A non-profit organization called Kosherot is working to bring the sad state of kashrus affairs in Israel and Yerushalayim to the attention of the Hebrew-speaking community in an effort to get a simple message across – not everything that says “mehadrin” necessarily is and not everything that says “kosher” is reliable.
Seeing the deterioration in the level of kosher supervision, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, the rabbi of the Shomron community of Elon Moreh and prominent rosh yeshiva & noted Torah scholar decided to undertake an effort to bring a higher level of kashrus to catering halls. He has hand-picked his team and prior to the weddings of his students; the team would head out and kasher wedding halls and supervise the event, ensuring the level of kashrus at an affair.
Perhaps what makes the organization unique is the fact that it is spearheaded by the Date Leumi (National Religious) community, and not the chareidi community which is generally more concerned with kashrus issues.
Rabbi Moshe Katz, who runs the organization told YWN on Sunday that efforts are underway to complete the first official report of the organization, a report that will provide in-depth information pertaining to the pitfalls of eating out in Yerushalayim.
A similar effort was undertaken by this author a number of months ago, reaching out to the English-speaking audience. This appears on Jerusalem Kosher News [CLICK HERE] and we are now combining forces in the hope of getting the message out – a simple yet potent message that needs to reach the many many visitors to Eretz Yisrael.
There are many bogus mehadrin hechsherim in Israel, and downtown Yerushalayim, the central bus station and the Malcha Mall have been infested by these bogus certificates, resulting in many frum people eating in restaurants that do not maintain even a minimum standard of kashrus. A series of articles are being prepared by JKN and those interested in receiving them are urged to sign up today at the URL appearing in the article.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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6 Responses
Perhaps what makes the organization unique is the fact that it is spearheaded by the Date Leumi (National Religious) community, and not the chareidi community which is generally more concerned with kashrus issues.
says who!!!!
Okay, I consider myself primarily of the chareidi camp, but I don’t think the article’s intent was other than trying to reflect on the number of kashrus organizations and their level of their general acceptance levels — as right or wrong as that might be. It doesn’t seem to be a value judgment by YN though.
How about the phony kosher signs on stores and products in the USA and NYC? Do we really know who we can trust??
1 and 2 have a point – the main scandal in the US was in the heimish community. Here in the UK, whilst we have good centrist and heimish kashrus, the KLBD has a strict system of dated certificates, a searchable online database with regular updates, a commitment to hygene and a strict, but transparent policy on various issues. I dont see some of those things from the heimish kashrus – indicating it works more on trust, which, as we have seen, can break down.
If mehadrin is not always mehadrin in Israel, is it generally at least kosher? Is a signed, up to date and not photocopied Rabbanut Mehadrin certificate on display in a restaurant a reasonable proof of kashrus?
#3
Not only the maze of Hechsherim- but rather the standards employed- evry Hechsher with 1 exception that I know of- calls their Hashgochoh -Glatt Kosher- Mehadrin Min Hamehadrin- What standard do they use? would you be somech on a string of Kulos in your own home?
Has the oilam any idea that everyone is relying on various Kulos and applying certain Halachic principles- but the question remains – is it really Mehadrin???
As we are right before Tisha B’av, we should remember what casued the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdash. To state that the Charedi community is more concerned about issues of kashrus than the Dati Leumi community is nothing short of Sinas Chinam.