Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

The All-American Hot Dog
I

read about a new exhibit by a Jewish artist 
at the Museum at Eldridge Street in New 
York City: “Steve Marcus: Top Dog of 
Kosher Pop Art.” Its theme is Jewish connec-
tions to that all-American food, the hot dog. 
I thought that the hot dog seemed liked a 
fine topic for a “Looking Back.” Kosher hot 
dogs, of course.
Memorial Day has become the unoffi-
cial beginning of summer in 
Michigan (summer actually 
begins on June 21). First and 
foremost, we should not forget 
that Memorial Day is the time 
each year when we honor all 
those men and women who 
have sacrificed while serving 
in the American military. May 
God give them peace. 
Beginning on Memorial Day, however, it 
is prime time for backyard grills, picnics and 
BBQs … and hot dogs! Although, one can 
eat these delicacies at any time during the 
year, at sports arenas or at home, hot dogs 
grilled outside are especially tasty.
In fact, beginning in 1920, I found 2,690 
pages in the William Davidson Digital 
Archive of Jewish Detroit History citing this 
essential food. The bulk of the mentions are 
about events held by Jewish organizations 
and synagogues that served hot dogs as part 
of their refreshment menus. In addition, how 
many thousands of Jewish youngsters have 
roasted a hot dog on a stick (and marshmal-
lows) at Camps Tamarack, Tanuga, Ramah 
or Willoway? Or, if you really want to “put 
on the dog” for your backyard gathering, 
you can rent a New York-Style Hot Dog cart 
from Uptown Catering.
As you might imagine, there are also hun-
dreds of advertisements from local markets 
selling hot dogs. In the 1950s, for example, 
Liberman’s ads urged shoppers to “Visit Our 
Kosher Kounter,” where you could buy hot 
dogs, including Hungarian Hot Dogs (April 
6, 1956, JN). All the major supermarkets 

advertised hot dogs at one time or another 
in the JN. 
In Detroit, one cannot write about hot 
dogs without mentioning the famous Coney 
Island Hot Dog, perhaps the city’s most 
iconic restaurant food. This means a hot dog 
with chili, onions and mustard — no ketch-
up, please! In Metro Detroit, you just say, “I’d 
like a coney,” and everyone will know pre-
cisely what you mean.
Coneys were mentioned in nearly 40 col-
umns from the late JN writer Danny Raskin’s 
columns. He also answered questions about 
hot dogs such as those at Costco and Sam’s 
Club — Sinai Kosher dogs at Costco are 
steamed; at Sam’s Club, Best’s Kosher are 
grilled. (May 12, 2005). 
And don’t forget corn dogs, bagel dogs or 
local “Floogie Dogs.” 
And there are the 
hot dogs mom cut 
up for you when 
you were a tyke. 
The variations are 
endless. It is an 
all-purpose food.
Most of all, I love 
the hot dog success 
stories in the JN.
Rabbi Joseph Krupnik 
and Tzvi Ungar han-
dled a kosher hot dog 
cart at Ford Field (Nov. 
3, 2011). “Hot Diggity 
Dog” is about Israeli 
immigrant Alex and his 
wife, Debra, opening their hot dog restau-
rant in Waterford (June 14, 2018). In Ann 
Arbor, “Kosher Red Hots Hit Campus” at 
U-M (March 7, 2003).
A cautionary note. To really celebrate 
the all-American meal, you will have to 
wait until July when it is National Hot Dog 
month. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation 
archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

62 | JUNE 2 • 2022 

And don’t forget corn dogs, bagel dogs or 

local “Floogie Dogs.” 

Rabbi Joseph Krupnik 
and Tzvi Ungar han-
dled a kosher hot dog 
cart at Ford Field (Nov. 
3, 2011). “Hot Diggity 
Dog” is about Israeli 
immigrant Alex and his 

