It's noon today. The heat in the center of the country drowns us in endless humidity.
At this point, the friend I was with remembered that there was a small factory in Rishon LeZion that produces popsicles in every flavor imaginable. I'm not a fan of popsicles. So, I wasn't enthusiastic. I just asked if there was an arak-flavored popsicle. The answer was a look of disdain, while he blurted out: There's also apricot popsicles. Something that no longer exists in the world of popsicles.
I didn't think twice and we set off.
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In an industrial area we found a clean, shiny factory, with a pleasant atmosphere. In the factory yard, several workers were sitting on a break. We asked if we could take pictures, and they directed us to Itzik.
Meet Itzik. His gray hair is not from old age but from the cold. It has changed color. He laughs at us and generously takes us on a short tour inside his factory - called 'Shlegogo'.
Shall we start? "These containers, today we're making grape-flavored concentrate," Itzik explains. What, I ask a little in shock, do you make one container a day? And Itzik says: Well, don't take my word for it. I mean the fifteen minutes you're here. Behind me," Itzik points out, "there's a concentrate and flavoring room. We don't put anything that shouldn't go into the popsicle.".
In this picture you see the pipes flowing the liquid into metal molds, while the liquid is not yet frozen and in a liquid state.
Now the conveyor belt rotates, the liquid material inside freezes, and in less than 12 seconds it turns into hail.
Now the conveyor belt turns and approaches the stick insertion station. There is always a person sitting at this station. A - to make sure that a stick goes into each popsicle. B: to make sure that there are no broken sticks and to constantly recharge the stick station. The guy at the station asks what site we are from. We answered from 'Haredim10' - and he immediately pulled out his phone and showed us that he was on business. I wanted to give him a popsicle for that, but it was probably unnecessary.
The popsicles with the sticks move along the conveyor belt. They get their perfect cold hit, after the popsicle stick is inside. If you are now wondering: why does the popsicle always look, when you get to the stick, as if it is made of two pieces that have been attached, and here you see that the liquid is poured into the same mold - the answer lies in the fact that the liquid freezes in the cold hit from both sides at the same time, and it reaches the middle together.
The popsicles move toward the packaging station. The machine pulls them out, and the guy who sits on the machine and feeds it with sticks also monitors the popsicles that come out - to see if they are whole and undamaged.
The popsicles move on the conveyor belt as if suspended in the air, so that they warm up a little. Otherwise, they will stick to whatever they touch because of the cold.
The machine throws them into a position where they are spread out lying down, from where they step onto the conveyor belt one by one.
On the conveyor belt, like soldiers on parade, the popsicles enter the packaging machine. The surface remains dry, from the intensity of the cold. On the iron around there is steam from the cold evaporating from the popsicles.
And voila, a second after packaging, each carton is filled with fifty units - and straight to a refrigerated truck heading to another location in the country, where children and adults alike will enjoy the popsicles.
Outside, a giant freezer with popsicles. "Do you know what goes on here on Friday? Hundreds of people come and buy," Itzik tells me. "Children of Tehillim, Mishna groups and Gemara groups. By the way, everyone gets a few more popsicles from me for success, and for them to pray and learn about us and for us.".
And if you are curious to know what a boutique popsicle is, you are welcome to invest your time and come to the factory, and see for yourself what is so special about a boutique popsicle.
It was delicious.
