It was by all accounts a historic event, the launching of a new kashrus agency in Israel, one that enjoys widespread support. The event was hosted in Bnei Brak’s Vishnitz Hotel on Tuesday, August 11, 2009.
All chassidic bodies have joined force, explaining they have created a hechsher that will integrate the hidurim of all the respective groups incorporated in the effort.
The new agency is being called Badatz Kehillot HaChareidim in Eretz Yisrael, the product of a year’s work. The official date of the launch of the new agency is 21 Av 5769. Organizers believe that from its inception, the new agency will be directing products at 30,000 families.
The directors of the agency will be Admorim, the Rebbe’s of the respective chassidic courts, who have handpicked the rabbonim who will represent them on the board. The list of rabbonim on the new Badatz include Rav Zoldon (Haifa), Rav Pessach Horowitz (Ashdod), Rav Chaim Schwartz (Netanya), Rav Shraga Feivel Weinberger (Bnei Brak), Rav Eliezer Koenig (Tzfat), Rav Nachman Berlind, Rav Yeshayahu Brizal (Jerusalem), Rav Rozovsky (Rosh Yeshiva Slonim), Rav Mordechai Eichler, Rav Binyomin Adler, Rav Yoroslovsky (Chabad), Rav Meir Weiss (grandson of Erlau Rebbe Shlita), Rav Simcha Rabinowitz (Ramat Shlomo), and Rav Shamai Gross (Jerusalem).
A number of other rabbonim, currently out of the country, are expected to join in the future, Chareidim reports.
The rabbonim running the organization are reported to be veterans to the kashrut industry and represent an array of expertise. Rav Schwartz for example, has been responsible for kashrus in the Laniado Hospital in Netanya as well as the Ganei Sanz Hotel. The organization plans to begin by addressing schita.
(Yechiel Spira – Jerusalem Kosher News)
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19 Responses
Is this replacing/merging existing hecksherim, or creating yet another new one (that might force the others out of business over time, if they do a good job)?
“All chassidic bodies have joined force…”
Wow! Moshiach must surely be on his way!
Gotta love it when we can unite – wish it happes more often!
Rav Zoldon (Haifa)has been a long time Baal Hamachsir in europe
“All chassidic bodies have joined force…”
Wrong. The Edah most certainly isn’t participating.
The Edah = Satmar, Dushinsky, Toldos Aharon, Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok, Mishkenos HoRoim, Kahal Chassidei Yerushalayim, Kahal Anshei Yerushalayim, Breslov (Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter / Rav Moshe Kremer groups), Spinka, Stropkov, and a few more… All of those are not involved in any way, so please don’t say “all chassidic bodies”.
I, for one, will continue to buy Edah as #1 choice. The new hechsher may be interesting, but I’m hesitant. For me, after Edah, it’s #2 Rav Landau, #3 Rav Rubin/Kook, #4, Belz, and occasionally in special circumstances other ones (Agudah, Beit Yosef, Rav Machpoud).
Does anyone know whether Belz is going to participate?
gur wasnt included…………..
what is this all about, thirst for power??
The yeshiva world is beginning to annoy me. Who filters these obviously twisted news items? How can “all” chassidic bodies have joined when many of them have Kashrus organisations of their own? Are Belz, Aguda, Rav Landau closing down?
Please do not become an advertising agency for the business world.
#4 What about She’eris Yisroel? R’ Elyashiv not good enough for you?
#4 – Sheeris belongs in the category line as Agudah, Beit Yosef, Rav Machpoud. I do occasionally davka buy some things with that hechsher; there is one very good bakery at Machaneh Yehudah which has Sheeris.
The only hechsher I absolutely rely on for everything (including Pesach, meat, grape juice/wine) is that of the Edah. Many, if not most, in the movements affiliated with the Edah, buy only Edah for everything and nothing else (and no, not just the dayonim). I know many people who buy nothing other than Edah, though most will agree to Rav Landau in Bnei Brak.
In fact, my neighborhood’s rav, who is one of the six dayonim on the Badatz of the Edah, told me and the others accompanying him that we should also eat there when we accompanied him to a chassuneh in Bnei Brak (Rav Landau). He himself of course didn’t eat anything, but he specifically told us that we should.
in israel there is a general agreement that rav landau does kashrus in the bnei brak area and the eida chareidis covers the yerushalayim area. this new agency seems to be based in the bnei brak area that’s probably why gur, belz and eida are not included, although i think berland is from meia shearim.
kein yirbu
Actually Rav Shamai Gross is the Dayan of Belz and they are included with בעלזא, ויזניץ, צאנז,Viznetz, Tzanz, Breslov, Karlin-Stolin, Seret-Viznetz, Slonim.
I saw a rumor an another site that Aguda and Machzikei HaDaas will cease to exist.
Additionally it is rumored that the Porush family is behind this and Ger is out.
it won’t help them any way cause the solid fact is in jerusalem badatz is # 1
Breslov – depends on whom.
Rav Eliezer Koenig is their leader in Tzfas, and Rav Eliezer Berland is the one of Shuvu Bonim in the Old City (a pretty vague semi-Zionist semi-chassidic group).
But the biggest group (as far as I know) is the Meah Shearim-based one led by Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter and Rav Moshe Kremer. Their main center is the big Breslev shul opposite Toldos Aharon, and they are 100% Edah, and they’re absolutely not involved in this.
As for me – since this is specifically a hechsher of those who like to go with the medinah (the Knesset and all) it will never be my preference. It seems like they’re trying to set up a more liberal alternative to the Edah. In that case, while I freely admit that I don’t do everything the Edah says (ie, I have internet), I remain Edah 100%.
#4, Shamai Gross is the Belz dayan. The others are not in town now. #2, This unity is not just for hechsherim but will soon transcend to the rabbis. It’s in progress but they’re still fighting over which chassidus to follow, the white socks, the boots, the shvartza zokken, the shtreimel, bent down hat, bent up hat, where the tishen will be held etc etc.
baruch hashem that their are so few pressing problems in ruchnius or gashmius that the rabonim have the time to devote to this worthy project….
Belz over She’eris? Wow, that is all there is to say.
I know many affiliated with Kashrus (from the inside) who won’t touch the Belz hechsher, then you go out and say it is better than She’eris (which R’ Elyashiv holds by)
I am a young (american) kollel man living in yerushalayim. Does anyone know where I can get information on exactlty the differences between the different hechsherim? (Not including the political differences.)
#18 – Yechiel Spira makes his own (not so) modest contribution, with an illuminating Jerusalem Kashrut News, advertised here. He is extemely knowledgeable, and goes to a lot of trouble to get to the kishkes of things.