https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/kashrus-anytime
SHINDLER’S LIST- AND BEHIND THE
SCENES AT THE 5 TOWNS -KASHRUS
There are a number towns that form the 5 Towns and Far Rockaway
areas. It used to be a place where others went for the summer vacation, up
un-till some 60 years ago.
Then everything changed people either went to the Catskills or to
many different vacation areas. Many Frum people moved to the Rockaways and the
5 Towns areas over the past few years. Of course, people need kosher food and people
have various appetites and diets to fulfill, therefore all different types of
establishments must be opened. Now the issue comes as to what standard in
kashrus do we have to setup. It’s usually based on the type of clientele,
modern orthodox, black hatters, etc. and everything in between. Very often,
what happens is that a fellow from Monsey, Boro park, etc. opens a branch in
the Rockaway 5 Towns area and he brings his current hashgocha with him. A group
opened a hashgocha agency in the rockaways are geared to the black hatters as
that was their market at the time.
A number of Young Israel type of Rabbis decided that we have some
25 plus synagogues in the area, so we need a kashrus Organization that caters
to our type of clientele. They worked hard to bring the Rockaways vaad under
their wing as well it was operating on some form of Auto-pilot. And as the
Administrator of the 5 Town vaad stated numerous times “the Vaad’s kashrus
standards are not what I would like it to be, as my hands are tied by the local
Rabbonim”. The Rockaways vaad had officially a black hatter kashrus standard,
once the 5 Town vaad merged the Rockaway vaad into their own, those standards
went by the wayside.
The question is what should be the kashrus standard in the
rockaways and the 5 Towns? There is the
“list” maintained by the “K’hal Nesiv Hatorah” which was put together by the
Vaad’s Administrator because “Nesiv” does not have anyone versed and
experienced in foodservice kashrus. Is the “Nesiv” list sufficient for the
black-hatters of the Rockaways and the 5 Towns? Others felt that the “list”
does not satisfy their higher kashrus standards and started the Mehadrin of the
Five Towns Hashgocha, they currently certify 3 establishments. At this time,
the Mehadrin hashgocha is maintaining the same standards and the same
Mashgichim as was previously when the Vaad had the Hashgochas on the 3
establishments, so there is no changes in the kashrus standards that took place
at all.
What are the current kashrus standards in
the 5 Towns / Rockaways? The Vaad says they are straight OU all the way.
Originally the Rockaway Hashgocha standard was somewhat better, e.g. pas
Yisroel, cholov Yisroel, etc. The “List” is basically the Kehilla Hashgocha
standards. Mehadrin is planning to upgrade to a black-hatters standard, is the
community ready for that kashrus standard? Time will tell.
Is the Vaad living up to the OU kashrus standards?
Is the “list” living up to Kehilla standards? Is Kehilla standards what the
black-hatters are satisfied with? There are numerous kashrus issues in the
Vaad’s Hashgocha and in the establishments on the “List”. Among those kashrus
concerns are; Bishul-akum, Bossur-she’nisalem, infestation, unreliable sources
of meat and poultry, acceptable pre-checked fruits & vegetables, their
in-house Bedikas toloyim, the Vaad does not back their mashgichim, the Vaad
allows Mashgichim to get paid peanuts, and to be abused by management, etc.,
the methods for checking and cleaning from infestation are nice in theory only,
but lacking much in fact, they sell un-broiled liver-a violation of OU policy.
We will not divulge at this time the
sources of our information, for obvious reasons. The Vaad kashrus standards are
lacking greatly in living up to OU kashrus standards. The “List” is lacking
greatly in having a true standard for members of K’hal Nesiv Hatorah
congregants. Mehadrin kashrus is lacking much in administration, etc.
The “list” is very misleading and fooling
the ones that follow the list and think they have some standard of kashrus that
they may feel comfortable to rely on. It may not be the fault of the Rabbi and
his associate that the list is lacking much in a level of comfort to be relied
upon, but it’s nonetheless still their problem. Schindler’s list was very
reliable. The Vaad on the other hand (also the provider of the unreliable
“list”) is defrauding the kosher consumers in the 5 Towns as to the kashrus
standards the kosher consumer is getting. The Mehadrin Hashgocha should get
their act together.
Now we will comment on some of the items on
the “Nesiv’s” Mehudar “list”.
1- A mashgiach
that goes out for errands and to daven at specific times is a serious issue.
2- Re:
convection oven by-pass, should shut the fan but not the fire.
3- No
Admiration brand products, etc. Admiration has a new name and many of your
acceptable “heimish Hashgocha make their products there, so who are you
fooling?
4- Margarine
from Heimish only, the OU does a better kashering that many of the Heimish.
5- The “list”
has items listed that “only heimish brands” many of them are made in non-kosher
kashering required. The OU has from facilities that are “all-kosher”
no-kashering required.
6- Re: canned
Tuna fish requirements; Star-K tuna, we are in possession of Star-k Tuna cans
Bishul Yisroel, mashgiach Temidi that contained “clam” and were cooked on
Shabbos, and no mashgiach at all.
7- What is fish
worm issues “to be discussed”?
8- Eggs checked
for blood spots, by Shomer Shabbos or non-Jewish workers? many come from farms
that have roosters.
9- The Bodek
and pardes strawberries were found numerous times to be infested.
10- Blueberries
have mites and scale insects and washing does not work.
11- Meat and
poultry sources; the list has “Rosenblatt under KCL”, the KCL hasn’t been on
Rosenblatt since 2013 (almost 10 years). We would not have had it on the
“list”, even when they did certify.
12- Some of the
“list” approved sources were rejected by Hebrew National’s Hashgocha as it
‘doesn’t meet their Hebrew National’s kashrus standards”.
Do we have to say more?
IT’S THEREFORE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO HAVE AT
LEAST ANOTHER “RELIABLE” HASHGOCHA IN THE 5 TOWNS AREA, WITH FULL
TRANCEPARENCY.
Should We be working on some practical ideas on making it happen
realistically?
That’s why there is so much “timtum Ha’lev” in the 5 Towns, R”L
