Long Island Knish Factory to Reopen 5 Months After Fire

Knish fans have been kvetching ever since Sept. 24 when a fire damaged the machinery that makes the potato-filled snack

The Long Island factory that makes deep-fried square knishes is reopening five months after it was badly damaged in a fire.

Co-owner Stacey Ziskin Gabay of Gabila's Knishes says the Copiague, N.Y., plant has been given approval to reopen by the fire marshal.

Gabila's is the only factory that makes square knishes. Gabay said the plant usually makes up to 15 million knishes a year and ships them all over the country.

Knish fans have been kvetching ever since Sept. 24 when a fire damaged the machinery that makes the potato-filled snack.

Laura Silver, author of the forthcoming book "Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food," said the square knish's return marked "the resilience of a fourth-generation family business and of the potato pie itself."

"However, it's important to note that the four-and-half-month hiatus from Gabila’s square, fried Coney Island knishes was a mere hiccup in four centuries of knish history," she said, adding that the knish has "survived pogroms, immigration and assimilation."

Gabay said Thursday that company officials were pleased that so many people missed the knishes.

She said production will start next week.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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