This anecdote about Lenny’s sister Jean Kravitz Shestack didn’t make the cut for my book A History of Philadelphia Sandwiches, but is still worth sharing here.
Jean’s daring created one of the most famous moments in Lenny’s Hot Dogs history. Best known for running the shop at South and Passyunk for many years, Lenny asked her to help out at the Castor Ave. location one night in 1960 when he knew it would be especially busy. It was about a week before the presidential election, and soon-to-be President Kennedy’s motorcade was planned to drive right up Castor on its way to a rally in Levittown. “Everybody was lined up on both sides of the street,” said Jean’s niece Tracy Kauffman Wood, “and here comes President Kennedy in the motorcade. Wide open car, no protection. Jean was kind of a shy person who kept to herself, but she loved a good looking guy and she loved Kennedy. So she put together a combination, or maybe it was a hot dog, I’m not sure, with the works, and she made her way through the crowd, went right up to Kennedy and said ‘Lenny’s Hot Dogs, best in town!’” Doing something that would become unthinkable in just a few short years, Kennedy took the hot dog from Jean, smiled, and took a bite. “It was such a thrill for all of us,” said Jean’s sister Sylvia Kauffman of the incident.