For those of you who are a bit ‘in the know’ regarding kashrus in Eretz Yisrael, you are aware of the stir taking place surrounding the “unauthorized” hechsherim that have flooded Yerushalayim, the now-famous Kosharot internal bulletin, and the ongoing efforts of Jerusalem Kosher News, which I write.
Following the pre-Pesach Jerusalem Kosher News survey on a number of Jerusalem hotels, I am now doing a series on the mehadrin eateries on Luntz Street, including the well-known Café Rimon, both the meat and dairy sides.
The first posting in the series entitled “Luntz Street Mehadrin Survey” already appears on the website (http://groups.google.com/group/jerusalemkosher/web/luntz-street-mehadrin-survey–part-i—ben-tzion-hagadol), providing information on Ben-Tzion HaGadol grill meat restaurant.
Later today, Thursday, I hope to post the comprehensive report on Rimon, the meat and dairy restaurants.
To receive this and future postings in your mailbox, just sign up to the free Google group at http://groups.google.com/group/jerusalemkosher and enable yourself to become ‘kosher-smart’ before your next trip to Eretz Yisrael.
Perhaps encourage your children, especially those coming to learn in Eretz Yisrael this year, to sign up, permitting them to decide where they will eat in a particular restaurant based on understanding what is going on, not just on relying on signs, many of which are not as reliable as they may appear.
We are working in this non-profit effort towards enabling the kosher consumer to eat and enjoy without compromising one’s kashrus standards unknowingly.
I would like to add that this effort is intended to educate the kosher consumer, not to render a judgment on any one eatery over another. I feel it important to note that when the word “unauthorized” appears, it is not subjective classification, but it is based on the ruling of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, which is the legal body entrusted to make such a decision.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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2 Responses
What is the relevance of whether the Chief Rabbinate “authorizes” a specific hechsher or not? While it may make a legal difference, in Hilchos Kashrus few people still rely on their judgment.
The “Chief Rabbinate of Israel” is a government agency. While sometimes good people have high positions, the “bottom line” is that it is regulated by a parliament in which the overwhleming majority of members are not Shomer Shabbos or Shomer Kashruth. The ultimate “boss” is Ehud Olmert or perhaps the Israeli Supreme Court. That is why anyone serious about kashruth has to “check hecksherim”, and rely on the guidance from whomever they rely on.
Of course they could resolve the problem, by having the “Chief Rabbi” chosen by the gedolim (who also would need the power to veto acts of the parliament and Supreme Court decisions), and to perhaps take away the right to vote from secular Jews and goyim, but we might have to wait a bit for this…