Rabbi Rafi Yochai, who heads the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Kashrut Fraud Division, confirmed that while a “Kosher Festival” is planned for Petach Tikvah, no one bothered to approach the Petach Tikvah Rabbinate for kosher supervision.

R’ Yochai explained that in past years, his office contacted organizers of the event, informing them it is prohibited to display photocopies of kosher certificates from stores, citing such a situation is illegal and does not represent kashrut supervision in any fashion. This is especially true he explains since food is cooked and heated at the festival, demanding onsite mashgichim.

This year his office explained a number of mashgichim must be present to supervise, in addition to the appropriate steps to ensure the kosher integrity of food being brought in. Yochai also told organizers that cooking at the festival must be done only by Jews.

Rav Yochai stated that despite a meeting with the Petach Tikvah Rabbinate, nothing was done by event organizers to arrange for kashrus at the event. Organizers stated the responsibility for kashrus is that of participants. At present, only one restaurant made arrangements for kashrut supervision.

In short, the Petach Tikvah Kosher Festival has only one restaurant participating with a hechsher.

R’ Yochai adds that unfortunately, the Jerusalem-based ‘Chutzot HaYotzer’ festival is the same, with participants displaying photocopies of teudot hechsher, with thousands of visitors falling into this “trap” without realizing they were eating food without a proper hechsher.

(www.jerusalemkoshernews.com)