Perfect Jewish American!

This past Tuesday morning the Manischewitz Company celebrated the opening of its new corporate headquarters in Newark, NJ.

From left to right: Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker, Co-President and CEO Paul Bensabat, Co-President and CEO Alain Bankier and Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yona Metzger

After both CoCEOs spoke about the company and their vision for the future, Mayor Booker took to the podium. With wit,  with a palpable sincerity – rare in a politician of any political stripe – he interspersed Yiddish words (impeccable pronounced!) in his speech, welcoming the company into the city. Israel’s Chief Rabbi Rav Metzger followed, he remarked on the Mayor’s facility with the Yiddish words and beside speaking of the company products he also blessed Cory Booker to go on to the national scene as a future President.

The affixing of three mezuzos followed…

Affixing the second mezuzah

After the mezuzos were in place we toured the manufacturing facility, which culminated with the baking (from start to finish) the World’s Largest Matzoh (25 feet long, 82 square feet!) ever, baked right in front of our eyes.

Detail of the finished matzoh as it came out on the conveyor belt

After the matzoh baked we all went in to the buffet luncheon in the company’s boardroom.

The Manischewitz Company was founded in Cincinnati in the spring of 1888 as a matzoh factory by Rabbi Dov Manischewitz. In 1932 it moved to its expanded facility in Jersey City and this move paved the way for the introduction of more products. While it is the US largest manufacturer of processed kosher foods, it is also the world’s largest manufacturer of matzoh.

The company today manufactures over 600 products with brands such as:

• Manischewitz
• Season
• Barney’s
• Guiltless Gourmet
• Asian Harvest
• Rokeach
• Mishpacha
• Horowitz Margareten
• Jason
• Mother’s
• Carmel
• Tradition
• Croyden House
• Mrs Adler’s
• Goodman’s

CEO Paul Bensabat interviewed by my good friend Rabbi Yaakov Spivak

On Wednesday past, we posted a cookbook review titled Perfect Jewish… With that title in mind, I wonder what could be more Perfect Jewish American than the Manischewitz Company‘s products? Could a Jew in America have grown up without ever having tasted any of of the company’s products? Absolutely impossible!!

CS