By Jonathan Rubin
2008 Religion News Service
Passover is a time of celebration for Jews, but this year an old foe — expensive Passover prices — is putting a damper on the festivities for some Jewish families.
Rising corn and grain prices, fuel increases and a sluggish economy are putting the squeeze on some Passover consumers. Shoppers are seeing holiday staples like matzoh and gefilte fish costing up to 20 percent more than last year.
“The timing is so bad for people of fixed income,” said Menachem Lubinsky, CEO of Lubicom, the kosher food industry’s trade and marketing group.
Ingredients like oil, flour and shortening have seen their prices skyrocket just in time for Passover, which commemorates the Jewish exodus from Egyptian slavery and starts at sundown Saturday (April 19).
The Jewish slaves left Egypt in such a flight that “the people took their dough before it was leavened,” according to Exodus. Modern-day Jews mark the holiday by shunning all foods that contain leavening, or “hametz.” That includes products that have fermented (with yeast, for example) or that can cause fermentation (like sourdough). Corn, rice, nuts and other legumes are also no-nos, ruling out corn syrup, rice flour and soy.
As a result, observant Jews must replace just about everything in the refrigerator and pantry with kosher-for-Passover, or non-leavened, items. Those products have always been expensive, but never like this.
Many observant Jews say they know what it’s like to be held captive– at least by high prices for the limited Passover food choices.
Macaroons, formerly a little more than a dollar, are two for $5. Jars of gefilte fish are about $6, kosher-certified shredded mozzarella is going for $5.50 for an 8-ounce package, according to merchants and Lubinsky’s group. Machine-made matzoh, traditionally a “loss leader” used to get customers inside stores, has soared from $1.99 a box to $3 or $4 in some areas.
A typical meal for the more ornate Seders held on the first two days of Passover could include brisket, chicken, soups, salad, wine, numerous vegetable dishes and mounds of deserts. The estimated cost for a family of four to keep Passover: about $1,200 for the eight-day holiday, according to kosher marketers.
Poorer Jews feel the pinch the most. “It’s impacted everything that we buy,” said Lea Luger, development director at the Yad Ezra kosher food pantry outside Detroit. The weak economy has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of clients requesting food in her area, she said.
Yad Ezra donates food baskets to help make the holidays more festive, but the costs are often staggering. A single Passover meal for a family of five might cost $100. By comparison, some soup kitchens can often serve people at a $1 a meal.
Ultra-Orthodox families, some of whom have large families, are also becoming more common clients at food pantries.
“For people who are observant, they have absolutely no choice…They have to buy the Passover items … and the cost is always more,” Luger said.
In recent years, prices sometimes became so high that consumers felt they were being had. In New York, it turned out they were right, and the City Department of Consumer Affairs created a Passover hotline to monitor “unscrupulous price-gouging.”
Harriet Tolve, public affairs manager for Coca Cola, said while the cost of corn syrup and other sweeteners has been increasing, the price of Coke has remained steady.
Coke has been making a kosher-for-Passover soda since 1935. Tolve said Coke produces 168,000 cases of kosher-for-Passover Coke each year.
They can be found in supermarkets with their signature yellow caps.
However, there is some relief from cash register rage. In addition to those products that are labeled “Kosher for Passover,” other year-round products without the label are often acceptable as well.
Consumers just need to check the ingredients.
“Of course, with a few exceptions such as matzoh, special `Kosher for Passover’ manufactured foods are unnecessary,” said Rabbi Mitchell Levine, former head of Rhode Island’s kosher supervisory organization.
“Kosher meat, cheeses (and most) fruits and vegetables … are already kosher for Passover.”
This year might be a good time to try to keep things simple, he suggested.
“Remember, our ancestors managed to leave Egypt with just the `Bread of Affliction’ (matzoh), and maybe a roasted lamb with a few cups of wine.”
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted April 16, 2008 at 7:48 pm
…..and Christians and everyone else felt the pinch at Christmas, at our birthdays, our anniversarys, at the gas pumps, etc.
posted April 16, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Henrietta,
…..and Christians and everyone else felt the pinch at Christmas, at our birthdays, our anniversarys, at the gas pumps, etc.
This is apples and papayas for a comparison. Kosher food in general is very high priced. Kosher for Passover food is atrocioulsy overpriced and for Jews who want to observe, there is no escape or alternative.
Jews also buy birthday presents and gasoline. So what?
Last I saw at Christmas, stores were slashing prices to get people to buy. Can’t even say paper is wrapping expensive, as it’s easy to get at half price.
Are you kidding? Or just unsympathetic?
posted April 16, 2008 at 8:19 pm
I guess it is all in where you live. I’ve noticed sales on Kosher foods at our local grocres. Of course, I also suspect that the prices were jacked up and then put back to normal as part of the sale. Wait until Christmas and there will be yowls of protest over the increases on everything, including junky plastic stuff.
posted April 16, 2008 at 8:31 pm
EastCoastLady, I was kidding, isn’t a
a smile? I have to get my Dummies internet book out again and see what I’m typing is kosher!
I used to race upstairs when I was catching connecting trains fr. NJ to L.I. and buy Marmalade candies, big chunks the size of cheese with chocolate sprinkles all over it. Yum, Yum, and also halavha, I could eat it all in one night back then and never gain an oz.
Have a great Passover!
posted April 16, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Unfortunately everything is expensive now…and getting worse. Also unfortunately it makes religious observances financially difficult for some.
For those here (eastcoastlady)and others, who observe Passover, have a good one.
posted April 16, 2008 at 9:37 pm
I hope I don’t get attacked for pointing this out, but a lot of people are forced to pay a lot more for things they need or think they need. Gas to get to work, fuel to heat the house, food.
What we have is inflation due to shortages and people in other places living better. It’s hard to complain about people in China and India living better, though we have to hope they do it a whole lot more sensibly than we did. But in fact the combination of growing populations and shortages of fuel and other resources due partly to them getting used up and partly to the fact more countries are competing harder for a lot more of them, all those things are causing inflation that generally isn’t going to go away till we get a lot smarter in how we live or, tragically, a lot of people die.
So what I’m saying is, get used to it. Our biggest problem is global warming but likely the problem people in the US will feel the most for some time is this cutting back in our standard of living in the US.
One thing the world can judge rich nations on, and we can judge ourselves on, is how we help other nations feed their citizens and how we help them make available real family planning available to those who want it.
posted April 16, 2008 at 9:45 pm
nnmns: Those are all good points…and unfortunately for some, special occasions are also affected…as well as basics (food, gas etc).
posted April 16, 2008 at 10:47 pm
H22, Sorry, then for reacting inappropriately to your post and missing your intent. Thanks also for your wishes.
I have to disagree with you, however, on the Halvah. While my father, may he rest in peace, used to enjoy it, my husband and I both agree it reminds us of nothing more than sandpaper. To each his own, right?
Pagansis, thanks much for your wishes.
nnmns, accepting there is a price to pay is one thing. It’s not easy to sit back and accept getting price gouged, which is sinful.
posted April 16, 2008 at 11:03 pm
ecl, I agree price gouging is a very bad thing and I hope there’s something these folks can do, and anyone else who’s suffered from it to get some satisfaction amd maybe teach the gougers a lesson.
posted April 16, 2008 at 11:14 pm
This reminds me of the story of a rabbi and his friend walking down the street when a man came up and asked the rabbi if he could use milk instead of wine at the passover seder. Instead of answering the question the rabbi reached into his pocket and gave the man a goodly sum of money. The rabbi’s friend chided him. “You know it perfectly kosher to use milk instead of wine. Why give him money?” The rabbi said, “If he was going to use milk, it meant that there would be no meat on the table either (can’t mix dairy and meat — not kosher) and I wanted him and his family to have an joyous Passover.
Besides the expense of Passover food, many Jews also give gerously to maot chitin (money for wheat) drives to ensure less forturnate Jews can make a good Passover. I had a friend whose congregation sent matzah and other supplies to Jewish families they knew in Cuba.
Pesach kasher v’sameyach, eastcoastlady and everyone
posted April 17, 2008 at 10:09 am
sinsonte,
I really like your Passover story. An excellent model for us all, regardless of our persuassions.
ecl and all,
Have a joyous Passover! I will be talking about the holiday with our kids in church this Sunday. I firmly believe that a bredth in education is good, and emphasizing this in church is important. One of my favorite encounters was with my son’s kindergarten teacher, She was clearly of hispanic descent and I was surprised to learn she was Jewish. Her uncle is a rabbi in Cuba and the teacher and her family send funds so his family and synagogue can have a full and joyous holiday. I think she was the first Sephardic Jew I had met – most of my life I have known Ashkenazi Jews. I do enjoy well made Halvah, but the bad stuff is enough to make me swear off sweets for a while (but not for long).
Peace, Joy, and long life! Next year, in Boston – uh, Jerusalem!
posted April 17, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Jest, thanks again for your wishes.
Sinsote, Great story. Thanks for sharing.
Our shul also makes donations of Passover baskets and supplies for local needy families. It’s a great thing.
posted April 17, 2008 at 3:28 pm
…suchadeal…i live w/two guys, one of whom is jewish & the other one is gay & a vegan…i’m the cook…gimmee a break here…a brisket & stuff i can do, but $100 worth of food for a seder!…c’mon…
posted April 18, 2008 at 12:23 am
Mr Doyne,
Passover should not break your bank, only your back. Give some thought to combining households with some other friends, and sharing the costs. I am impressed that you three are even giving this a try! Look through the alternative Sedars here on B’net, and I bet you will find one appropriate to your needs and abilities. This is similar t the advice I give at Christmas. It’s not about the stuff, its about the Spirit.
Joyous Passover!