A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Dr. Brown's

In a recent Jewish Press column about Jews in the American South, Jason Maoz wrote that Southern Jews "are as likely to salivate over a dinner of fried chicken, collard greens, sweet potato pie and iced tea as they are to crave a repast of matzoh-ball soup, pastrami on rye, side knish and glass of Dr. Brown's."

It's understandable that Jews in the South do not necessarily consume Dr. Brown's, but I'm increasingly disturbed by how few Jews even in New York City purchase Dr. Brown's.

With rare exceptions, I make sure to have plenty of Dr. Brown's black cherry soda available for all of my shabbos meals, as well as a generous amount of Sharon's Sorbet (usually one coconut and one additional flavor).

This applies both in summer and in winter.

Sadly, in this era of increasing ignorance amongst Jews, it is quite common to visit a New York home of an observant Jew and find neither Dr. Brown's nor Sharon's.

Some, indeed, have no clue what Dr. Brown's black cherry soda is. Once, I went to my in-laws for shabbos, and my father-in-law proudly served me a glass of Cherry Coke, apparently confusing Cherry Coke with black cherry soda. Cherry Coke is okay, but it is no Dr. Brown's black cherry, and never will be, and I politely explained this to him. For my next visit, he even more proudly served me Pathmark diet black cherry soda, which my wife insisted I drink. I complied, and even made a bracha (blessing) over the Pathmark soda, which not only is without sugar but apparently is also without any sugar substitute.

Since that time, whenever I visit my in-laws, I make sure to stop off in the local supermarket and pick up a six pack of Dr. Brown's diet black cherry and a liter of the regular black cherry. While they tend to be mildly offended at this practice, it is the only way I can combat the growing Jewish ignorance of northern Jews toward their tradition, since 1869.
posted on 6/22/2005