JTA — Manischewitz is thinking outside the box — literally.
The iconic US Jewish food company has it all figured out when it comes to things like making matzah and selling kosher wine. Now, it’s asking America to help solve a different, non-food-related mystery: Who is the best Jewish college athlete in the country?
The company is calling it the quest for the “L’Cheisman” trophy, a play on the NCAA football’s Heisman Trophy. And the two winners of the quest will receive a distinctly Jewish honor: their photograph displayed on boxes of Manischewitz matzah.
“This is the official search for the best Jewish college athletes in America, a national competition celebrating the grit, talent, spirit, and pride amongst Jewish NCAA athletes across the country,” the quest’s website reads.
Manischewitz, which was founded in Cincinnati in 1888 before relocating to the New York metropolitan area, first dipped its toes in student athlete partnerships last year, when then-Brigham Young University quarterback Jake Retzlaff (the “B-Y-Jew”) was featured on a set of matzah boxes. (Retzlaff has since transferred to Tulane University.)
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Student athlete deals had previously been off the table until 2021, when the NCAA implemented new rules allowing players to profit off their name, image and likeness. Seidman said the success of last year’s promotion convinced Manischewitz to expand the process.
“We knew we tapped into something big, and we wanted to continue,” Shani Seidman, Manischewitz’s chief marketing officer, said in an interview.
Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) runs during an NCAA football game against East Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Now, throughout December and January, Manischewitz has an open nomination form to which anybody can submit their choice, for both a men’s and women’s division. The form asks not only what sport and school the athlete participates in, but also the question, “Why are they a great representative of the Jewish community?”
In February, finalists will be revealed and the decision will be put to a vote on social media; the voting results will be decided by the general public, as well as a weighted vote by a “team of experts” on the Manischewitz side, and the winner announced in March.
Seidman said the voting criteria include how much the nominee “excels” in their sport, as well as what Manischewitz is calling their “mensch meter.”
That “mensch meter” means looking for a winner “who is part of the community, has a strong Jewish identity, and contributes to their community,” Seidman said. “We want to spotlight Jewish excellence in all of these areas.”
Seidman said last year’s Retzlaff matzah boxes sparked an “outpouring” of excitement, with numerous Jewish athletes and teams reaching out about potential partnerships. Manischewitz sponsored and designed the bright orange jerseys of a Jewish youth Idaho ice hockey team called the Flying Latkes, Seidman said.
This coming spring, the two winners of Manischewitz’s search will be awarded by having their face printed on limited-edition matzah boxes, as well as a $10,000 cash prize and recognition from the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
While the winners will come away from the search with unleavened glory, the social media voting process itself will be “a great platform to celebrate” and introduce Jewish student athletes from around the country to a larger, more national audience, Seidman said.
In a release about the initiative, Manischewitz pointed to Jewish student athletes as not only high achievers, but also some of the most visible Jewish figures on campus.
“For years, Jewish college athletes have been breaking stereotypes, smashing expectations, and dominating across every sport in the NCAA. What people don’t realize is that these athletes are often the most prominent Jewish representatives on campus,” the press release reads.
“Manischewitz wants to give these athletes the recognition they deserve.”
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