Comments on: New Kashrut Agency in Israel, 3rd Shuk Tour & OU-Israel

By: PM

PM — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:22:17 +0000

In the US the OU generally requires a mashgiach temidi for a fleishig restaurant.

By: Dovid

Dovid — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:57:40 +0000

I am grateful for the work this site has performed in helping us become aware of kashrus issues in Israel. Regarding the recent story on the OU in Israel, I might mention that it is not necessarily the universal practice, even amongst Israeli mehadrin hechsherim, to have a mashgiach temidi. Today, I walked into a small fleishig restaurant in a chareidi neighborhood of Jerusalem, with a current teuda from Rov Rubin. The gentleman behind the counter was very friendly, and quite cheerfully inform me that a total of two mashgichim supervise their place, and they [well, presumably, only one at a time] come in three times a day [including, or possibly in addition to, whenever they get merchandise/supplies {"schora"} delivered]. Now, this is a small-scale operation, not a hotel or huge restaurant with lots of staff. Still, it’s worth recognizing that even a highly-respected chareidi hechsher does not necessarily insist on a masgiach temidi, even on a fleishig place.

By: Mitzimi

Mitzimi — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:21:27 +0000

Reb Yechiel - thank you for your holy work and all the effort you put in to elucidate the dark labyrinths of kashrus certification in Israel!

I have to say I was one of those who greeted the news of OU in Israel with a relieved smile, so I am most disheartened by this report … If we can’t rely on the OU’s good name, who CAN we rely on?

If there’s a hechsher, isn’t there supposed to be a mashgiach? And if they say there is one … shouldn’t he be around? More than the kashrus issue itself, the appearance of dishonesty in this makes my heart sink.

It makes me want to stay home and grow my own food …

By: moshe

moshe — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:43:38 +0000

Seems the OU has a hard time deciding if the standards are the same in Israel and in the US. One commenter above received a response that everything under OU Israel is cholov yisroel, while another was informed that the Kosher standards are the same worldwide - which certainly means that cholov yisroel is not a requirement. I was told in an informal conversation with someone in OU Israel that everything under OU Israel is cholov yisroel, but there certainly seems to be considerable confusion here.

Has there been any response from to this piece from the OU yet?

By: Shmuel

Shmuel — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:22:31 +0000

Jonny, I didn’t understand what you are asking. If you don’t speak English, please do not complain about the OU not giving you answers. They clearly said they don’t understand what you are asking. After reading this blog post, I can guess what you are asking but that is because I know the topic you are referring to.

I think the OU should close its operation in Israel. It should be working with the Rabbinate in Israel. Not in competition to it.

Rabbinate certifications that meet the OU standard should have an OU on the Rabbinate Teudah.

By: Yehuda

Yehuda — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:55:32 +0000

To Jonny: This is what the OU wrote to me by email:

Dear Mr.,

Thank you for checking with the OU regarding your Kashruth question.

The OU Kosher supervision in Israel is the same Kosher supervision as the OU Kosher elsewhere in the world.

The Kosher standards for both are the same.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us again should you have any further questions.

With our sincerest wishes for a pleasant summer, we remain,

Sincerely yours,

The Web(be) Rebbe

By: jonny

jonny — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:57:55 +0000

THIS IS AN E_MAIL CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH THE OU AS YOU SEE NO ANSWERS !!!

Email from:

Sent at: 2009 05 31

Can you please send me information about the ou hecsher in Israel? What are

the standards of meat/dairy and fruits/vegtables as there is no ou on many

of these products in Israel yet. - For example Badatz which ones or plain

Rabanut.

Thank you

Jerusalem, Israel

Sent: Monday, June 01, 2009 10:45 PM

Subject: RE: Kashrut in Israel

9th Day of Chodesh Sivan, 5769

Monday, June 1st, 2009

Parshat Naso

Send comments/questions to: kosherq@ou.org

Dear Mr.

Thank you for checking with the OU regarding your Kashruth question.

Your first question is vague. If you have a particular question about the policy of the OU Kosher in Israel, we would be glad to answer your question. If you have a specific question, please let us know and we will try to answer your question.

We do not understand your second question.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us again should you have any further questions.

With our sincerest wishes for a pleasant summer, we remain,

Sincerely yours,

The Web(be) Rebbe

Dear OU,

As you kown there are many differnt standards Mehadrin, Batdatz, and plain Rabinut. Point blank can you give a list of what hecsehrim does the ou rely on when it give a hecsher to a resturant. What chickens, meat and diary products (from which other hecshrim as ther is no ou on milk products or meat in israel yet - I know that there is on ou on chickens). Does the ou rely on heter mechira? Are milk product Chlav Yisroel etc.. Do you relv on Belz , Agudah, Machpud , Rubin, Eida, Rabanut eliat as you see there are many different levels of hecsehrim in Israel can you give me a list of which ones that the ou relys on ??

Thank you - I hope this was a little clearer

17th Day of Chodesh Sivan, 5769

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

Parshat Ba’ha’alotcha

Send comments/questions to: kosherq@ou.org

Dear Mr.
Thank you for checking with the OU regarding your Kashruth question.

1) The OU does not rely upon heter mechira on any of their products.

2) All OU foodservice establishments in Israel are Chalav Yisroel.

3) The information that you are asking is proprietary because it would indicate where the establishment purchased their chickens. However, we make certain that restaurants under OU Kosher supervision in Israel maintain the highest standards of OU Kashruth.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us again should you have any further questions.

With our sincerest wishes for a pleasant summer, we remain,

Sincerely yours,

The Web(be) Rebbe

By: Eliyahu

Eliyahu — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:02:08 +0000

I emailed your OU Israel article to the OU USA and OU Israel center with a complaint I suggest you to encourage your readers to do the same. Also to submit this research to frum newspapers and magazines. kosherq@ou.org 212-613-8241 israelcenter@ou.org Tel.: (02) 560-9100

By: yankel

yankel — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:22:15 +0000

The OU in the US does the same thing that they are doing in Eretz Yisroel. They rely on the OTHER hechsher to do the work, they just stamp the process in return for a fewdinars.

look at Agriprocessors (Rubashkin). The OU had no representative there for many years. When things came out because of PETA and other things - the OU said that they had no idea what was heppening.

Bottom line- there are no representatives in meat or cheese plants that thave the hechsher of the OU. And those that know anything, don’t trust them in th US

By: Moshe

Moshe — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:24:11 +0000

If anyone wants to complain about this scandal. one of the people that can do something about it is R. Genack. he or his secretary can be reached at 212-613-8215 or by calling this number and asking to speak to R. Genack. the O.U. is a reputable organization and if there is a public outcry, I am sure that the situation will be corrected. In addition to the above R. Genack can be reached by E-mail at genackm@ou.org .
As a side point, I personally spoke to three different Rabbonim and people that are very knowledgeable in the kashrut scene in Israel and they all said that the chickens are very problematic. I am not saying that I know this for a fact, rather that this is what I heard and therefore everyone should speak to their Rov before buying the chickens.