https://chabadinfo.com/opinions/parents-outraged-after-kashrus-standards-quietly-lowered-at-oholei-torah-summer-program/

 

🚨 Parents Outraged: Kashrus Standards Quietly Lowered at Oholei Torah Summer Program

Without prior notice to parents, Yeshivas Kayitz of Oholei Torah (YKP) has made a quiet but troubling change: serving meat under the controversial “Lamed-K” hechsher — a standard not accepted by many families who rely on Oholei Torah’s well-known commitment to the CHK standard year-round.

📖 Full Article Below

---

During the school year, Oholei Torah in Crown Heights proudly maintains a policy of serving only food under the CHK hechsher, the Kashrus certification trusted by the community it serves.

But this summer, as students attend Yeshivas Kayitz — a mandatory program for many talmidim — that standard has quietly shifted. Parents were not informed beforehand, and full tuition payments had already been collected.

This abrupt change has sparked serious concerns among families who feel blindsided and betrayed.

❌ No Transparency. No Choice.

Yeshivas Kayitz is not just an optional summer camp. For many boys, attendance is required as part of their full yeshiva experience. Parents enrolled their sons with the assumption that the food would reflect the same Kashrus standards they trust all year.

Changing those standards mid-course, without notifying parents, strips families of their ability to make informed decisions about their children’s food.

If this was due to unforeseen logistics, why wasn’t it communicated upfront? Instead, parents are being told after the fact — when it’s too late to act.

---

📢 The Official Response Falls Short

In a message, Rabbi Blau explained:

“Although we strive for CHK, the realities of running an out-of-town kitchen make it not always practical. Most of the meat is CHK, and we are using other Lubavitch shechitos only when needed. Options exist for boys with stricter preferences.”

But this raises serious concerns:

🔹 Why are boys — some as young as 13 — being asked to self-advocate for Kashrus standards that should never have been compromised?

🔹 If CHK is available at all, why not serve it to everyone as has always been done?

🔹 Since when are “other Lubavitch shechitos” considered equal to the CHK standard parents expect — especially when the change was unannounced?

This sudden shift, paired with a lack of transparency, undermines trust in the program’s overall Kashrus standards, including its commitment to Cholov Yisroel.

---

⚠️ This Is About More Than a Hechsher

Parents entrust Oholei Torah with their sons — spiritually and physically. When Kashrus standards are lowered quietly and justified only after objections arise, that trust is shaken.

This isn’t just about a hechsher. It’s about transparency, accountability, and a mosad’s responsibility to uphold the standards expected by the community it serves.

We call on the leadership of Oholei Torah and Yeshivas Kayitz to:

✅ Restore full transparency about their Kashrus policies.
✅ Reinstate the CHK standard for all students.
✅ Reaffirm their commitment to the families and values they represent.

Anything less sets a troubling precedent.

---

📜 Rabbi Blau’s Full Response to Staff (Not to This Article):

*“At Yeshivas Kayitz, we are fully committed to maintaining high Kashrus standards — in line with Halacha and the spirit of Lubavitcher mosdos. We exclusively serve Lubavitch shechita.

In Crown Heights, we serve only CHK meat and dairy. However, in out-of-town locations such as Lakewood, PA, it is not always practical to rely solely on CHK due to fewer distributors, stricter schedules, and higher costs.

While most of our meat is CHK this summer, we also use other trusted Lubavitch shechitos when necessary. Dairy remains strictly Cholov Yisroel under reputable hechsherim such as the Vaad HaKashrus of Baltimore and HaOlam.

Additional options exist for boys with stricter preferences, allergies, or sensitivities. If you have further concerns, please reach out directly.”*