Delicious smells of freshly baked matzoh fill the air as one approaches the corner of Rivington and Delancey Street. The source of these pleasant smells: The Streit’s Matzoh Factory. Established in 1925, the factory has been a symbol of the Jewish populace of the Lower East Side for many decades.

The original factory was established in 1915 by Aron Streit who immigrated to America from Austria in the late 19th century. The factory was located on Pitt Street, and the matzoh there was handmade. It wasn’t until 10 years later that Streit and his son, Irving, decided to open a new factory that would use modern machinery in the manufacturing of the matzoh. As the business expanded, Streit bought the three neighboring buildings on Rivington Street. As of today, the factory still runs at the same location, under the same family, and sometimes, even still using the same machinery that had been in use since the 1930’s.

However, matzoh isn’t the only thing the Streit’s Factory makes today. It now manufactures many other kosher products such as borscht, canned soups, cake mixes, noodles, soups and chocolates; but these products are not made at the Rivington Street factory.

The factory today is run by three of Streit’s great grandsons, and one great-great grandson. According to a New York Times article, the descendants of Streit admit that at company meetings they almost always consider moving the factory out of the Lower East Side to another location. However, thus far it was decided best not to do so because the factory is such a big part of the family’s history, and because of their loyalty to the neighborhood.

However, this does not mean the present Streit’s location in the Lower East Side is a permanent one. It has become increasingly difficult for the factory to maintain itself due to city inspectors’ citations on the old equipment and the constant issuing of tickets to the delivery trucks.

Although the factory hasn’t changed much since 1925, the changing circumstances in the Lower East Side and in New York City as a whole, is causing a possible relocation of the factory in the future.