Had Enough Matza? Gorillas in Ramat Gan Zoo Are Also Getting Their Fill

In Ramat-Gan's zoo safari, near Tel Aviv, even the gorillas keep kosher for Passover.

The Zoological Center Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan is the largest collection of wildlife in human care in the Middle East. The 250-acre site consists of both a drive-through African safari area and a modern outdoor zoo.

Gorillas and other animals are usually given bread to check their vitality, but since the zookeepers and handlers cannot touch any leavened products during the week-long holiday that marks the biblical Jewish exodus from Egypt, they are also fed matzo, the unleavened cracker Jews eat to remember that in their rush to flee slavery, the ancient Israelites' bread did not have time to rise.

Is it a healthy treat for the gorillas? Calling it "environmental enrichment, Jewish style," one zookeeper says that they may develop a slight case of constipation but they overcome that after awhile. 

We're taking Monday and Tuesday off for the last two days of Passover, so there's no Joke to Start the Week tomorrow. We'll be back on Wednesday with our usual Jewish humor mix.

Enjoy, and Chag sameach!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Streit's Matzo Leaves its Home on the Lower East Side

The Streit's Matzo you buy this Passover will be the last produced in the Streit's factory on Rivington Street in Lower Manhattan. 

The familiar pink boxes that dominate the Passover aisles in supermarkets this month are likely to be back next year, but they will probably contain matzos baked in New Jersey. 

The cousins who now run their Streit's family business have accepted an offer to buy the aging five-story matzo factory on Rivington Street. They haven't decided on where to build a new plant but it's likely to be near their existing facilities in Moonachie, New Jersey.

The Streit's connection with Passover has a long history. In the 1890s, Aron Streit and his wife, Nettie, left Europe and came to America. In 1916, Aron opened his first matzo factory. There, on Pitt Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Aron and his first partner Rabbi Weinberger made all their matzo by hand.

In 1925, Aron and one of his sons opened up a modern bakery in the same building on Rivington Street where Streit's stands today. A few years later, Aron's other son joined the business. With the family working together, the Streit's matzo bakery prospered and Aron bought three adjoining buildings to handle the growing business.

But in time, the neighborhood changed, the machinery broke down, and the family decided it was time for a change.

The story of Streit's matzos has been made into a documentary film that's screening on March 29 and April 7 at the JCC Manhattan. They're even providing a free box of Matzo at the screening.

Here's a video by the Wall Street Journal on the last day's of Streit's in Manhattan.

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)

What Do Bentley Luxury Cars and Shmurah Matzah Have in Common?

What do Bentley luxury cars have in common with Shmurah Matzah? Well, they both cost a lot more than their machine-made competition. But the fact that they are both handmade is a distinguishing feature.

Check out this commercial. For the first 40 seconds it looks like an ordinary automobile commercial. But hold on -- don't be tempted to stop watching. The last 20 seconds get to the point with the same announcer bringing to life the parallels between the top of the line car and the top of the line matzah.

Handmade is always better. Commercial courtesy of Chabad.

Enjoy!

(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.)