Friday, October 31, 2025

In Kashrus Hashgochas, What's worse- "Ignorance" or "apathy"?

  KCL say "We don't know & We don't care!  

(Re: How to run a successful Kashru$ Organization)

From a comment;

What’s the story with the Milchiger = Kosher? Corrupt Restaurant in Howell NJ behind Amazing Savings called Ottimo Cafe?
They have the KCL = Stands for Kosher? Corrupt?? Lousy no hashgocho? 

Do they have a mashgiach temidei, the one I saw who claimed to be the Mashgiach temedei looked like a Am Ha’aretz and a Shaygetz with a Pepsi Yamalka. When I spoke with the KCL, the guy who answered the phone realized I had a point, and I told him there are serious Kashruth violations in the KCL when a restaurant does not have hashgochoh temedis. He did not answer when I asked him how often does the KCL administrators make unannounced check ups at this establishment.

During the time I was there, one and a half hours,, no Jew/yid stepped foot in the kitchen and goor heimisher and chassidische yidden went there and ate. There was a large function in the back hall of this place. A simcha and who is asking questions? What a Shanda and scandel.

Who does bedikas Toylay’im at this establishment? Suggest people should be more vigilant when frequenting “Kosher” establishments who don’t have any standards for hashgochoh. May ghe KCl who I understand now, has no standards and is totally hefker.




Friday, October 10, 2025

An Email Re: A Hashgocha of R' Yechiel Babad Tartikuv-

 Dear Rabbi Shain,


Good Morning! 
I'm  from Flatbush 
NY Smash (1360 Coney Island Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11230) is Sephardi-owned and under Tartikov supervision. Daytime relies on the owner; evenings previously lacked a frum presence. 
Key Issues:
  1. July: Reported no frum staff evenings to Reb Yechiel Babad. They hired a Sephardi girl with minimal halachic/kashrus knowledge to stand at the register.
  2. September: Found she was training a non-Jewish employee to do her job, claiming the owner would be present while the new employee was working. The next day (11:30 PM), no Jewish staff; non-Jews said mashgicha quit, and the owner left at 6 PM. Babad's son falsely claimed via text that a Jew was present—I told him he's being misled or worse.
  3. Current: Mashgicha returned only because the owner withheld her last paycheck; she is not comfortable reporting to the Department of Labor and plans to quit soon due to low pay ($17).
  4. Ongoing: Non-Jewish griddle worker cracks eggs directly onto the hot surface without blood-spot checks—unlikely incentivized to inspect.
Community views Tartikov as reliable (from your blog, I now see you strongly disagree), and when I share my experience, people are shocked by these lapses. From my talks with Reb Yechiel, he seems aware there are issues, but hopes I'll drop it and go away.
Who can I report this to for real pressure on the hashgacha or store?
Thank you,