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NEWARK -- The Manischewitz factory has been busy these past weeks, pumping out thousands of squares of matzo for Passover, which begins April 22.
The crunchy flatbread is a fixture of the Jewish holiday, serving partly as a Biblical reminder of how the Jews ate unleavened bread after being driven out of Egypt.
About 700 squares of matzo are made each minute in the Newark factory, according to company officials.
The entire production process for a sheet --starting with the mixing of the flour and water -- can take no longer than 18 minutes, so the bread doesn't "rise," they said.
"Even though you don't have any leaven or any yeast or anything like that, the rabbis have established that if you mix flour and water and let it sit out, it will start to rise. The challenge of matzo is it's kind of the bread of affliction, it's not risen, it's not anything extravagant," said Rabbi Yonah Hayum, a full-time rabbinical supervisor.
Premium unleavened: N.J. is a hotbed of matzo
Passover is a big deal for Manischewitz's business. According to CEO David Sugarman, about 35 to 40 percent of his business "is done in the 10 weeks leading up to Passover."
But matzo is just one of dozens of kosher products offered by the growing company, several of which are made in Newark. Among other offerings, there are macaroons, soups, jarred gefilte fish, new gluten-free products and new chocolate hazelnut macaroons, and kosher Welch's grape juice, thanks to a new partnership.
In all cases, "the ingredients need to be kosher...the equipment needs to be kosher...(and) the process needs to be kosher," Hayum said.
The company, founded in 1888, currently operates in about 12 countries, including in North America and Europe, and has plans to expand to about 8 to 10 more countries, Sugarman said.
It already is the "number one kosher food company in the world," he said, but "anywhere that there is a Jewish population, there should be Manischewitz products."
In its long history, the company has seen its share of change.
It was located in Jersey City before coming to Newark, explained matzo-maker Sam Ostrovsky, who has worked for Manischewitz for 27 years.
On Thursday, Sen. Robert Menendez toured the facility, accompanied by Sugarman. Menendez complimented the "Made in America" products and the growth of the company.
He said that he is trying to ensure that American products face fewer hurdles entering markets abroad.
Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.