Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at thejewishnews.com
62 | JANUARY 11 • 2024 J
N
The Candy Man
I
recently wrote about the release of Maestro, a Bradley
Cooper film about the great American composer/direc-
tor Leonard Bernstein. Another movie released last
month caught my attention: Wonka.
Wonka is the third musical film based on Roald Dahl’s
1964 book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The first,
1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory starring
Gene Wilder, has become a classic. The 2005 remake with
Johnny Depp as Wonka bombed.
The general premise of the book and orig-
inal movie is that Willy Wonka hid five “Golden
Tickets” in chocolate bars. The lucky kids who
found the tickets were invited to an exclusive tour
of Wonka’s chocolate factory, along with their cho-
sen adult. Wonka, however, has an ulterior motive:
He is testing the moral fiber of the children, hoping
to find an heir who will continue with his work
and protect the “Oompa-Loompas” that operate the
factory. Wonka is a prequel about a young man entering the
chocolate business.
Of course, chocolate, or a chocolate factory, or chocolate maker, might
always be a worthy topic for a column. Who doesn’t like chocolate? I decid-
ed that Willy Wonka might also be a good topic to search in the William
Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History.
A search showed that the original movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory, really has staying power. Nearly 75 years after the book was
released, it has become a children’s classic. The movie also spawned stage
productions such as the 2017 Broadway play with the same title as the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as
Willie Wonka candies, a brand that lasted until 2015.
Over the years, Willy Wonka has had an impact upon the local Jewish community. The drama department at Camp Maas
produced Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1992 (Jan. 15, 1993, JN). A few years later, Congregation Beth Ahm held a
gala Willy Wonka-themed Purim celebration (March 1, 2012). The March 2, 2018, issue of the JN featured William Eisenberg’s
Willy Wonka simchah. In addition to plenty of goodies and the movie, Eisenberg was photographed both in a Willy Wonka
costume and holding a “Wonka Bar.”
Indeed, Willy Wonka is an often-referenced character. Consider the Sept. 7, 2001, JN article about Alan Rosen, chocolatier
and owner of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. It opens by stating: “You could call him [Rosen] the Willie Wonka of
West Bloomfield.” In another reference, Rabbi Aaron Bergman related a Torah question in relation to Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory (Jan. 31, 2013).
Willy Wonka is not, however, without controversy. Its author, Roald Dahl, former WWII fighter ace, was a prolific writer,
especially of popular children’s literature (an estimated 300 million copies of his works have been published). He was also a
self-proclaimed antisemite and anti-Zionist, so much so, that his family apologized for his thoughts and words.
It is ironic, therefore, that in both the current Wonka and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, the stars of the movies are
Jewish (Timothée Chalamet and Wilder). It should also be said that the story itself has no traces of antisemitism, regardless of
the author’s personal prejudice.
I’ll leave you with Ari Leflein’s graduation announcement from May 20, 2021. In it, Leflein cited his favorite inspirational
Willie Wonka line: “Wanta change the world/There’s nothing to it.”
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair
inal movie is that Willy Wonka hid five “Golden
productions such as the 2017 Broadway play with the same title as the book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as
of Wonka’s chocolate factory, along with their cho-
sen adult. Wonka, however, has an ulterior motive:
He is testing the moral fiber of the children, hoping
and protect the “Oompa-Loompas” that operate the