PRINTThe following article written by me appeared in Yeshiva World News
(www.theyeshivaworld.com) on January 23, 2009.
Bogus “Mehadrin” Hechsher Takes Rabbinate to Court
A number of weeks ago, HaRav Eliyahu Schlesinger Shlita, the chief
rabbi of Jerusalem’s Gilo neighborhood and the posek for the Jerusalem
Rabbanut Kashrus Division took a major step and successfully removed
Keter Kashrut signs from many many stores in the downtown capital
area. It was a first and major step towards removing the many
unauthorized and downright bogus kashrus certificates that plague the
capital.
Due to the work of kashrus inspectors of the Rabbinate Fraud Division,
headed by Rafi Yochai, and the assistance of others including
affidavits and testimony, the Chief Rabbinate is building its case in
response to a Supreme Court case.
The head of the Keter Kashrut, Sami Mizrachi, has challenged Rabbi
Schlesinger’s decision in the nation’s highest court, insisting he has
a right to sell his supervision to stores.
It should be pointed out that many stores have supervision from the
Jerusalem Rabbinate, regular and not mehadrin, and then take one of
the inexpensive bogus supervisions which make claims of providing
mehadrin service when in actuality; there is no mashgiach, no
supervision and no mehadrin.
Much of this has been documented in the Google Jerusalem Kosher News
group headed by me, having spent over a year documenting the false
claims of Keter Kashrut, Nachlat Yitzchak, Nezer HaHidur, and many
more of these agencies established as a source of income, not dealing
with true kashrus concerns.
Actually, today, Thursday, I gave my testimony to Rafi, working to
assist the Fraud Division in preparing its response to the High Court
of Justice.
I must take this opportunity to warn readers that many of the
“mehadrin” signs posted in the capital are bogus and in no way provide
a standard that mehadrin consumers from North America are accustomed
to. Such fake certificates are seen in the downtown area, the
Jerusalem Central Bus Station, Malcha Mall and many other areas and
cities around Israel. Tel Aviv, especially the central bus station, is
also plagues with fake hechsherim, as are other cities in Israel.
(Yechiel Spira - YWN News Israel)