There is a NGO called Herzliya Volunteers (‘מתנדבי הרצליה’) that operates for the past years assisting the needy, partially funded by the city. A family that received poultry products from the NGO was horrified to learn the poultry was not kosher. Officials with the NGP explain it was a onetime happening while Herzliya Councilman Elad Tzadikov reports this has been going on for months, not just one time, MyNet reports.
It is pointed out the organization is operated by the city municipality to assist the city’s needy. Apparently, the needy family asked their butcher to cut up the product for them and he detected the meat was not kosher. It was traced back to its origin to make a final determination and it was confirmed to be non-kosher, Tzadikov reports.
Tzadikov explains the volunteers have been distributing treif for months but officials deny this, insisting it was a onetime event. He points a finger of blame at the city’s religious council and Chief Rabbi for not sounding the alarm to protect the recipients of the assistance. He plans to continue verifying his accusation and then act to assist residents in kashering their homes after becoming treif and to file a lawsuit against the organization. He is also calling to dismiss the senior officials of the volunteer organization and distance them from any future role in distributing assistance to the needy.
83-year-old Zulai Papo is the CEO of the organization and she confirms the meat that was purchased for distribution originated in the Arab municipality of Tira. She insists it was a onetime well-intended event, before the Tishrei Yomim Tovim R”L, adding the organization has been in operation since 1994 and food has been distributed on Thursdays.
She explains this year, the Yomim Tovim were close to Shabbos and they wanted to give poultry products to the needy but it was too expensive. At the same time, she received an advert in her mailbox from a poultry operation in Tira offering significantly less expensive options. She adds they told her it was kosher shechita, which she accepted, despite the fact the place admitted it did not have a hechsher from any source. She added after Rosh Hashanah the mayor instructed her not to buy from Tira in the future and that which remained was thrown out and not distributed.
She adds “One of the people who received it in Tishrei took it out of the freezer now and instead of coming to me, went to the Rabbinate and they are making a big deal over it”, expressing shock over calls to oust her from her position. She insists no one intended to fool anyone and the actions of those involved were simply well-intended.
Herzliya City Hall stands behind the organization, citing ‘It is engaged in avodas kodesh delivering food packages to the needy with all their heart and soul. The city views this incident as most serious and addressed it”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Where was the religious council to have checked this out?
Hashem yerachem! If the tzadik Tzadikov knew it was going on for months, why didn’t he raise an alarm?
This unfortunate mistake should not be used to demonize a well intentioned mosdos that does good work. Obviously they should check further on hashgacha but fortunately, there was no one who got ill or suffered any physical symptoms as in spoiled food. Those who used the treif meat should be financially compensated if they decide to kasher their kitchens and utensils since they were innocent victims of this error.
to #3: you wrote: “but fortunately, there was no one who got ill or suffered any physical symptoms as in spoiled food.”
Sorry to tell you this, but any child knows that eating Traif food DOES affect a person. His body may not suffer but it affects a Yids very SOUL! That is much more dangerous than someone getting ill from spoiled food.
It is absolutely criminal to buy food from Arabs, and distribute it as KOSHER! Anyone who does such a thing cannot be described as “well intentioned” nor can such an organization be categorized in any way as doing good work! This is a deliberate act of slipping Observant Jews food they would never eat in a million years!
Would they send Meat to Hindus? Pig meat to a Muslim? Absolutely not! That would be terribly insensitive. But traif to a fellow Jew is fine.
That is what happens when non frum Liberal Jews run such organizations.
(and for those that want to reply, “And the “frum” butchers who sell traif in Frum stores. I will tell you they may call themselves “frum” but they are not, as their actions have shown)
#4 is 100% correct in everything he says. What’s more, it seems that this NGO didn’t inform anyone who received the fleish that it was from an Arab plant. They say just once? That’s once too often. The old lady who runs it should retire and a reputable, kosher food pantry should take over.
And as for kashering… this is a headache for a COMPETENT Rav. If Hertzliya can find one. Unbelievable.