Imagine you are a tourist and visiting Paris.  And, while perusing things in a shop, you find out that it was the Jews had brought the art of chocolate-making to France.  Sacre Bleu!  That was what Rabbi Deborah Prinz discovered on her travels.  And, started her on a quest to find out more.

It was the Jewish folks’  constant banishment from various lands that led them in their quest to spread the use of chocolate to pervade Europe and elsewhere.   The whole tale is found in Rabbi Deborah Prinz’ book “On the Chocolate Trail”.

And, it’s not just in a book. The Central Synagogue of Manhattan manifests an exhibit, “Sweet Treat: Chocolate and the Making of American Jews.” (It is only open a few hours a week though   Check with them for times.)

But, let’s start closer to the beginning.  With pre-Columbian peoples in Mesoamerica, who included chocolate in their religious rituals.  (Actually, it was the Sfardi Jews from the 16^th and 17^th centuries that were involved in this effort.  But, it may be even earlier- dating to Columbus’ visit in the early 1500s.)

Hot chocolate was introduced to Mexico (then New Spain), Martinique, Amsterdam, Bayonne (in France, and not New Jersey), New York, and Newport (RI).

A key player in this effort included Aaron Lopez (slave trader, merchant, and among the wealthiest in Newport).  Lopez was known to share the chocolate with the poor as part of his tzedaka (charity) food packages.  (BTW- Lopez was instrumental in the construction of the Touro Synagogue [aka the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue]– the oldest shul in the USA.). His cousins, the Gomez’ are also detailed. in this story.  And, it turns out that Rebecca Gomez may have been the only Jewish woman in the chocolate business.

If you visit the exhibit, you will learn more about  the travels of Sfardi Jews from the 15th to th 17^th centuries, which correspond to the early chocolate trade.

In more current times, we fend out more about Stephen Klein of Barton’s Bonbonnie (NY, 1940).  He fled to NY from Austria in 1940, which is when he began selling his chocolates door to door.  This expanded to some 3000 shops across the USA- parlaying his wares of chocolate lollipops, almond kisses, among other delicacies.  I clearly remember these were among the very first kosher-for-Passover candies that were available to Jewish folk.  As an orthodox Jew,  Klein used his business to educate folks about Judaism.  And, like Maxwell House, he produced his own Passover Hagada for use at the seders.

Let us not forget about the venerable egg cream soda, developed by Louis Auster, (This was my favorite drink as a child!)  And, Fox’ U-Bet chocolate syrup (which was key to making the best chocolate egg cream!).

The chocolate exhibit, which is on view until Feb. 9, 2024, is open to the public on Wednesdays from 12:30-2 p.m. and on Fridays after Shabat services.

I do suggest you read the book first, though.

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