Mogen Dovid Delicatessen Magazine
Mogen Dovid Delicatessen Corporation
Mogen Dovid Delicatessen Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 5
New York, 1931
The decade of the Great Depression (1929–39) coincided with the heyday of kosher delis in New York and the U.S. in general. During this time, the monthly Mogen Dovid Delicatessen Magazine was the primary voice of the trade union representing deli owners. According to the magazine’s survey in 1931, there were 1,550 kosher delicatessens, 575 kosher meat restaurants, and 150 dairy restaurants in New York alone, in addition to 6,500 kosher butchers and 1,000 kosher slaughterhouses for poultry.
The magazine advocated for equitable prices for the provisions and meals (such as corned, roast, and smoked beef; pastrami, salami, and liver sausage; frankfurters and chicken; and salmon and sturgeon) that were essential for the Depression era. It covered myriad aspects of the delicatessen industry: kashrut (kosher) and sanitary regulations, product quality, supplier relationships, appropriate attire and comportment of employees, economic woes, and marketing issues. It ran ads and published union and trade news.
The cover page of this issue shows a large Mogen Dovid Delicatessen Corporation emblem in the shape of a hexagram descending over the farm landscape, thus symbolizing the commitment to product quality and freshness. Flanking the emblems are two columns that suggest a sense of sanctuary. Two slogans of the union appear in the upper left and right corners: “Live and Let Live” and “In Union There—is Strength.”
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