Got your matzah?

Temple Emanu-El makes this
Passover staple more accessible

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By Betty Shimabukuro
bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Tomorrow will be a day of extremes. So much food, so many calories, so little restraint.

In contrast, let us consider matzah.

This plain, simple, unleavened bread will come into vogue in four months, with the beginning of Passover, but now is the time to think about it.

Temple Emanu-El is holding its first ever sale of Passover foods, open to the Jewish community statewide. It's called Got Matzah?

"There has been some frustration in the Jewish community as to the availability of Passover goods in the supermarkets," says Alan Gottlieb, Got Matzah? committee chairman.

The market for such goods in Hawaii is small, so it's just not economical for a store to bring in a large selection, especially when items such as matzah have such a limited shelf life.

"People would go around from store to store and find it completely out."

Prices are also higher here than in markets on the mainland where the Jewish community is larger, Gottlieb says. A 4-pound box of matzah can cost more than $8 here, twice what it would cost in other cities.

Got Matzah? is offering a box for $4.50. The second most popular Passover item in the sale is gefilte fish, at $7.50 for 24 ounces.

Got Matzah? -- a fund-raiser for the temple's education programs -- is offering about 70 food items, from blueberry griddle mix and chocolate fudge biscotti, to Passover potato chips, chicken noodle casserole and even French wines. All are prepared under kosher standards and none may contain leavening. This includes yeast breads, many grains, most noodles and wines (most are fermented with yeast).

The original deadline for orders was Oct. 31, but the deadline has been extended to Dec. 15, although a 10 percent charge will have to be tacked on.

"This is very early for people to start thinking about Passover, which is in March," Gottlieb says, but early ordering was the only way to assure availability.

His personal order totaled $300. "I had to try all these things -- there was a chocolate covered matzo ball!"

How to order

To order call 595-7521 by Dec. 15 or e-mail orders to gotmatzah@hawaii.rr.com

Pickup of goods will be at Temple Emanu-El on March 17. Neighbor island orders may be mailed directly for an additional charge.

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