Sunday is camp "PALM-Sunday"

Counselors, Waiters & camp personnel-Parents coming for Palm Sunday- Don't miss it.

Ingredients for sucess in kashrus supervision

לרב תרבה נחלתו וכו $$$$

זהירות בניטלת ידים ( one hand washes the other) שמור לי ואני אשמור לך

בודק עד מקום שידו מגעת, והשאר מבטלו בליבו

ידו מגעת?=אדם ממשמש בכיסו בכל שעה

3 Cardinal sins-יהרג ואל יעבור

The 3 cardinal sins that are

יהרג ואל יעבור

ACAPELLA-

MEZONOS ROLLS-

Opening a Soda bottle on Shabbos.
געוואלד!!

On the other hand you have the התרים of

שרצים,

חלב טריפה,

היתר ערכאות וכו' .

3 locations for Cold drinks for Pedestrians

Cold drinks available at : 3 sites
422 3rd St. (between Forest & Madison Ave)
1105 N. Lake Dr. Cor AUTUMN
1140 Forest Ave (cor Carey St.)

Shain Family Restarts and Expands Project Providing Drinks for Pedestrians

It has been quite a few years - close to three decades - since Rabbi Yehudah Shain and his family began providing cold drinks for those walking down Forest Avenue on Shabbos in the sweltering summer heat. Before it became common to do so, the Shain family had cold drinks at their home, located at 1140 Forest Avenue, corner of Carey Street, available to all passersby.

The program was later discontinued, but at a recent sheva brachos of one of the Shain children, someone reminded Reb Yehudah and his wife about the years that they had provided this service. It was thus decided that this chesed would be reinstituted. A refrigerator filled with cold drinks has been placed in the vestibule of the Shain home. All those walking down Forest Avenue on the hot summer Shabbosos and could use something refreshing are welcome to enter the Shain home and partake of the drinks. The service is also available all week for meshulochim visiting Lakewood.

In addition, Rabbi and Mrs. Shain have decided to expand this project and are making available, free of charge, mini refrigerators [& a lawn sign] for those who wish to provide a similar service to pedestrians in their neighborhood.

Simply call 732.364.8046 and the Shain family will help you set up your own chesed drink center in the spirit of olam chesed yiboneh.
Yated News

BEWARE: LAKEWOOD BUILDERS Escrow $$$$

א נער מיט א שטר?

Do you have a deposit by "Somerset" or "Veber builder" that was released, even with a bond? Go after it NOW, go after your lawyer if you have to!

It has become a common practice by Lakewood builders that they take the "escrow funds" to use as they please.

There were too many broken hearts because of that.

You should never have the escrow funds released prior to closing.

Notify the escrow agent (attorney) that escrow funds remain till the closing, & if they release the Attorney will be held liable.

Walk from the "GREAT-DEAL" if the builder insists it must be released to him "even if it's insured, bonded or he'll give you a morgtage.

Paysach Krohn, why did the POISKIM in Eretz Yisroel "BANNED" his brissim &?.

Why are they stopping to use him for BRISSIM?

Is it also because he sees only with one eye?

Keep microphone on loud to hear everything

The end of the video displays some of the Gedolims letters.

Hi,We saw your blog about Paysakh Krohn and are absolutely sick. Our son was circumcised by Paysakh Krohn in April (at our Chabad with dear friend Rav Mendy Herson) and we had a similarly horrible experience. We all (including Rav Herson) deferred to Krohn's method assuming he had the credentials and experience to know what was best. The brit was barbaric and traumatic for all who attended. We've been wondering back and forth if we should do anything about it, and if we were just overreacting as first time parents. But seeing your site and the outrage from the community confirms our fears.There was much mention of the Poskim banning Krohn from performing circumcisions. Can you direct us to the specifics? Krohn told us he didn't use a Gomko clamp, but a device INVENTED BY HIS FATHER! From his email: "> the instrument is the circumceps which my father invented." This is particularly disturbing. We never would have allowed him to perform the bris with a device that hasn't been tested and approved by the FDA.Your blog mentions that your brother is a respected mohel. Might it be appropriate to have him look at our son? His pediatrician acknowledges that the circumcision looks strange but says they can all look different, so we're not getting a committed ruling from him either way. We are completely disgusted and now feel compelled to get to action to prevent this monster from torturing more children. Please do get back to us. Regards,

Where's the BEEF??

Others are trying to sell, distribute meat under the certification of the CRC (Chicago Rabbinical council). We can't reccomend those meats due to kashrus basics, issues & standards.

NEGBA school BUSES

You should consider the safety of your children as a top priorty, by not allowing them to use the NEGBA buses for school transportation.

Contact your Schools and voice your concerns R"L.

NEGBA school buses don't care about rules of the road, nor about safety. The drivers get paid per route not per time, so they are trying to do their routes without regard to safety.

The drivers may be considered רודפים ר"ל.
New Jersey Law allows "citizens" to issue summonses. You call the police and have them fill out the summonse and the citizen signs it. In the event that the bus driver pleads not guilty in Court the citizen issuing the summonse must show up in court to testify.

http://www.yadeliezer.org/site/ticket.php

RITAS????? (Jackson-lakewood)

RE: Ritas Ices, etc. The Pritzus & nisht fun unzereh should keep all of the children & adults at bay.

Their dairy is from Cholov treif, & they use the same utensils without cleaning in between.
The Kashrus? Oif vemen farluzt min zich? efes-gornisht.. in short there is no Mashgiach(ata), etc
So there answer is NO.

Frozen brocolli, cauliflower, etc [hot house grown]

We aren't discussing at this time the unreliable claims of frozen vegetables free of any insect infestation.

The amount of poisons that are on those vegetables R"L is staggerring. The FDA doesn't monitor it when ikt comes into the USA, as it's a finished product. The funny part is people are eating it because of the "health-bebnefits". What we really have is neshoma poisonous insects & bodily poisons.

FISH INFESTED WITH WORMS IN THE FLESH-including canned salmon

This includes the canned Alaskan wild salmon-Dagim says they didn't see any worms in their salmon-nonetheless many have stopped using it.

Dagim as of late doesn't respond to my inquiries.

There has been lately more confirmation of worms in the flesh of fish.
There is a Rav Revach that has been doing some research into the subject. He is also involved with a company that sends fish to china to inspect for worms in the flesh. They do the inspections via a light-box. It's being done at a rate of 2 seconds a piece. They may be removing some of the larger ones but not the smaller thinner ones.

It doesn't make a difference, as long as even one remains, you can't use the fish.

There is a list that was put together by Rav Wagshall;

Wild salmon is one of the types that have worms in the flesh. Chillean & Norway don't have the problem. Farm raised is almost clean. Canned salmon is usually from wild salmon,

Cod- Black-wild (aka Smoked sable)
Flounder-BB Black Backs
Flounder-Dabs-wild
Flounder- Yellow Tail

Greysole- Canada
Hadock- Chatum
Hake
Halibut-Alaska
Halibut-East coast

Ling
Mullet
Pollock
Red perch-Canada
Red perch-Iceland

Scrad
Seabass-Chilean (aka smoked sable) Fresh & frozen
Turbot frozen
White fish- Canada

"Who has the problem"?

There was a student that made a lot of problems in class; he fought with classmates, made a lot of noise
The teacher tried a lot of things, but nothing helped.
He decided to tell the father about his son’s behavior.

Father: What do you want me to do?
Teacher: Maybe take him for a check-up.
Father: How is that going to help?
Teacher: Maybe the child should take Ritalin (a calming drug).
Father: How am I going to get this Ritalin?
Teacher: No problem, I’ll get it, and the child should take the pill every morning and everything will be o.k.

Father: Who is going to remember to give it to the child every day in a house full of children?
Teacher: I’ll worry about it. I’ll make sure he takes it every morning.
Father: But I don’t want the whole class to know about it.
Teacher: No, no, I’ll make sure that no one sees. I’ll put the pill in the teacher’s room next to the coffee machine. Every morning I’ll send your son to make my coffee and at the same time he’ll take his pill. Like this no one will know.

The father agreed to the plan. Every morning the teacher prepared the pill next to the coffee machine and went into class. After a few minutes the child would come in with the coffee, and everything went fine.
And now the atmosphere in the class was calm. The child wasn’t sent out of class and there were no fights!
After a few weeks, the mother asked the child: Nu, what’s doing in class?
Child: Great!
Mother: What happened that everything’s so good?

Child: It’s very simple. Every morning the teacher sends me to make his coffee. I go into the teacher’s room and there there’s a special pill! I put the pill into the coffee and after he finishes to drink it, everything in the class is 100%!!!

All pre checked vegetables require checking & washing

הגר"י אפרתי, צילום מיכאל יעקובוביץ
הגר"י אפרתי: לא להשתמש ב'עלי שרון' בעקבות חשיפת אתר 'בחדרי חרדים' • במודעות ב'המודיע' ו'יתד' מודיע הגר"י אפרתי: הוסרה ההשגחה מחברת 'עלי השרון' "וחלילה להשתמש בתוצרתה גם בשקיות שיש עליהן חותם כשרות למהדרין"כתב תאריך: 21/06/2009 11:21:00
במודעות המתפרסמות היום (א) בעיתונים 'המודיע' ו'יתד נאמן', מודיע הגר"י אפרתי כי הוסרה ההשגחה מחברת 'עלי השרון' שבהשגחתו "וחלילה להשתמש בתוצרתה גם בשקיות שיש עליהן חותם כשרות למהדרין".
חנות ירקות. תמונת אילוסטרציה

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אתה אוכל תולעים - למהדרין!שערוריה: בדיקה שערכה הרבנות הראשית בירקות 'ללא תולעים' בהכשר הגר"י אפרתי, העלתה כי בירקות קיימים עשרות מקקים. הרבנות אסרה על שיווק הירקות, אך ציבור המהדרין אינו מיודע • חשיפה שי איזנברג, כתב תאריך: 19/06/2009 2:00:00

Gelbstein bakery's SALAD-GARDEN

Gelbstein's bakery in Lakewood is currently kosher certified by the KCL & Rabbi Gissinger. Gelbstein's also has a restaurant connected the bakery called SALAD GARDEN. The salad garden is currently not kosher certified by the KCL. Why not? ask the KCL. You might be surprised!

The KCL says the It does not meet their standards (KCL's political standards?) especially the vegetables being used re checking, etc

SNAPPLE-Should one rely on the kashrus standard?

We understand that Snapple is produced in many different plants. Some or most of the plants also produce non-kosher and or dairy. The products are pasteurized on hot equipment. Kashering is done by company CIP records not with a mashgiach, etc.

There has been more kashrus mishaps than can or should be acceptable to the kosher consumer.We only know about the ones that were caught & publicized. It seems that the kosher certifier has lost complete control of kosher at Snapple. BEWARE!

SNAPPLE! TIME TO CHANGE CERTIFIERS!

YOSHON UPDATE

As is well known regarding YOSHON, the Chasideshe Hashgochas do not monitor Yoshon at their certified establishments.

By Caterers, takeout, restaurants, foodservice establishments, etc many of the certifiers that claim Yoshon are not to be relied upon for the Yoshon status. The ONLY way to rely somewhat on yoshon at foodserice establishments is when there is a full time employee that has a very good knowledge about yoshon e.g date codes, yoshon updates, etc. That employee must take full responsibilty for every item coming into the establishment.

The Certifiers only come in occasionally & they can't check the status of every item especially that the foodservice establishment gets deliveries daily, goes out to local stores to fill in shortages. By the time the certifier comes the products have been used already.

There is one certifier that allows their establishments to claim "yoshon by request of the certifying agency".

מיוחד POULTRY is "NOT" packaged at KIRYAS JOEL

The wording on the packaging may mislead the consumer as to where it's packaged.

מיוחד poultry sold in the NPGS stores are packaged at the NPGS store in Jackson, not at Kiryas Joel's plant in Monroe, NY

We have said numerous times the pakaging can only be relied upon if there isn't any other brand of poultry or meat being packaged at that facility.

KORNS UPDATE

Reb Yidel,
You removed all the korns stuff.
I walked by 15th ave yesterday and asked someone outside if dairy products were baked there and he said yes and it is upstairs. Today I was told it is a new facility. Korns recently hired a baker to specioalize in dairy items.

By the way in front of the 15th ave store there were commercial size boxes of shortening with ou ( did not see CRC) and commercial size bags of cocoa with ou ( no CRC). There was DEPENDABLE products with HARAV KLEIN of lakewood. Now does CRC recognize OU on commercial size products from companies that they have no hechsher on?Just Curious. People who are insisting on using CRC hashgacha on all products sure would like to know. What is CRC policy regarding ou ,ok etc. They can't get in to these places?

Is it true that the OU doesn't allow the same oven to be used parve & milchig without a real libun? so is CRC on a lower standard?

ALERT: GLICKS & MISHPACHA FLOUR on sale

FLOUR DATES ARE USUALLY 18 MONTHS AHEAD
Check the date on the bag, if it is dated some time in '09 e.g. June-Sept. then it's OLD!

GLICKs & MISHPACHA FLOUR: There was a big price reduction that stores were offered on Glicks & Mishpacha flour. The date codes indicate that it's soon due to expire, and it has aged through 2 Pesachs.

YOU MUST SIFT THIS FLOUR PRIOR TO USE!

FRISEE is an infested salad ingredient

FRISEE is often served in a mesculon salad. It's commonly infested, extremly unpractical to clean, therefore it should not be used at all.

You can help solve the Treif טריף milk issue.

http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2007/07/cholov-stam-cholov-akum-cholov-treife.html

Due to the Veterinary procedures on cows, many of the cows are actualy treif טריף. Milk from a treif cow is not kosher-this has nothing to do with Cholov-akum חלב עכו"ם. In the USA practically speaking there isn't Shishim on any farm, the treif cows ranges from 3% to 8% on the average. On the Cholov yisroel farms they remove all of those procedured cows. Hence all Cholov akum milk in the USA may be Cholov-Treif and not be permitted.

The farmers association realize that there is an over supply of milk on the market and that supresses the price the farmers receive. In order to keep prices of milk higher they at times remove a certain amount of milking cows in order to create some shortage. "SEE FOLLOWING ARTICLE".

The consumers should contact the kosher certifiers to ask the "CWT" to remove on a constant basis the procedured or treif cows, the price of milk in the USA would stabilize & we would eliminate the Treif Milk from the market. Then all those that want to rely on the various leniencies re: cholov akum can do so.

BTW- In some countries e.g. Germany, all procedured cows are removed permanently from the milking herds.

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5/13/2009 2:00:00 PM -Dairy Update: CWT To Remove More Than 100,000 Cows
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/bayer_Content.asp?ContentID=314544

The dairy industry’s self-help program, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT), announced today that it has tentatively accepted 388 bids representing 102,898 cows and 2 billion pounds of milk production capacity. CWT officials will now begin the task of culling or “retiring” that many cows from the nation’s dairy herd.

It is the first in a series of herd-retirements planned over the next 12 months. The number of cows and pounds of milk represent the largest single herd-retirement carried out in the six-year history of CWT.

Dairy farmers in 41 states submitted a total of 538 herd-retirement bids by the May 1 deadline. The 388 bids tentatively accepted represent 72 percent of the total bids received by CWT. The number of cows now scheduled to be removed account for 64 percent of the total number of cows offered and the 2 billion pounds of milk account for 67 percent of the milk production offered.

“The high percentage of bids CWT selected this time around is an indication that producers understood that CWT would only be able to accept reasonable bids per hundred pounds of milk in order to adjust the nation’s dairy herd and better align supply and demand,” said Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, which administers CWT.

Starting next week, CWT field auditors will begin visiting the 388 farms whose bids were accepted, checking their milk-production records, inspecting their herds, and tagging each cow for processing. All farms should be audited by early July and cows should begin moving off dairies by late May. All bidders will be notified no later than June 12 as to whether their bid was among those accepted.

“The bids selected ranged from farms with fewer than 50 cows to dairies with over 5,000, demonstrating that farms of all sizes in all areas are facing a very difficult year in 2009,” Kozak said. “Those that took advantage of CWT’s offer to retire their herds will aid others still wanting to farm by reducing the amount of milk coming to market and strengthening prices going forward.”

“CWT, thanks to the commitment of 36 cooperative members and over 500 individual dairy farmer members, has the resources to carry out additional herd-retirements in the coming months. That is why CWT will not announce the average level of the bids accepted until all the herd-retirements are completed,” Kozak noted. “We will continue to monitor key economic indicators in order to determine the right time to implement the next herd-retirement.”

Since 2003, CWT has been responsible for culling 285,717 cows through its herd-retirement program. It has also provided export assistance.

Its efforts have been made more imperative in recent months, due to the low milk prices received by dairy producers. Officials hope that removing thousands of cows will help bring supply and demand into better balance.

The ROCKLIN-STETSON "CAP" is SHATNEZ

Bs’d

INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS OF PROFESSIONAL SHATNEZ LABORATORIES
Yosef Sayagh 661 7th Street, Lakewood NJ 08701 (732) 364 7056 E-mail mailto:shatnezhedqtrs@yeshivanet.com-%20Editor: R’ Yosef Stolz (Los Angeles, CA)

Men’s “Rocklin by Stetson” Cap- June ‘09

Bencraft Hatters of Williamsburg is currently selling a men’s “Rocklin by Stetson” cap (Germany) whose contents label reads: 50% Wool 50% Linen.

Description: It is woven in a basket weave pattern [2 X 2]. Two threads going in one direction are off-white (one wool and the other one linen). The two threads going in the other direction are black (one wool and the other one linen).

Precautionary measure: With a 2 X 2 basket weave it is possible to come to an inaccurate conclusion about the composition of a fabric.

How could that happen? If only one thread from each pair is pulled and tested, one could end up with a linen thread in both directions and a determination that the fabric is pure linen.

This could of happened especially with this particular cap being that each thread pair seemed similar in both color and appearance.

In conclusion: When one is checking a 2 X 2 basket weave pattern for shatnez, it isn’t sufficient to test one thread in each direction; both threads going in both directions must be tested, even if they seem similar both in color and in appearance.

The Crisis Inside Police INTERNAL AFFAIRS

Civil-liberties group says N.J. police routinely mishandle civilian complaints
by Chris Megerian/Statehouse Bureau Thursday June 04, 2009, 8:17 AM

Amanda Brown/The Star-LedgerA 2005 photo of Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU is releasing a report today showing that the majority of New Jersey's local police departments routinely mishandle civilian complaints about police misconduct.
TRENTON -- The majority of New Jersey's local police departments routinely violate state law when handling civilian complaints about police misconduct, according to an American Civil Liberties Union report that will be released today.
Nearly 100,000 complaints -- ranging from improper searches to excessive force -- were filed against New Jersey police from 1996 to 2005, according to summary reports by local agencies.
Deborah Jacobs, executive director of New Jersey's ACLU chapter, said police lose the public's trust if there isn't a fair process for airing grievances.
"Citizens need internal affairs to protect their rights and their safety," she said.
According to the ACLU report, police agencies restrict the process of accepting complaints, and county prosecutors and the attorney general's office need to improve their oversight of local departments.
Local agencies are required by law to comply with the attorney general's policies on internal affairs practices, issued in 1991 and last updated in 2000. ACLU volunteers called 503 police departments -- including all municipal, county, park and transit agencies -- earlier this year and found many do not follow these policies, the report said.
"We found significant evidence that the process for citizen complaints against police officers in New Jersey is broken," the report stated.
For example, 63 percent of local police agencies said complaints must be submitted in person and 49 percent do not accept anonymous complaints. Both contradict the attorney general's guidelines.
Bound Brook police said anonymous complaints are "not investigated at all," according to the report. Bound Brook police Sgt. Richard Colombaroni Wednesday night said the department follows the attorney general's guidelines.
The report also noted 79 percent of agencies -- including Palisades Park and Bloomfield -- said juveniles need an adult to file a complaint, also a violation of the rules.
The ACLU said its review of 50 cases filed in the last 10 years in Salem, Monmouth, Hudson and Ocean counties found the person making the complaint was never interviewed by investigators.
Jacobs said there are too many flaws in the process to ensure trustworthy outcomes.
"It would be impossible to know if a fair investigation had taken place," she said.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said the internal affairs process should protect good cops and root out bad ones.
"Is it a shield for police misconduct?" he said of the process. "Or is it ... doing what it's supposed to be doing?"
Bianchi said he has sought internal affairs improvements since taking office in 2007, requiring notification when complaints are filed and monthly progress reports on investigations.
Sam Walker, a criminal justice professor at the University of Nebraska in Omaha who studies police accountability, said the ACLU's report is the first of its kind. He said New Jersey is unique because it has a detailed set of statewide regulations. "The bad news is, the report found some departments were in clear violation," he said.
Jacobs, of the ACLU, said the state should keep closer tabs on local agencies.
"We set up this strong, thoughtful policy, and it hasn't been followed through on," she said. "I think the attorney general and the county prosecutors hold most of that responsibility."
The report noted nine of New Jersey's 21 county prosecutors did not have an internal affairs policy as of January 2007, citing an audit by the now-defunct Office of Government Integrity.
Peter Aseltine, spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram, said she would have no comment until she fully reviews the report. "The attorney general regards the handling of complaints against police officers as a very important issue that (affects) the rights of New Jersey residents as well as the effectiveness and reputation of law enforcement," he said.
The ACLU and Newark City Councilman Ronald G. Rice have criticized the city police department for its internal affairs practices. Rice and the ACLU recently started a program to help residents file complaints.
"Some people say, 'I'm intimidated by internal affairs, I don't know how to file a complaint,'"

THRIPS IN ONIONS-tis the season

Thrips are being found in regular onions. This particular brand was CAVALARO's Goshen, NY.

Interesting

http://beitcaffeh.blogspot.com/

strawberry insects video

http://www.veoh.com/collection/allothers/watch/v15037797bzWKgQFT#watch%3Dv15037796ZXKcyQfk

O'Neills? What's that?

Corp headquarters would like to see O'Neills Kashrus greatly improved-time will tell. We are in a holding mode at this time.

There are some Shechitas taking place at O'Neills in Nebraska.

Check with your butcher if they receiving any beef from there, regardless of the Kosher Certification.

Ask for something else instead, you may be happier with the kashrus standards at the other places [we don't mean for you to use any Rubashkin/Supreme]- There is a big difference between saying & doing.

As they say in ISO: Say what you do, Do as you say, Document it.

מס רכוש לתושבי לייקווד

יש חשבון לתושבי לייקווד שמשלמים מס רכוש שיכולין לצרף חלק מזה מחשבון מעשר שהולך למוסדות מהעיריה של לייקווד. מן הסתם יכול להיות מאלף לאלף חמש מאות דלר לשנה$1,000.00-$1,500.00 שיכולין לנכות מהחשבון ויכול להיות אפילו כמעט000 $2של מעשר.

From an Email just received
i have been saying this for years. whenever they call me from .... i say i give 500.00 a year. they ask really, how come it doesnt show in the system, i answer it is under " township aid"

Winston Churchill: "The truth is incontrovertable, Malice may attack it, Ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is."

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Reb Noson Wachtfogel OB"M described what "Emes" looks like:

An old, slow moving, hunched back,

with a cane in each hand,

every one poking fun at him etc.

"UBB'ER - ER - VET - UN'KUM'EN, - Tzum - Soif.

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Hi Rabbi,
Because of your blog, I along with some of my friends are trying to be more careful in what we put in our mouths. We are in brooklyn. What meat & poultry brands do you recommend. Also I sometimes need to buy bet yosef because I have sephardic guests, can you recommend someplace? Much appreciated. Keep up the good work.

I must say I was bit skeptical about your accusations against agri as they do have the hashgocho of the OU & KAJ who are.... I met last week with a shochet who I know personally to be a yarei shomayim, he's been to AGRI & saw them in action & he told me it's a disaster. He said he even questioned some of the shochtim there & they admitted that they themselves won't eat the meat that they shechted by AGRI. I am no longer skeptical.

Shechita Certifiers?

There are some new shechita certifiers appearing on the market that we can't recomend.
Rabbi Meshulem Nusen Spiegel-
Rabbi Yechiel Steinmetz- Solomons Beef
Rabbi Yechiel Babad-Natural kosher poultry.

MEHADRIN is producing in different plants-ONLY SOME OF THEM ARE ACCEPTABLE- BEWARE!

The Chaburah brand of poultry has woken up and is finaly being replaced by the Kiryas Joel Poultry.

The Chaburah name belongs to Empire poultry, they can still use it as they please.

מיוחד is a new one on the market for poultry (at this time).

Senator Singer "squanders" Lakewood tax payers dollars!

Both counties and Lakewood have hired additional personnel to help deal with all the paperwork involved with the appeals, officials said. Before even going to tax court, Lakewood has already spent about $3 million in 2009 to settle some of the 4,500 appeals that property owners have filed, said Cassandra Johnson, the township's tax appeal coordinator. In 2008, the municipality reimbursed property owners $1 million, she said.

"It's been a nightmare," said Johnson, who anticipates even more appeals in 2010, after Lakewood completes a reassessment. "I don't even want to imagine what that is going to be like." Lakewood Mayor Robert W. Singer expects at least 40 percent of a possible 5-cent increase in the municipal property tax rate in 2009 will be used to cover the reimbursements.
"It's devastating," Singer said.

The spike in appeals is occurring statewide, as taxpayers see their bills rise and property values plummet without a comparable drop in their own assessments, said William Dressel, executive director of the state League of Municipalities.

Do serious kashrus breaches by one affect the other?

We think it definitely does!

NOTE: Pictures are for demonstration purposes only.

It's alledged that at the Rosenblatt lamb שחיטה of 200 per hour, they were working with 1 שוחט בודק and 1 משגיח CRC/ OU of a caliber which we will leave out.

It's further alledged that they were doing some 200 lamb per hour, just about all were Glatt, no בדיקת חוץ, etc. Oh some of the recognizable faults also were the מקום שחיטה would make it a נבילה.

Amazing Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTQAJgxMIuM

A new Blog-if you want to vent re: LPD

http://lakewoodpolice.blogspot.com/

EMPORIO with SHATNEZ certified by 203 Lee Ave as "non-shatnez"

This Consumer alert of finding shatnez in checked clothing, is all too common with clothing checked by affiliates of 203 Lee Ave, Brooklyn, NY Labs and the Monsey Shatnez test center. Both of them are certified by Bais-Din Mishpat Sholom

NOTE: Educated consumers use only Shatnez Labs that are affiliated with the International Organization of Professional Shatnez Laboratories.

Cui Bono (kwē' bō'nō)

Wikipedia: cui bono =Cui bono ("To whose benefit?", literally "[being] good for whom?") that is used either to suggest a hidden motive or to indicate that the party responsible for a thing may not be who it appears at first to be.

With respect to motive, a public works or Public School funds project which is purported to benefit the city may have been initiated rather to benefit a favored campaign contributor with a lucrative contract.

Commonly the phrase is used to suggest that the person or people guilty of committing a crime may be found among those who have something to gain, chiefly with an eye toward financial gain.

The party that benefits may not always be obvious or may have successfully diverted attention to a scapegoat, for example.

High rate of Assimilation- WHY?

Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach, OB"M told me that the reason of the high rate of assimilation is because as of the kulos & heterim of de americaner Rabonim in "bihul-akum und Yayin-nesech" halachos- I asked perhaps the Heteirim are acceptable? Reb Shlomo Zalman, responded it can't be-As CHAZAL said........otherwise we wouldn't have the high rate of assimilation.

He said "if we eliminate a bishul akum in New York, it will eliminate an intermarriage in Pariz.

BTW- Many sefardi communities do not allow for any geirus (conversions).

שבת pump-pot * The Shabbos Hot-Plate- Labriute self heat meals

Some Shabbos pump-pots advertise, does not require טבילה. It's based on the premise that some of the parts, a איד has a שותפות and the workers are paid some of their wages by the איד.

Can the Shabbos-Hot plate be used? Some poiskim are not comfortable.

Can the La-Briut self heat meals be heated on shabbos/Yom-tov?

SHATNEZ ALERT EMPORIO

STRAWBERRIES

Strawberries are infested with tiny insects that cannot be removed with water or pesticide, and are therefore forbidden according to halacha, The Torah and Land Institute has announced after a series of laboratory tests.

Rabbi Yehuda Amichai, who heads the institute, told Ynet that "it used to be enough to take the green leaves off of the strawberry and wash it with soap, but today the bugs stick to the dots on the fruit, and emerge even after a good washing".

He said strawberries that had been sprayed with pesticide were not safe either. "In the end they also have insects that won't come off, even if there are less," he said.

Chief Rabbi of Safed Shmuel Eliyahu ruled on the issue after consulting with a number of experts.

The solution, according to Amichai, is to either peel the skin from the fruit or to puree it in the blender. Although the puree will still have parts of insects, he explains, the halacha does not forbid their digestion.

But scientists and agriculturists are already working on a solution to the crisis, which includes the washing of strawberries in a large, Jacuzzi-like vat that eliminates the insects entirely. Rabbi Amichai said he hoped the method, still in preliminary stages of development, would work out.

Telz update

RESTAURANTS-CATERERS, Etc & Hashgochas

Does the Shwarma king incident surprise anyone? It is most probably more common than you think. Without a SYSTEM, you usually wouldn't catch it.

The "SYSTEM" is missing.
Trained Mashgichim?
Take control Mashgichim?
Full time Mashgichim.?
Mashgichim that check in every order?

In every Hashgocha there are 2 critereas- The Standard of kashrus, The System implemented to uphold those standards.

Many of the blaring headlines "Treif found at this establishment", etc is in most part caused that the critere not in place NO-System.

Many Hashgochas try to have a high standard ( we don't use these products, etc) but their "system" or rather lack of it .........will either not catch the problem or inspite of no-system, the "treif" gets caught.

The Organizational Hashgochas always insist on a full time trained Mashgiach, who also checks in the products, etc. On the other hand, the higher standard Hashgochas at times rely on non-trained part time frum worker as being their eyes. A video camera that you need a technician to review the film is in essence a farce.

As we said previously on the kashrus hot-line "A heimishe hashgocha on a caterer or restaurant withou an OU also, is not reliable" as there is NO SYSTEM in place.

Additional kashrus issues

http://kashrusneias.blogspot.com/

RAISINS INFESTED-all are אסור prior to checking

U. S. Food and Drug Administration -RAISINS, GOLDEN

Insects and insect eggs(AOAC 969.42 & MPM-V76)

10 or more whole or equivalent insects and 35 Drosophila eggs per 8 oz.

DEFECT SOURCE: Post harvest and/or processing infestation
**********************************************************************
ALL RAISINS ARE SUSPECT INCLUDING "raisin-bran", Dole, Sun-Maid, Etc & the Heimishe (whatever that means) SHOULD NOT BE USED AT THIS TIME. It does fluctuate by batches, so if Rav Vaye said about a Brand, it may be that specific box only.

NOTE: The major & minor kosher certifiers always considered raisins etc as a group # 1. [which means they don't require any hashgocha]
The certifiers are overlooking the issue of infestation. All Hashgocha contracts must require a Company Quality Control for infestation. This would include any item that may become infested, flour, strawberries, dried fruits, nuts, etc.
BTW-Rav Eliyashev, shlita told me that he disagrees with the concept of GROUP 1's.

JUST ABOUT ALL RAISINS ARE INFESTED with insects that are נראה לעין AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AT THIS TIME, INCLUDING ALL THOSE WITH A HASHGOCHA AS WELL.

Tests were done on the Dole and Sun-Maid brands as well. In a 15 oz package there were found in excess of 50 insects.

RF Insect infestation / DiseasesUnder appropriate temperature and humidity conditions, there is a risk of infestation by maggots, mites, cockroaches, moths (dried fruit moth, meal moth, tobacco moth), beetles (sap beetles, sawtoothed grain beetles and flour beetles), rats, mice and ants. Mite infestation may be determined by examination with a magnifying glass: mites may be distinguished from crystallized glucose because they are whitish, slow moving dots. Development from the egg to imago (sexually mature insect) takes approx. 10 days.A fumigation certificate must be provided. If infested by insects (mites, maggots etc.), raisins must be reconditioned by fumigation.

HERBS and THRIPS, Aphids

http://www.protectedherbs.org.uk/pages/thrips.htm#tdc

http://www.protectedherbs.org.uk/pages/aphid.htm

A QUOTE FROM REB AHRON KOTLER Z"L

"The truth must be heard,

Even if the public doesn't like the sound of it.

Whatever the circumstances, regardless of the consequences.

The truth must be stated-loudly, clearly & unequivocally".

(Quoted by Bunim-Ob"m)

NO PARKING SIGNS in Lakewood Township

PARKING SIGNS REGULATIONS MUST COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES OF MUTCD, WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THE NJ DOT & NJ STATUTE.

Section 2B.41 Placement of Parking, Stopping, and Standing Signs
Guidance:When signs with arrows are used to indicate the extent of the restricted zones, the signs should be set at an angle of not less than 30 degrees nor more than 45 degrees with the line of traffic flow in order to be visible to approaching traffic. Spacing of signs should be based on legibility and sign orientation.

If the zone is unusually long, signs showing a double arrow should be used at intermediate points within the zone.

Standard:If the signs are mounted at an angle of 90 degrees to the curb line, two signs shall be mounted back to back at the transition point between two parking zones, each with the appended message THIS SIDE OF SIGN.

Guidance:At intermediate points within a zone, a single sign without any arrow or appended plaque should be used, facing in the direction of approaching traffic. Otherwise the standards of placement should be the same as for signs using directional arrows.
· * * * * * *
There is no provision for parallel signs.
Note: The no parking fire lane signs at the Yeshiva are not in compliance with the law, therefore they are not valid. There are additional NO-PARKING signs in Lakewood that are not legal.

There are STOP signs in Lakewood that are not in conformance with the law. The law requires all Stop & yield signs to be a minimum of 7 feet from the pavement till the bottom of the sign.

CATERING STANDARDS QUESTIONED????????

As an aside: The Rabonim of Kashrus Council of Lakewood AKA "KCL" are Rabbis Osher Chaim Lieberman, Yaakov Forscheimer, Shmuel Meir Katz and Gavriel Finkel - Avrohom Moshe Weisner kashrus Adminstrator.

The following article appeared in KASHRUS Magazine / June 2000 (reprinted with some clarification.)

Catering Standards Questioned?
Invited to an affair under the supervision of a respected “Hashgocha”, but which was being held in a non-kosher facility, I went into the kitchen to look around and to compare notes with the Mashgiach. I was not prepared for what I found.

*
More disappointing was it to learn that the “Rabbonim” who certified the affair never visited an affair under their certification which was being held in a non-kosher facility. KASHRUS recently discovered a number of such organizations where the “Rabonim” themselves have never seen the operation which they certify, but instead rely totally on the head “Mashgiach” or on their Kashrus Administrator to make all “halachic” decisions..

*
This letter, basically unchanged, was mailed to all of the “Rabonim” in the organization. As of our printing we have not received any reply. Y W

Dear Rabbi ........ BS”D

*

I would be remiss if I do not report to you directly just what I observed of the procedures used at an affair supervised by your Hashgocha organization which was held in a non-kosher establishment. At a recent affair where I was a guest, I went into the kitchen with another Rabbi. Having been shown around by the Mashgiach on duty, we had the following concerns which we hope you will address.
*
1. The non-kosher facility was allowed to leave their non-kosher utensils out in open view of the waiters and kitchen staff. By utensils, I mean ladels used to serve soup, etc. and eating utensils. Needless to say, with a little preparation these could be kept out of sight of the non-Jewish staff so as not to tempt them to use them.
*

The Mashgiach said to me, “I’ll give you $100 if you find a non-kosher utensil on the floor.” The Mashgiach himself goes onto the ballroom floor from time to time to check if utensils are mistakenly used. This means that the possibility does exist. It also means that he is not constantly in the kitchen. Then why leave the utensils out at all?!
*

I understand from your head Mashgiach that he had advised the Mashgiach on duty to allow the eating utensils to remain in hands reach, but covered. Instead, the Mashgiach put them 8 feet away, completely uncovered. Why should this be allowed? It is inviting trouble.

*

I also observed some 6-8 (non-kosher) ladels hanging in full view. It takes a worker seconds to grab one & put it into the soup. (See also #5 that no ladels were marked in any way.) This is one of the reasons why accidentally non-kosher utensils sometimes (too often) get taken back in error from an affair held at a non-kosher facility. (All too common.)
*
2. Since a) the affair was fairly large (500 plus guests), b) the Mashgiach does leave the kitchen to check the floor as well as for personal needs, and c) non-kosher equipment is in full hands-reach of the staff, I feel that such an affair requires 2 Mashgichim, not just one. (See # 6.)
*

3. The Mashgiach allowed the waiters to use the non-kosher (uncovered) trays for serving hot foods. This is not an accepted procedure anywhere, as far as I know. Should a hot piece of chicken fall onto the the tray, would that not constitute a serious problem?
*
4. Only a part of the kitchen was kashered. Quite understandable. However, it seems inappropriate to have different kosher zones spread throughout the kitchen area. Better would be to cover with paper the entire area from the ballroom side until where the kosher food is prepared, not to leave open spaces that are not kosher between where the food is cooked, prepared & served.. It is so easy for a worker to put a hot pot on the nearest space available.
*

5. There were places which the Mashgiach did not kasher which we feel do need kashering. Some counter spaces had raised racks over them. The underside of the raised racks were not kashered nor covered. This presents a “zeah” (vapor) problem, one which kashrus agencies do know to address. (It could also be a problem of actual food leftovers, because no-one even bothered to examine the underside of the racks. See also next paragraph.)

*

The Mashgiach at the affair told me that indeed this is a problem and he would make an effort to cover the bottoms of the racks in the future.
*

We also noted a pole in the middle of the production area which we felt should have been kashered, not just washed, and/or should have been draped with some material. The pots and pot covers do touch this pole while they are hot. Although the Mashgiach washed it, he neither kashered nor covered it.

*

6. None of the caterer’s ladles were marked for meat. This caterer does both meat and dairy at his commissary. I was told by your head Mashgiach that since there are so few dairy ones, only the dairy utensils are marked. Although Shulchan Aruch advises marking one type of utensils, the common procedure today, wherever I observed, is to mark both dairy & meat serving utensils, especially if catering in non-kosher facilities also, & paint does wear off. We must be able to distinguish between the caterer’s kosher utensils & the facilities non-kosher utensils.
*

7. While we were waiting, we saw some of the staff go to another room, eat non-kosher pizza, bring the boxes into the kitchen & then resume serving, with no washing of hands between eating the non-kosher pizza & serving a glatt kosher meat dinner. The Mashgiach did not respond until the problem was pointed out to him. Then he asked one or two workers to wash. This is an additional reason why I feel that the affair needs another Mashgiach.

*

I hope that these issues have already been raised to the Rabonim of your organization & that the Rabonim consider the present methods acceptable. I would like to understand where my reasoning is faulty. It is for this reason that I am sending this letter to the Rabonim certifying your kashrus organization.
*

I would appreciate either a written or oral response.
Yours truly,
Y W

New Jersey Defensive Driving Online

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