NY Times Report: Earlier this month, the nation’s first glatt kosher vending machine that can shoot out a hot knish was installed at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. The machine also crisps up kosher mozzarella sticks, cheese pizza and onion rings. And in a few weeks, freshly grilled hot dogs in warm buns will be for sale there, too. Not from the same machine, of course. That wouldn’t be kosher.
The vending machines are called Hot Nosh 24/6. “To make it a little Jewish sounding we called it nosh, and we added the 24/6 to give a little cuteness to it,” said Doron Fetman, who with his partner, Alan Cohnen, created Kosher Vending Industries.
Their business plan calls for 2,000 machines in the next two years in ballparks, malls, airports, military bases — pretty much anywhere people might be willing to pop in a few dollars for something hot and kosher.
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45 Responses
However useful it is- nevertheless it’s still B’Chukas Hagoy…
What is the Hechsher on these vending machines?
From their website:
“The snacks which are Cholov Israel and Pas Israel, as well as the hot dogs which are mezonot, are all Kof-K certified and under a Chasidish Hashgacha. New snacks will be offered in the future.”
simplejews – it is under the Chaf-K.
Feif Un – What nafka mina is there if it runs on Shabbos. How many Coke & Pepsi machines owned by Frum Yidden run on Shabbos? How many payphones owned by Frum Yidden run on Shabbos?
noitallmr – Why is it B’Chukas Hagoy? Is a Yid who is hungry not allowed to eat?
noitallmr, what the? Why is it B’Chukas Hagoy??
With today’s technology you could set the machine to not ‘vend’ on shabbos. As to the hasgacha I am not sure but I did meet him and he assured me that he would use a well qualified hashgacha that the frum oilum would feel comfortable using. I hope that this works out. Imagine sitting in an airport in ‘timbuckto’ nowhere usa, starving and you could get a hot lunch/dinner from a haimish hasgacha. Way to go Doron!
I am not a posek, but if the machine is in Hackensack Hospital, then there might heter for an an aino Yehudi to by food for a Yehudi on Shabbos.
#2 please explain to me how this is b’chukas hagoy. Unless going to a store is chukas hagoy. Where not talking about going to a “tumah” jst being able to buy kosher reliable products at convenient places. Unmless you are the kind of person who never buys anything except in a heimishe store.
According to this reasoning we should also asser eating pizza, hot dogs and let’s not even mention sushi. This may be a valid and even proper approach for you and your kehilla. But if r”L someone has to be in Hackensack University Hospital where many yiddishe patients go for treatments for “yenne machla” why would you have anything to ciriticize about them being able to find kosher food.
When it goes in a ballpark I do agree that it is very close to chukas hagoy but the other places, I’m not so sure. I feel that your comment is slightly misguided. Please feel free to correct me.
If the machine is locked and serviced by Jews only, there should be no problem of Basar HaNisalem Min HaAyin, no?
Great entrepreneurial idea, though, IMHO.
Feif Un, even if they do operate 24/7, there are halachic solutions to that issue, AFAIK.
simplejews, The picture in the Times shows the vending machine with a Kof-K on it.
As usual, I follow some negative comments. Why cant we look at the positives here – that this for some people can be a kiddush h’, for some people it may offer kosher where they may otherwise not have it, that it ceratin arae it may do so well that it leads to a larger kosher operation, for some it may be a huge convenience that they wont have to bring all their heimishe wrappers that somehow fly out of their bags and wind up all to accidentally making chas vsholom a chillul h’ etc. etc.
I’m waiting for a cholent vending machine in Sloatsburg
It isn’t really 24/6, it’s more like 22.5/6.
I hope they dont put a machine in the Catskills – it will turn into a “hangout”.
To: ——————————————————————————–
However useful it is- nevertheless it’s still B’Chukas Hagoy
What are you smoking???? Does wearing clothing or driving a car also qualify as chukas hagoyim? It’s a food machine supplying kosher food for yidden who are visiting people in hospitals or perhaps driving on the road with no access to food.
Perhaps commenting on blogs is also chukas hagoy?
is it chukas hagoy? to feed hungry relatives keeping 24 hour bed side vigils with their sick relatives?
My gosh! listen to this rant. ‘Chukas Hagoy’,’hangout’ questions on Chillul Shabbos, no concerts, etc etc.
Do you really want to STIFLE the youth of today? As long as everything fits in within the borders of Halacha , let everyone breath abit and then MAYBE the problem in the catskills will be solved by next year IH….remember it says ‘VOCHAY BOHEM’
Great idea, do they take VISA & MASTERCARD (or maybe that is chukas hagoy).
chukos hagoy is only stuff that applies to avoda zara. as in GR’A YORE DEAH.
now we do love our food but we don’t worship it.
only some one as fafrumt as the hot prezel being sold here would think of norishkiet like dat….
From now on I will no longer buy drinks from a vending machine – B’Chukas Hagoy.
sayitlikeitis – In picture of machine from NY Times, it “appears” that there is a credit card swiping device right next to where you feed bills.
Great idea.
Win win.
I am sure if the machines operate on shabbos the owner has made provisions about schar shabbos through a competant “Shtar Shabbos”
( Its actually amazing how many frum/hiemish businesses profit on shabbos and rely on outdated recalled and bdeevad heters. Think hotels, car rentals, travel agents, human resources providers, temps, camps, caterers, alarm companies, insurance on a daily rate, office cleaning companies, and many more.) Guys this is a serious issue, and there is help available. I know.
i think its an exceptional idea and a great kiddush hashem..especially during my long trips to boston & throughout the whole usa….to be able to get glatt kosher food is very benificial for all of klal yisroel..ya aiaiaiaiai ya aiaiaiai
Regarding the “chukas hagoy” message. First, I would like to congratulate your rabbeim for doing a fine job on you (NOT). Last week, I read about the fire in woodbourne, and instead of having Hakoras Hatov for the volunteer firemen, we have to hear from these fanatics who have to show us just how “learned” they are (NOT). And now, someone else comes up with a terrific idea, and sure enough, another jerk has to show us just how little he really knows.
just came back from the ‘chavrusa tumul’ and the olam wants to know if BMG should remove the soda machines because its Chukas Hagoim, one guy said if you sell off brand sodas in a Coke machine it would no longer be chukas hagoi, another said that since you dont drink the sodas together with Bossor Vcholov it isnt chukas hagoi
I think this is gr8. If kosher food would be more available maybe more Jews would eat kosher. If a Jew sees a kosher vending machine, he or she might just decide to buy the kosher hotdog! Now isn’t that terrific! Let’s make it easy to be a Yid!!!
“I would like to congratulate your rabbeim for doing a fine job on you (NOT)”
“these fanatics who have to show us just how “learned” they are (NOT)”
“another jerk has to show us just how little he really knows.
Elul is a time for self-examination…
yes?
You People are so worried about B’Chukas Hagoy? and your not worried about the trief internet that you are sitting in front of. People should get there priorities stright in life. By going on the internet there is always that chance that you are going to see something that is “kol dover sha’bassar” and then u are worried that a vending machine selling kosher food and snacks is B’chukas Hagoy? What world are we in? What happens if your the one that gets stuck in Hackensack University Medical Center are your starving and no other Kosher food around? Would u thank these people for putting it there and eat something or would go ahead and say that since this is B’chukas Hagoy i will starve and never buy from that machine?
When I was in yeshiva, we had a smicha farher on Bosor v’chalav. The first question was “What’s the din if you find Bosor B’chalav? To which a bochur replied “you make a sh’akol Niheyeh Bidvoroy”
chukas Hagoy (poster #2) – was that you?
#36 “treif internet”? Be Dan L’kav zezchus, maybe we are all on “Kosher Net”?
since when does a machine that only dispenses ‘milchig’ items get called a glatt kosher vending machine?
Are all the products fully cooked before being put into the machine? If not then the hechsher will have to figure out a way around bishul akum if a goy buys something so it shouldn’t asser the kelim. I am sure they have it figured out. BTW Us Jews don’t give breaks from Torah. If you have a reason to think that a comment is wrong tell us why. Why exactly do you think that they should have been allowed to eat unsealed meat? Let us see how learned you are!
40. These machines will also be equiped with video surveillance cameras which will have a din of mashgiach temidi on the machines. They will also have brochos printed with all the packages for those who bench bifnim
TO SAY IT’S B’CHUKAS HAGOY IN TODAYS DAYS IN NOT EXACTLY THE RIGHT ADJECTIVE, SINCE EVERYTHING TODAYS DAYS IS B’CHUKAS HAGOY (FROM YOUR DRESS CODES TO FOOD – SICK). I WOULD SAY IT’S THE WORLD BECOMING MORE AND MORE CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!
what could be better than that how could anyone possibly complain
look some guy is offering you food kosher hot and probably good tasting why do you have to pick him apart no wonder hashem les so many people eat treife chicken it is like hashem threw the mitzvah of kosher right in our face
I THINK ITS A GREAT KIDDISH H’. WILL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO KEEP KOSHER FOR THOSE OF US ON THE GO. THANKS
are they putting one in shomer shabbes shul in b. p. & landua shul in flatbush & maby even one @ satmer in lakewood ? these are the places where hundreds of jews are comeing in & out 24/7 ( & most of the are in the mood of a quick hot snack )
It is a great idea.
Could somebody please explain how the whole kiddush/chilul HaShem thing applies to this topic? I’m getting hungry trying to figure it out!
Himmelstein: Does your new Chavrusa know that you have internet? Or are you using his computer?
All right- I see all your points- please take a chill-pill, I was only stating an opinion but now i humbly withdraw…thanx for putting me on the right path…
How can a vending machine possibly “sanctify g-d’s name? Sammy you’re usually pretty articulate, don’t let me down now.
if you are worried about chukas hagoy- GET OFF THE NET!
Woa Sabra-
1. I said I was Choizer…
2. My net is 100% Kosherized…
3. CHILL…Speak in more pleasent tones, it is Elul after all…