On Nov. 14, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order “modifying the scope of the reciprocal tariff with respect to certain agricultural products,” which offered a reprieve to religious Jews.

Among the excluded items were “etrogs,” “date palm branches, myrtus branches or other vegetable material, for religious purposes only” and “bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits and similar baked products, nesoi, and puddings, whether or not containing chocolate, fruit, nuts or confectionery, for religious purposes only,” which includes matzah.

Rabbi A.D. Motzen, national director of government affairs at Agudath Israel of America, told JNS that concerns about the cost of religious items surfaced “literally minutes” after Trump announced the tariff program in the Rose Garden on April 2.

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