Piece of Passover tradition lost as U.S.-made Manischewitz wine removed from liquor stores: rabbi

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 9:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

A fashionable marque of kosher vino that has go a staple astatine Passover volition beryllium missing from the Seder tables of galore Manitoba families this year, with the U.S.-made Manischewitz pulled from shelves successful Manitoba's liquor stores successful effect to the ongoing commercialized war.

Manitoba removed American-made intoxicant from the shelves of its provincially tally Liquor Marts successful aboriginal March, aft the archetypal circular of tariffs imposed by the U.S. medication connected immoderate imported Canadian goods.

That included Manischewitz kosher wine, a New York state-made beverage that has go a staple successful Jewish spiritual celebrations passed from 1 procreation to the next, said Allan Finkel, rabbi astatine Winnipeg's Temple Shalom. 

"It's truly sweet, syrupy — it's similar cough syrup, but it's inactive … precise overmuch tied to the Passover Seder experience," Finkel said, referring to the ceremonial meal that marks the commencement of Passover.

Not having it this twelvemonth volition beryllium "a loss of a portion of tradition," helium said.

Passover, which begins on April 12 this year, is an eight-day solemnisation that marks the liberation of the Jews from slavery and their exodus from ancient Egypt. During Passover Seder, 4 cups of vino are drunk astatine antithetic stages during the meal.

Request to bring Manischewitz back

Ahead of Passover, Jeff Lieberman, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, wrote to the state requesting an exemption to bring Manischewitz back to Liquor Marts, fixed its value to the Jewish community.

"Time is moving short," helium said Thursday. "I'm hoping that the vino volition beryllium back, surely with capable clip for radical to bargain it."

Others said they anticipation truthful too.

Wine is "one of the astir important" parts of the Passover meal, said Winnipegger Laura Marjovsky.

"It's a staple of the Seder, and it should beryllium available," said Shayla Fink, different Winnipeg resident.

But speaking to reporters astir U.S. tariffs connected Thursday, Premier Wab Kinew said American alcohol, including Manischewitz, volition enactment disconnected Manitoba's shelves.

"That's gotten attraction southbound of the border," the premier said. 

He besides described the enactment arsenic an "act of solidarity" with different provinces that person taken akin measures.

"I apologize if that causes disappointment, but from what I understand, determination are substitutes," Kinew said. 

WATCH | Passover staple whitethorn beryllium missing successful Manitoba this twelvemonth owed to U.S. booze boycott: 

Jews looking for kosher wine might inactive find immoderate Israeli vino in government-operated liquor stores. Manitoba Liquor Marts connection 3 kosher wines, some reddish and white, from the Galil Mountain Winery, a spokesperson said.

However, astir a fractional twelve liquor stores CBC spoke with — some backstage and provincial — said they didn't person kosher wines successful banal astatine the moment.

Another replacement is kosher grape juice, said Rabbi Finkel, already successful usage by families who don't portion liquor.  

"It's astir the blessing of the effect of the vine. It's really not astir a fermented oregon an alcoholic portion necessarily," helium said. 

"The contented disappears, but successful nary mode are we changing the existent ritual experience."