Memory Lane: Rav Moshe Weinberger

In honor of the Yom Tov of Pesach, we profile a unique and important personality from Boro Park of yesteryear who came to our shtetl sometime in the year 1922, and resided here until his passing in 1940. For a short time, Rabbi Moshe Weinberger served as the rov of Congregation Bnei Yehuda, located on Sixteenth Avenue and Fifty-Third Street for one hundred years. 

One of the early pioneers of hand matzoh baking in America—launching the legendary Weinberger and Streit Bakery on the Lower East Side—Rabbi Weinberger remained in this business for decades. 

Rav Moshe was born in the Slovakian hamlet of Zborow in the year 1854. Located in the northern part of the country, right on the border with Poland, the area definitely had a Chassidic bent—and Moshe was destined to be a fusion of the worlds of chassidus, while being shaped in the tradition of the Chasam Sofer, studying under his greatest talmidim in Hungary. His father was Rav Yisochor Berish Weinberger, a dayan in Zborow. 

In his youth, he learned Torah under his father in Zborov, and later he learned with Rav Moshe Sofer of whom he later wrote: “Who like me knows the extent of his greatness, his straightness and his piety. I learned under him for three years, back when he was still involved in business and Torah Ugedolah fused beautifully at his table, and he was my first Rebbe after my father, drawing me close like a son. You cannot imagine a tenth of his caliber.” 

1906: Weinberger & Streit Matzos

65 Pitt Street, while it may be one of the lesser-known streets on the Old East Side, was an important location in the history of Yiddishkeit in America.

In 1905, it was sold to the Finesilver Matzoth Baking Company, which had as a partner Rabbi Moshe Weinberger. It was then purchased by Rabbi Weinberger and Aron Streit in foreclosure (for around $20,000) in the year 1910, which marks the beginning of their business there. Aron Streit began purchasing the buildings that would house his future bakery in 1923, and started operations there in 1925. From around 1910, we begin seeing a steady stream of advertisements for Weinberger and Streit, over this time period of 1910-1923.  

Like all matzoh bakeries of its time, Weinberger and Streit’s was not immune to publicity and marketing moves  to boost the ranks for their customers—like the time they wrote in an ad: “Rabbi Moses Weinberger Matzos are so good that the Federation of Yeshivahs and Pechter’s Matzoth are baked in our matzoth bakery. 

1915 found the world engulfed in the heat of World War One, and Weinberger and Streit were right there to donate matzos to the relief efforts for the Jews Palestine—although they ultimately did not make it in time. The Jewish Voice printed a letter from American Jewish Relief Committee which explained that the ship left too late for the matzos to make it there in time. “We feel it necessary to make this statement in order to explain to the generous donors of the matzoth why the matzoth were left behind... to the B. Manischewitz Mazoth company of Cincinnati, to Messrs. Weinberger & Streit of New York. 

When photojournalist named Michael Levine was researching the early history of Streit’s, he visited the original lactation at 65 Pitt Street—which is how we are fortunate to have these magnificent images of the original brick oven and other nostalgic relics of the bakery featured here. 

“Rabbi Weinberger Matzoth” 

Rabbi Weinberger and Aaron Streit remained in business together for many years—until 1923, when Streit set out on his own, along with his son, to found what would remain the most legendary name in machine matzoh, with a presence on the Lower East Side for one century. Upon Streit’s departure, the following was published in the Yiddishes Taggeblatt, Feb. 20, 1923: “These Rabbinic Matzos are very popular. 

Rabbi Weinbeger’s Matzos have been known for many years under the name Rabbi Weinberger and Streit matzos. These matzos are known as strictly kosher, even l’mehadrin, and are also delicious and fresh. From today and on, this improved bakery at 65 Pitt Street belongs solely to Rabbi Weinberger. Mr. Streit has pulled out of the partnership and wishes his former partner, Rabbi Weinberger good health and a long life. All of its patrons can rest assured that they will continue to be satisfied with Rabbi Weinberger’s Matzos.” 

The sign outside the bakery at 65 Pitt Street seemingly remained with only “Rabbi M. Weinberger” affixed on it throughout this time (and would remain there even after his passing). 

Aaron Streit passed away in 1937, leaving his matzoh baking empire to his children who have only expanded it in the ensuring decades and forthcoming generations. At his funeral, in Boro Park’s Washington Cemetery, a group of Rabbonim and laymen were gathered to escort him to his final resting place. A photo exists of this event, but none of the attendees could readily be identified. It turns out that in the center of the photo is none other than Streit’s longtime partner: Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, who was by then eighty-three years of age. Residing just a few blocks away, he stood there—hunched over, worn out from a lifetime of wandering and toil—mourning his friend and fellow pioneer of commercial matzoh baking in New York.