Schools, community and other civic groups can now get a behind-the-scenes look at the Manischewitz's food production. Watch video
NEWARK -- For some, getting a tour of Manischewitz's plant and corporate headquarters in Newark is a bit like peaking inside Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, but instead of Snozzberies and Everlasting Gobstoppers, there's thousands of boxes of Mazto Ball mix and Tam Tams.
On Tuesday, David Sugerman, president and CEO of Manischewitz, along with Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, cut through a bright orange ribbon with a cartoonishly large pair of scissors -- a scene akin to something Roald Dahl might have written --marking the beginning of a new walking tour called "The Manischewitz Experience."
Schools, community and other civic groups can now get a behind-the-scenes look at the Manischewitz's food production, kosher practices, and a cross-cultural experience centered on the brand's history and innovation in food trends, a release from the company said.
While Manischewitz has opened its doors to a select few in the past, Sugerman told New Jersey Advance Media that this new experience gives the company an opportunity to share their rich history in kosher food production with a wider audience.
"As we approach Rosh Hashanah," Sugerman said, "we thought this was the perfect time for us to kick this off."
Rabbi Aron Yonah Hayum, a rabbinical supervisor at Manischewitz, took students from the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy and Boys & Girls Club of Newark on a guided tour throughout the plant.
"For people who are observant of Kosher, Halal; it would be very meaningful for the kids to see how this food that they eat is made," Hayum said. "To people who are not Kosher...it's a little education on how other people look at the world."
Michael Anthony Adams may be reached at madams@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelAdams317. Find NJ.com on Facebook.