Category: Ronnie’s Blog

GUEST BLOG
by Rabbi Paul Plotkin, Rav Hamachshir (Supervising Rabbi) of Ben’s

Is it important for Ben’s to be kosher?

Not really, if you have no sense of the Jewish community, but that has never been Ronnie’s way. Ronnie understood that the synagogue and the deli were two of the institutions that Jews came to, to be amongst Jews, and to feel like they were part of a community.

Seventy years ago, most Jews went to Temple and most Jews went to the deli. Some went to the synagogue to talk to God others went to talk to their shule buddies. Some went to the deli primarily to eat; many went to hang out with their buddies in a Jewish space.

As Jews have increasingly assimilated, they have attended both spaces less frequently. Synagogues are shrinking, merging, or closing, and Jewish Delis have almost disappeared. Both are struggling to stay alive and relevant, not only for their own survival but for the ethnic and religious survival of our people, which brings me to why Ben’s needs to be kosher.

The majority of non-Orthodox Jews do not keep kosher. The majority of Orthodox Jews and certainly all the Ultra-Orthodox not only eat kosher they eat a very stringent version of kosher, invoking ever increasingly difficult and restrictive rules that go far beyond being kosher. I once wrote an article for a Conservative Magazine arguing that we needed a new kosher symbol, The KE, Kosher Enough. Make sure the food is kosher and that no dairy enters the store, but it is enough that the meat is kosher, it doesn’t have to be Glatt Kosher. Through a rental arrangement that follows Jewish law, the store can be rented to a non-Jew for shabbat and Yom Tov and remain open. In such a way the cost of food would only be expensive not exorbitant, and the store would not have to pay for over 2 months of closure while paying full market price for the rent. This enables the store to offer a higher quality of food at lower cost than a Glatt Kosher restaurant.

Ronnie read that article and invited me to look at his restaurants. Eventually he asked me to supervise the chain.

But again, why be kosher at all?

Because there is a cross section of people who still keep kosher and want to have a place to go to eat and to schmooze with their friends and family who may not keep kosher.

The Synagogue that I served as Rabbi for 33 years was called Beth Am, the House of the People. We were a traditional Conservative synagogue and of course kosher, but I enforced a stricter standard such as only using kosher cheese and kosher wine while some synagogues permitted non supervised versions of both(and they had legitimate reasons to do so) but I wanted the House of the People to reach out to a wider population. I wanted the families of those coming to a simcha to feel comfortable to eat in our synagogue and celebrate together at the parties. At the same time, I drew the line at the “extra stringencies” as that would have backfired and precisely alienated the people I wanted to attend.

Ultra-Orthodox were not walking into my building let alone eating there, but the more traditional Jews including the modern Orthodox would come and we could be a more expansive community.

About 12 % of Bens’ customers come because we are kosher, and they can come with their non-kosher friends and family and enjoy together. The food is great so non-kosher Jews (and gentiles are always invited) can be comfortable with Ben’s, and the food is kosher so kashruth observers can come and hang with their non-kosher buddies. We are still a place that many in the community can gather in a warm, comfortable, maybe even nostalgic environment. (I would have said “Haymish” but to explain would have necessitated another paragraph)

Is it important for Ben’s to be kosher?

I think so. I hope you do too.

It is cold outside, the world is still reeling from the effects of Covid, and I am still trying with our executive team to navigate staffing shortages, inflation and supply chain issues. We are paying 30% to 40% more for meat, poultry, paper, plastic, aluminum, etc. The instability of the marketplace is witnessed as daily price changes take effect. At one time I could plan for the future with monthly or quarterly pricing, however now we must try to make it all work within days of the price changes.  And then there are shortages. No knockwursts or casing hot dogs available for months… and no Cel Ray soda? What is a deli to do?

This is no easy task.  What do we do to make it all work and remain a viable business?

Well, luckily, we have been thinking and planning new promotions. In case you have not heard… it is Bens’ 50th Anniversary.  And what better way to celebrate our golden anniversary than with monthly anniversary specials using the number 50 and the number 1972, the year we began this journey. We then must align labor with our fluctuating daily and weekly sales. If we are to survive, we must be more efficient… and we ask for a little patience from our loyal patrons during these tumultuous times.

Additionally, we just received a huge shipment of casing hot dogs, knockwursts, and cel-ray soda, finally! I have never been so excited for a hot dog or soda delivery. Things that always were and still are exciting to me. So, it should be no surprise to those who know me, that I am overly excited by our anticipated refurbishment of our flagship Ben’s, Greenvale, prior to, during and after the Passover holidays as we continue to operate throughout the reconstruction. I hope you’ll be as excited as I am as I prepare to transfer “power” with a newly refurbished store to our Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Todd Silverstein, and our Vice President, Ms. Gilah Salzano, and my best daughter, Ms. Jaime Dragoon Passy, my only daughter, but it makes her feel great and as a parent what makes my daughter happy makes me happy.

See ya at the Deli,
Simply,
Ronnie

Wow! The year is 1972 when a young man decides that a kosher delicatessen is to be his calling. The year is 2022 when an older man, but one who is still young at heart, celebrates that kosher delicatessen’s Golden Anniversary.

Where did the 50 years go? How did we survive and become one of the last kosher delis standing?

I can tell you two things I know for sure: it hasn’t been easy and it’s been quite an education. Nothing that college or being a vista volunteer could have prepared me for. I’m still trying to understand the younger generations with their cell phones, texting, face timing… all while working! But let’s talk about the more interesting things that have befallen Ben’s during these tumultuous times. I never imagined so many deliveries, so much over the deli counter business as we have witnessed and experienced in the last eight months.

I have learned about courier services, Door Dash, Grub Hub, Seamless, and sites whose names I find hysterical… Tik Tok, Instagram, Snapchat, twitter, etc.

I am looking forward to the day when we no longer must wear masks, can gather with friends and family, and not be overly concerned about Covid and all it’s mutations and variants. In December, I thought we were seeing the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel but it turned out that the tunnel was extremely winding and alas, the light was flickering as we encountered Omnicron.

But we must keep the faith and push forward. If we survive this period in our history, we can survive almost anything. And survive we must, as Ben’s and I will be celebrating our 50th anniversary all year long.

I have dreamed of this moment and am glad I am still around. Please watch for our monthly specials and join me in the festivities.

See ya at the Deli,
Simply,
Ronnie

So many thoughts, so little time, so little space. I am confined to a certain number of words so it’s not easy when you have mandates and an editor who always wants me to market Ben’s. Sometimes I do, thanks to her edits, but it really isn’t who I am. Rather, I like humor and I like to comment on the world, the foibles of us earthlings (gender neutral), and the stupidity of many – not all – of us who walk this Earth… and how we react to each other personally and in commerce. I have recounted how – when I first was in business – people/patrons would look down at me because I wore a white hospitality uniform with a white apron and two side towels (my days of watching Hopalong Cassidy with his two-gun holster). I guess they assumed I was pretty dumb having to work in a delicatessen. I still remember my best friend through high school and college telling me that I was wasting my life. I was smarter than working and owning a deli. I said to my good friend (now a retired Professor of Biology), I will make it work.

I can move mountains and now, almost fifty years later amid the worst epidemic in one hundred years, I am still moving mountains but this time with the help of our key employees.

Because of the dedication and hard work of our employees and the management staff we have been able to remain in business in all our locations save one.  And we will continue to improve and innovate as time marches on. Stay tuned… And lastly, lest the editor wreaks havoc on my person, please note that our dining rooms will be open Christmas and New Year’s Eve and Day… and if you prefer to cater at home, please place your orders early.

We want to be the kosher deli choice of your grandchildren and great grandchildren. Thank you for making that possible.

See ya at the Deli,
Simply,
Ronnie

Wow, it’s November already. I guess the cows are elated and rejoicing while the turkeys are seeing their futures come crashing down but no worry; we know at least one will be spared courtesy of a Presidential pardon. So what am I thinking about as we head towards the year 2022 which will be a special year for Ben’s. We will  be celebrating our 50th year in business. I started as I just turned 24 and now in 2022 I’ll be 74. Now that’s old (at least it used to be). In my early twenties I thought of the year 2000 and realized I’d be turning 52 years old and to me back then, that was old. Now, it’s a younger and more mature person. Is that called rewriting history? In any case, we’ll be celebrating all year long with give-aways, special discounted meals and other assorted prizes and maybe even a contest or two. We are proud that we prevailed through a financial crisis and this once in a lifetime pandemic (at least we all hope so). Would you believe that there is a shortage of turkeys for Thanksgiving? But no worry, we planned well in advance and scoured the market place but at a higher cost though we  raised the pricing for this holiday minimally so everyone is not left out to enjoy the festivities. And of course, we have Chanukah following on the heels of Thanksgiving and we’ll continue with our tradition of offering three dozen mini latkes (pancakes) and receiving the fourth dozen gratis (doesn’t that sound better than free).

See ya at the Deli,
Simply,
Ronnie

After forty-nine years in the delicatessen-restaurant business, dealing with vendors, employees and the public, it is an understatement to say that I have been both educated and enlightened. I rarely share my innermost thoughts with the public, or really anyone except my wife, yet – as I get on in years – I find that I am less inclined to be so constrained.

It has never been easy dealing with the public. In fact, the public can be challenging at times. I knew this long before my  son echoed those sentiments 25 years ago. Fast forward to Covid and the pandemic and it is only gotten worse.

But I – as an idealistic, people loving human being – that began in this business attempting to please all customers, will continue to try to please my customers.

After all, it is the customers that taught this low esteemed kid from Queens County in New York City to be tough and steadfast in my beliefs and handle every challenge with courage. It was an education I couldn’t have obtained in a classroom. Since my parents went through some rough times economically, I feel my inclination to please was borne out of these experiences. Have I always succeeded and do I make all customers happy? Of course not… but I’ll never stop trying. And as the Vice President of Ben’s reminds me all the time, “we are all flawed human beings.” And  “we can try but we can’t make everyone happy.”  But, I promise to  never stop trying.

I ask you to continue to be patient with us as we are dealing with rising food and paper costs, trying to keep our staff and customers safe, while taking your last minute orders, pick-ups, deliveries, and curbside requests. We are trying to execute without error and provide excellent customer service while having less help than we want, can retain, and were once accustomed.

Thank you for your business this past holiday season. Thank you to the employees who worked tirelessly to execute and make it happen. My debt of gratitude is boundless to all that keep the tradition and this 49 year old business alive, as I watch so many business around me fail.

See ya at the Deli,

Ronnie

I had an epiphany recently. After viewing workers on cell phones, talking and texting, I thought our generation was better than that but then, again, most generations think that the generation that followed was less than they were. The greatest generation was clearly those who preceded the Baby Boomers of which I am one. Now us baby boomers think that this new generation with their tattoos, body piercings is crazy. We may have had long hair (although I never did), full beards (which I had) but nothing a haircut and a shave wouldn’t change to be more compliant and acceptable to the previous generation.

So then, what was the epiphany? That each generation is no better or worse than the previous one, just different. And as much as we think each generation after us is different, we are the same… with each generation having their own music, their own lifestyle, quirks, and their own definition of right or wrong behavior.

With our best wishes for a Happy, Healthy, and Peaceful Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Please place your orders early… there are all sorts of shortages in the marketplace.

See ya at the Deli,

Ronnie

I am proud and excited to announce that my best daughter (my only daughter) Jaime has officially joined the Ben’s team. I always knew she had some restaurant blood coursing through her veins and have been waiting anxiously for her to decide when the time was right. I cannot think of a better time, than now, as we approach our 50^th anniversary, and with my precious grandchildren in school full day, for her to take a position and help continue my legacy. My ultimate desire is to keep Ben’s and the tradition alive, well into the distant future.

She is taking over for her mom and my loving wife of forty-five years, Cindy… who worked alongside me for many years, which enabled me to think outside the box, and grow and build Ben’s.

Todd Silverstein (our Chief Operating Officer) and Gilah Salzano (our Vice President) and I look forward to collaborating with Jaime. Along with our hard work and the hard work of the General Managers and their respective teams, we will be better than ever.

Practically born in Ben’s in Baldwin and spending much of her life working in various Ben’s locations (Greenvale mainly) has prepared her for this new role. Jaime also holds a Master’s Degree in Education and taught in the NYC Public School System for ten years.

Presently, Jaime is working with our Marketing Manager, Al Olle, on a new menu design and will continue working with our management teams on aspects of media, customer feedback, and quality assurance initiatives.

Please join me and raise our glasses of Baron Herzog wine (kosher of course) –– as part of celebrating 50 years of Ben’s and its continuation with my bright and beautiful daughter (would a loving dad say anything otherwise) –– and shout out Le Chaim (To Life in Hebrew).

See ya at the Deli.

Ronnie, Todd, Gilah, Jaime and all the Manager’s at Ben’s.

To my dearest oldest and youngest friends and customers, we at Ben’s, thank you for helping us to continue the tradition began in October 1972. What seems like yesterday is extraordinary since it was over 48 years ago that this all began. I was a young 24 years of age then and now I am a young almost 73 years of age. For the few aches and pains and a few medical procedures that may have slowed me down, I may not be able to move mountains but I can still move hills. Of course, this getting older thing isn’t for the faint of hearted but it’s still a whole lot better than the alternative. At least that’s what my wife tells me.

Rather than involve myself in the insightful discussion about how we treat some of our furry friends better than we treat our fellow human beings, suffice it to say, I believe we all know when it might be a better time to bid our farewells. For right now, I have too much to do, to accomplish, and change, so that we have a better chance of entering our 50th year without rancor or regret and still proudly standing.

We are hard at work making improvements in order to make this happen.

Have you seen the Greenvale courtyard? If you haven ‘t please stop by. We have beautiful new outdoor furniture for new our outdoor table service. Like Greenvale, Woodbury, Carle Place, Bayside and Scarsdale now have daily outdoor table service. Please take advantage. While dining outdoors in Scarsdale, please take notice how we beautified this location with new landscaping. Our Manhattan store has reopened after months of closure. As you and your businesses return to the city, please stop by and think of us for all your catering needs. Lastly, our chefs have spent months, hard at work, creating our recently rolled out Plant Based Menu. Now, more than ever, there is something for everyone at Bens.

We Shall, Overcome has been my life’s work, my life’s passion and I refuse to give into these some late and difficult vagaries of life. As it was written at the turn of the 19th century and popularized by folk singers such as Joan Baez and Pete Seger, “We shall overcome”…

If any of our short term or long term friends and patrons have some great ideas for the future of Ben’s, please offer us your insight on how to keep us going while others like E.’J. Korvettes, Robert Hall, and Sears, have all bitten the dust.

Let’s help keep Ben’s alive.

See ya at the Deli.

Simply,
Ronnie

So there I sat at a manager’s meeting in 2005, listening to one General Manager after another talk about online ordering. I kept thinking about what online ordering meant and if it would be a viable ordering system for our customers, especially our older patrons. I imagined they would say… what line? online where? where is the line? So, I resisted.

Eventually my younger management team forced me to relent. And now, so many years later, I have watched online ordering grow and transcend into the fastest, smoothest, and most efficient way to execute a food order. If you have been ordering online, please continue… and tell two friends. If you have never tried it, try it, you will like it!

Our new and improved online ordering system lets you add points to your Ben’s loyalty card and redeem any monies or coupons earned. You can select, pick-up, curbside, or delivery. You also have the option to prepay before you enter the store or pay when you get here. Who knew this could be possible?  What a world we now live in!

I want to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and Congratulations to all the graduates. It has been a tough year and a time for pause and celebration. We look forward and are ready to celebrate with you in our stores and serving all your backyard BBQ and catering needs.

Again, thank you. However you’ve been patronizing us….in our dining rooms, our makeshift outdoor dining set ups,   in person at our deli counter, phone orders, or online,  we really do appreciate your business and loyalty.

See ya at the Deli.

Simply,
Ronnie