Manischewitz, the American kosher food giant known best for its wine and matzah, announced that it was releasing a new product, SPISH, the company announced on Twitter on Thursday.
Along with the announcement, a picture of the product was posted. It resembles a tin of SPAM, the brand known for its cans of tightly packed cooked pork. The front and top of the can read "SPISH" in large, bright yellow letters.
"SPISH®!" Manischewitz wrote on Twitter. "Just in time for #Passover ! (9 weeks! Are u ready?) @SPAMbrand u game?"
SPISH® ! Just in time for #Passover ! (9 weeks! Are u ready?)@SPAMbrand u game? pic.twitter.com/FiWHnSBm2l
— Manischewitz (@ManischewitzCo) February 1, 2023
How was the SPISH received?
Reactions on Twitter were mixed. One user posted a GIF depicting a character from the popular cartoon Futurama angrily whipping out a fistful of cash along with a text that reads, "shut up and take my money."
Other reactions were less positive. "This post is a war crime," another Twitter user wrote about Manischewitz's announcement.
Gefilte fish is already a food that divides the Jewish community, but to pack it like SPAM inside of a tin would likely horrify even those who appreciate the controversial Ashkenazi food.
Fortunately for those who are especially concerned by the SPAM-style gefilte fish, the post is almost certainly a joke.
Manischewitz has posted similar joke products on their Twitter page before. One such example occurred in August of 2022 when they posted about a product called "gefilte pops," frozen popsicles made of gefilte fish. The kosher food company made the joke post in response to the hot dog brand, Oscar Meyer, releasing frozen hot dog popsicles after fans voted in favor of it on an online poll.
You asked for it...#ComingSoon #gefiltepops#gefiltedogs pic.twitter.com/pFbbawt1Th
— Manischewitz (@ManischewitzCo) August 28, 2022
Two months prior to that, in June of 2022, Manischewitz posted about "gefilte dogs" on their Twitter page. Gefilte dogs, as the name suggests were marketed as hot dogs made from gefilte fish. The label on the package of gefilte dogs posted to the account described them as "stadium size," a reference to hot dogs being a fan-favorite food at major league baseball games.
In response to the gefilte dogs Twitter post, the official Twitter account for the State of Israel replied to Manischewitz asking, "haven't the Jewish people suffered enough?"
Manischewitz maintains a tone of levity, even in response to those who haven't seemed to understand that SPISH is a joke product. In response to the user who wrote that the SPISH tweet was "a war crime," they posted a GIF of a sesame street character paired with the text that reads, "OY VEY!"