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<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://i.imgur.com/dCQtUkK.jpg" alt="What was the key role of Jews in introducing chocolate" /></figure> <p>Chocolate is one of the most popular confections in the world. It is a rich and aromatic beverage that is usually sweetened with honey and vanilla. It is a popular treat among both aristocrats and the lower classes. The introduction of chocolate to Europe took place in the early sixteenth century. A key role in its introduction was played by Jews, who had trade connections to the New World.</p> <p>Before the introduction of chocolate to Europe, Europeans had little knowledge of the drink. Until the sixteenth century, it was only available as a luxury item for the rich and famous. However, the discovery of cacao in the Americas in 1502 made it more accessible. In the 16th century, the Spanish throne sought to control the trade. As a result, many of the Jews who emigrated from Spain were involved in the trade. Some of them brought with them a wealth of knowledge in chocolate manufacturing, which ultimately contributed to its widespread acceptance.</p> <p>Although some historians believe that Christopher Columbus was the first to discover chocolate in the New World, it was a Sephardic Jew from Spain, Benjamin Dacosta, who first planted the plant on the island of Santa Catalina. His descendants continued to cultivate the plants, which eventually became a major industry on the island.</p> <p>After the Inquisition forced most Spanish Jews to flee to nearby countries, many of them moved to Holland. There, they were able to continue making and trading chocolate. They also helped establish trade connections with the French West Indies. Their involvement in the chocolate trade helped to strengthen the Dutch economy.</p> <p>One of the key roles that the Jews played in the chocolate trade was to create a network of chocolatiers. This network was made up of a series of chocolatiers and grocers in Amsterdam. These merchants would sell the product to the local community and other parts of Europe. Many of these chocolate makers kept their trade secrets a secret, which helped to increase the popularity of the chocolate.</p> <p>Another key role the Jews played in the chocolate trade was to promote it. One such example was the shiva meal, where hardboiled eggs were eaten with warm drinking chocolate. According to Rabbi Debbie Prinz, this was the first of its kind, which meant that it was an innovative use of chocolate.</p> <p>When the Inquisition reached France in the late sixteenth century, chocolate was also introduced to the continent. However, it wasn’t until the 1760s that a chocolate guild was formed. The guild only permitted the Catholic Apostolic Roman Church to purchase its products. Other chocolate makers tried to push the Bayonne Jewish chocolate makers out of business.</p> <p>Chocolate making was a particularly important endeavor for the Sephardic Jews of Bayonne. They not only learned how to make chocolate, but they were also able to ship it to England and other parts of Europe. Eventually, it was exported to Spain as well. By the late 1700s, Bayonne had become the chocolate capital of France.</p> <p><iframe title="Kids Meet a Holocaust Survivor | Kids Meet | HiHo Kids" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qZS0YlpCS7I?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>

<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://i.imgur.com/0H31eCM.jpg" alt="Why is Chocolate Important to the Jewish Community" /></figure> <p>Chocolate is not just a delicious treat but it also holds an important place in Jewish history. From the ancient times of the Maccabees to the modern day, chocolate has been a popular food for many. The rich and spicy sweet treat has changed a lot since its invention and discovery by Europeans in the Americas in 1502. Its use has expanded and has become a part of the lives of many. While its origins may not be widely known, there are a number of interesting facts to share about its history.</p> <p>In the early 1600s, Jewish immigrants began trading and producing chocolate. A few of them became prominent in the business. One such Jewish family was the Gomezs, who settled in up the Hudson River. Their son, Luis Moses Gomez, was able to escape the Spanish Inquisition and move to France.</p> <p>Another famous Jewish family, the Gratz, made a fortune in the cocoa business in the 19th century. They imported 15,000 pounds of cocoa from Santo Domingo and were successful in selling it to Brazil. Although the Gratz were not the first Jews to manufacture chocolate, their success helped create a reputable industry in the industry.</p> <p>While many Jews had a hand in making the first modern version of chocolate, a 16 year old lad named Franz Sacher did leave his mark on the chocolate world. He developed a chocolate sponge cake called the Sachertorte.</p> <p>Besides the obvious, another notable Jewish connection to chocolate is the famous converso theory. Conversos were a group of Spanish and Portuguese traders who moved around Europe and the Netherlands. These traders were responsible for creating the machine that processed sugar into a smooth chocolate drink.</p> <p>In the late 1500s, Christopher Columbus made a trip to the New World, where he found the mighty cacao tree. The explorer believed that he would encounter the Lost Tribes of Israel, but his journey was cut short by the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Nevertheless, he landed in Asia, where he brought along a Hebrew interpreter, Luis de Torres.</p> <p>Some of the early Sephardi Jews were involved in the vanilla refinery, rum distillery and cacao processing industries. Many of them eventually left for the New World, where they were able to make a living. Others were forced to leave Spain. This led to a diaspora of the Jews, a term describing an ethnic or religious group that is exiled from its home country.</p> <p>Although chocolate was not initially consumed as a ritual, it did appear in Jewish holiday ceremonies. During the Yom Kippur fast, it was served at the end of the meal. Other festive foods included cakes, cookies and challah. Despite its bitter taste, chocolate eventually made its way to high society and the royal court.</p> <p>Today, chocolate is widely recognized as a symbol of hope and joy. This holiday season, consider incorporating some of the aforementioned foods into your diet. However, don’t forget to take your Jewish values into consideration.</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Why is Chocolate Important to the Jewish Community?" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lC8ZFfhNTaM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>

<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://i.imgur.com/OO5MlGS.jpg" alt="The Jews Who Created the Modern Chocolate Trade" /></figure> <p>A few hundred years ago, the Jewish people helped bring the modern chocolate trade to its present-day state. They brought their knowledge, skills, and connections to the New World and changed the way that chocolate is manufactured and consumed. Without them, modern confectionery would not be possible.</p> <p>The story of the Jews and chocolate begins with the arrival of the Iberian Jews to the Caribbean area. In 1650, Benjamin Da Costa d’Andrade settled in Martinique. He was a secret Jew. He traded cocoa, vanilla, and sugar with other Jewish traders. He also opened the first cacao processing plant in French territory. Soon, he was exporting a variety of cacao varieties to Europe.</p> <p>Later, Luis Moses Gomez, an escaped Inquisition prisoner, moved to New York. His family operated a successful chocolate business for two generations. Their factory supplied chocolate for hot drinks to Dutch customers. This family eventually settled in Albany, New York.</p> <p>When the Dutch seized the northern part of Brazil in the early 1700s, it was because of their mastery of cane sugar extraction. This led to a new craze for chocolate drinks. With its great popularity, Curao became a powerhouse in the chocolate industry.</p> <p>In addition to their connections in South America, the Jews of CuraASSao contributed to the construction of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. They were involved in cacao manufacturing, rum distilleries, and vanilla refineries. Although they were not allowed to sell their products publicly, they still made a significant contribution to the New World.</p> <p>Another example of the Jewish involvement in the chocolate business is the Gomez family. Aaron Lopez was born in Lisbon in 1731. He was circumcised at age 21 and later went on to live in Massachusetts where he took the name Duarte. After he moved to the New World, his family ran a successful chocolate business for two generations.</p> <p>Some of the more important Jewish contributors to the modern chocolate trade include Benjamin d’Acosta de Andrade, Aaron Lopez, and Simon and Hyman Gratz. These Jewish brothers were involved in trading Mexican cocoa and vanilla, and in creating machinery to process sugar.</p> <p>Other significant contributors to the modern chocolate trade include Austrian baker Franz Sacher, Belgian and Swiss chocolatiers, and Belgian and Dutch chocolate makers. Chocolate has transformed many aspects of our lives. It has been used as a ritual food, is available in festive foods, and even has become a part of our culture. If you want to learn more about the Jewish contribution to the chocolate trade, check out the Semite Museum’s exhibit on the history of Jewish contributions to the chocolate industry. Until February 25, 2018, the museum is holding a special exhibition with historical materials and contemporary materials.</p> <p>It is believed that the Saint-Esprit Jewish community in Bayonne, France, played an important role in the development of the modern chocolate trade. Although little evidence of their work exists, the city was home to a large number of Jews who were already merchants. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the city became a center for French and French-American chocolatiers. There were only a handful of Jews in Bayonne who were experts in chocolate-making. However, they were unable to practice their art, and had to pass it on to Christian apprentices. Because of the tension between the local municipal leaders and the Jewish community, the chocolate guild was banned in 1767.</p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Sweet Jews" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KmaGxZ3l6aQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>