallit manufacturers, both handmade and commercial.
VALUE
Buy from Israel and you will get great value because Israel has a lower labor cost than other Western countries.
TAXES
People who plan to visit Israel often put off purchasing Judaica until they get there. They may not be able to save much if any.
Taxes are the reason. A Judaica dealer selling to Israel’s customers must charge 18% value-added taxes. This means that $18 is paid to Israel’s government for every $100 spent on a Judaica product. If a customer is not from Israel, however, they can choose to purchase the Judaica item. The dealer can then list the shipment on an export registry which exempts it from all VAT. These savings can be passed on to customers.
Low Shipping Cost
Israel has very low international shipping rates. The Israeli government has kept international shipping rates very low to encourage people to “buy blue and white”. Airmail to Europe, the United States, and Canada often costs $10. This is about what it costs to send USPS mail from New York to California.
SUPPORT ISRAEL
Your Judaica purchase helps to support the Israeli economy. Many people prefer to buy Judaica from Israel to not only save money but also to help Israel.
