70 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 
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t was Halloween two weeks ago, as it is every Oct. 31. It is a largely 
nonreligious holiday, but as most children will tell you — it’s the trick-
or-treating that matters most. In other words, it’s all about the candy! 
This made me think about what I might find in the William Davidson 
Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History about Jews and candy. Can you 
guess which popular candies are Jewish-invented?
Consider the first individually wrapped candy in America: 
the Tootsie Roll! These chewy little logs of chocolate-
flavored candy were invented by an Austrian immigrant 
Leo Hirschfield. He landed in New York in 1896 and soon 
opened a candy store. Hirschfield then developed and 
patented the “Tootsie Roll” in 1908. It was named after his 
daughter Clara, whose nickname was “Tootsie.
” In 
2023, over $750 million worth of Tootsie Rolls were 
sold. 
Speaking of Tootsie Rolls, the JN’s David Sachs wrote a 
celebratory obituary of former executive director of Hillel Day 
School, June Weinberg, who earned the nickname “Tootsie Roll 
Lady” (April 28, 2000). Known as a first-rate, beloved director, 
Weinberg was also known for the tons of Tootsie Rolls that she 
doled out. 
Another famous candy treat is Bazooka Bubble Gum. This 
famously pink chewing gum was the creation of the Shorin 
brothers — Abram, Ira, Joseph and Philip. These Jewish brothers 
formed the Topps Company and, in 1947, launched Bazooka 
Bubble Gum to compete with “Dubble Bubble,
” the world’s first 
bubble gum, created in 1928. 
It is said that Bazooka Bubble Gum is the namesake of the rocket-propelled anti-tank weapon used by American 
troops in WWII: the Bazooka. 
Personally, when growing up, I preferred Bazooka because I wanted the comic strip that came with that bubble 
gum. Topps added the comic strips to the gum packaging in 1953. It also added bubble gum strips to packets of 
baseball trading cards. In 2012, the Bazooka Candy Brands (formerly Topps) stopped adding the comics, but still 
prints puzzlers on the gum wrappers.
Bazooka Bubble Gum is also licensed and manufactured in Israel by Elite, a candy company established in 
Ramat Gan in 1933. The cartoons included with Israeli Bazooka Gum are written in Hebrew. 
Finally, in a bit of irony, one of the best loved Christian Easter treats was invented by Jewish candy maker Bob 
Born in 1953. After his Just Born candy company acquired a competing marshmallow candy company, Born 
devised a method of mass-producing marshmallow chick-shaped candies that are now synonymous with Easter 
celebrations. The company even developed a Peep Mobile. 
Just Born also makes Mike and Ike candies and — love them or hate ’
em — Hot Tamales. The latter confection 
was another Bob Born innovation. Not one to waste anything, he took Mike and Ikes that were mishappen during 
manufacturing, remelted them and added a heavy dose of cinnamon to make Hot Tamales.
I’m sure there are other Jewish-created candies that I’ve missed. I know of Turkish Taffy and, especially familiar 
to folks on the East Coast, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews. And, I haven’t forgotten Barton’s Chocolate or the many 
independent Jewish-owned candy shops around the nation.
It is easy to see that Jewish candy inventors have made great contributions to — or are greatly responsible for? — 
the American Sweet Tooth. Bless them all! 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.

Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History 

accessible at thejewishnews.com

Some Dandy Candy History

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

