A Brooklyn federal judge handed down an unorthodox decision, ordering the Mets to allow a kosher-food vendor to sell its fare at Citi Field on the Jewish Sabbath.
Kosher Sports, which has a 10-year contract to sell ts blessed hot dogs, knishes and peanuts at the ballpark, sued the Mets in federal court last month, claiming it lost half a million dollars when it was prevented from selling food Friday nights and Saturday.
The Mets’ lawyer argued that selling or buying kosher food on Friday nights or Saturday is a contradiction in terms. The Mets say the company can’t be kosher if they’re operating during the Sabbath, when many religious Jews don’t work, but the judge declined to take a side.
“I cannot get involved in (a dispute) over rabbinical law,” Brooklyn Judge Jack Weinstein said with a smile during a hearing Friday.
The Mets say that they didn’t violate the contract with Kosher Sports—that Aramark, another food-concession company, did.
Aramark has refused to supply the kosher vendor with carts for Friday nights and Saturdays, the Mets said.
The ballclub countersued the kosher company, claiming the Mets were owed $650,000 for the right to sell wares at the games.
Kosher Sports says it doesn’t cater only to Jews, should be able to sell wieners any day of the week and was given the green light to stay open.
The suit has not been resolved. But Weinstein, who seemed bemused to be acting as Solomon in a dispute over Hebrew dietary laws, ordered the Mets to back off while the case is pending.
The judge ordered the two sides to work out the terms of the agreement among themselves.
(Source: NY Daily News)
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12 Responses
Unfortunately there are many jews who go to ballgames on Shabbos and yet still want to eat kosher food. Yisroel kedoshim heim. The pinteleh yid still burns in them, so I agree with the judge.
What will be with a Yom Kippur game?
If all of this was fair, then they should have only sold eggs with ashes and matzah when it was a tishabav game.
The mets are obviously frustrated with their losing season and take it out on others (The Jews).
ok so no jew will buy from the “kosher” stand
Can we all PLEASE write NICE letters to the Daily Snooze telling them that kosher doesn’t mean ‘blessed’ & they should know better that that by now!?
How can any Frum person buy in a place that is open on Shabbos? They claim they lost money by not selling, let see how much they will loose by us stop buying.
There is something weird about this issue. Star-K gives the hecksher, and has a clear policy of not giving hecksherim to restaurants that are open on Shabbos. If Kosher Sports lost its systemwide hecksher, it would be major news, and if Star-K was no longer requiring restaurants to close for Shabbos it would be a radical change.
Perhaps “Kosher Sports” is arguing that it has the right to subcontract to a different vendor who will use their license to sell non-kosher (or more probably, kosher non-supervised) items on Friday and Shabbos ????????
who gives their hashgacha? Wouldn’t they be likely to lose it by opening on Shabbos?
Who is the guy in the picture?
Is this really Kosher food or ‘Kosher style’? If it’s really Kosher, who is the supervising agency?
The whole thing still doesnt make sense. I wish there was more info. It makes no sense that the hasgocha agency would allow them to be operating on Shabbos so it makes NO sense. Where is the ” ad sh’yavo ha’kosuv ha’shlishi??”
#9
Star-K is the supervising agnecy. I am sure that they will withdraw if the business is open of Shabbos. They are one of the stricter organizations.
Officialy is kosher food with a reliable hechsher. What does the star-k say about this? Is their hechsher valid on shabbos and yom tov? I feel funny calling them up and asking them if the hot dogs are on a blech and who is the yotsay vinichnas who makes sure no cooking goes on on shabbos. 🙂