Name/Title
B+W photo of Rabbi Hersch Kohn inspecting coffee at Maxwell House Coffee plant, Hoboken, March 23, 1949.Entry/Object ID
2014.001.0049Description
Black-and-white photo of Rabbi Hersch Kohn making inspection of coffee at Maxwell House Coffee plant, Hoboken, March 23, 1949.
6" x 8" wide print. Photograph taken by Acme Newspictures, New York. Reverse has their credit inkstamp (Acme Photo) and dated file inkstamp: Ref. Dept. 4 1 '49 N.E.A. [Newspaper Editors Association] Mimeographed caption attached to back.
A press photo.
Kohn is being shown two small trays of coffee beans (one appears to be unroasted beans, light colored, and the second tray apparently roasted, darkened) as part of his work in certifying that it was processed according to Jewish dietary laws and thus was kosher for Passover. (Maxwell House Coffee was certified kosher (parve) for Passover since the 1930s. The company marked cans or jars as such and promoted it with Passover Haggadahs issued every year. Rabbi Kohn is mentioned in ones from the era of this photograph.)
The Maxwell House Coffee plant is not identified in the caption, but the dateline of Hoboken and the unidentified employee holding the trays wears a General Foods uniform (Maxwell House was owned by them), making it apparent that this scene was at Maxwell House.
Text of mimeographed caption on reverse:
898963 ...... NEW YORK BUREAU
YEARLY INSPECTION
HOBOKEN, N.J.: Making his annual visit to a coffee-roasting plant, Rabbi Hersch Kohn (right), of New York, inspects whether certain coffee is being prepared according to dietary laws for the Passover season. Passover commemorates the deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt in biblical times, and special food is eaten during the holiday period.
NY-1 SD NWK
CREDIT (ACME) 3/23/49 (JB)
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religion / religious / observance / Jews / Jewish / kosherAcquisition
Accession
2014.001Source or Donor
PurchaseAcquisition Method
PurchaseCredit Line
Museum Collections.Dimensions
Height
8-1/2 inWidth
6-1/2 inGeneral Notes
Note
Notes: Information from Cynthia Wolberger (grand-daughter of Hersch Kohn) via email 2015:
Rabbi Hersch Kohn was my grandfather. He was the rabbinical supervisor for Maxwell House and other New York area companies from the early 1930s until 1964.
Original or Copy: Original
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2014-01-21
