11 Cheshvan 5770
29 October 2009

Once again, JKN is working to bring readers a better understanding of kashrus standards provided by different agencies, in this case, the Efrat Religious Council, overseeing the religious service to this growing Gush Etzion community. The religious council is headed by Bob Lang, the administrative director, who masterfully heads the council towards accommodating the religious needs of the community in compliance with the decisions reached by the rabbis.

The city’s chief rabbi is Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Riskin, who needs no introduction. The religious services are headed by Rabbi Shimon Golan, who is the day-to-day rav responsible for the halachic decisions including kashrus, shuls, mikvaos and much more.

Rav Golan is a veteran in the kashrus industry, and maintains affiliation with Bar Ilan University as well.

I cannot move ahead without mentioning Rav Dovid Cohen, a senior mashgiach in the system. I was unable to meet with Rabbi Cohen but mashgicha Alizah Hochstead filled me in on the stores that he covers as well.

I began my visit to Efrat in the Taenah Shopping Center, near the southern [main] entrance of the community. I met with veteran mashgicha Alizah Hochstead, and while I usually do not dedicate too much of an article to the mashgiach, in this case I will make an exception, since a female mashgiach in the United States is rare, but in Eretz Yisrael, all but unheard of.

Alizah is not a newcomer to the kashrus industry, with some 40 years of service under her belt, including Eretz Yisrael, the Kof-K and more.

JKN: Where did you begin your training?
Alizah: I learned a great deal from my maternal grandmother, and she learned from her father, a rav of a city in the Ukraine. My mother continued the tradition and one thing seems to have led to another.

She made special mention of the late Rav Stimler, her professor in Touro College and the period she was principal of Bnos Sanz (Union City, NJ), where she learned a great deal, especially about dairy since in those days, the milk issue was a problem.

She began at the KOf-K as a secretary for R’ Yechezkel Aurbach, but not an ordinary secretary, dispatched to light the gas to ensure bishul yisrael, and her duties of data entry led to her proficiency in familiarizing herself with an array of chemicals, and many of the ‘raw ingredients’ which comprise the components used by the international kashrut industry.

For Mrs. Hochstead, the policy of monitoring kashrus is simple, “zero tolerance” as she puts it. “There is the correct way or no way”.

Alizah is living in Eretz Yisrael [this time] since 2002, planning to keep this as her permanent residence for the remainder, but she does continue to travel regularly for her kashrus-related work. Mrs. Hochstead also lived in Eretz Yisrael prior to 2002.

She and her husband reside in Efrat, where she is a major component of the kashrus establishment. I would also like to mention that Mrs. Hochstead, who adheres to Chabad minhagim, is a direct descendant from the Alta Rebbe zt”l, Rav Schneur Zalman of Liadi.

Anyway, she is the mashgiach for the Ohr Torah educational institutions runs by Rav Riskin, and she explained their cooking is done in the N’vei Shmuel School facilities in Efrat. She has special words of praise for the cooks, most being sephardi women, who happily adhere to her zero tolerance policy.

Among the standard mehadrin practices, they are strict regarding not leaving items out overnight, including eggs, onions, and so-forth. Thought I would add this in too. [Something for the cynics to comment about].

When Alizah travels, Hillel Wasserman covers for her at times, – adding this note for the sake of comprehensiveness. I met with him briefly too.

JEWISH OWNERS
The stores and businesses under the Efrat Religious Council supervision are owned by Jews, and operated by Jews, and there are no non-Jews in any kitchen, no exceptions.

Mrs. Hochstead also points out that none of the stores have a mashgiach timidi, but there are ovdei ne’eman, workers who are deemed trustworthy to act as an extension of the mashgiach.

ACCOUNTABILITY
One issue which is of significance in Efrat is accountability, not only to the religious council, but of no lesser importance, to the community. Alizah explained and pointed out that all kashrut certificates not only have the standard information, but the name and cellular telephone number of the mashgiach, not just a supervisor who is not the man in the street on a regular basis. She mentioned in passing that just recently, her cell rang on a motzei shabbat at about 1:00am, and she realized it must be a patron at Burgers Bar, which operates late into the night. Amazingly, she did not seem the slightest bit upset by the late-night interruption.

Anyway, she was correct regarding the caller, and politely explained the process to the caller regarding the washing of lettuce prior to use.

She also pointed out that in Efrat, the store pays a fee to the religious council, not to the mashgiach as is commonplace in Eretz Yisrael, a policy which they feel eliminates a conflict of interests. She added that the fee for mehadrin and regular supervision is the same.

ASCERTAINING THE LEVEL OF KASHRUS
We discussed the ABCs of the kashrus for quite some time, with my explaining the need for parameters which permit readers to understand ‘a level’ if you will.

In short, what is deemed acceptable to the Jerusalem Rabbinate Mehadrin as far as raw ingredients is also acceptable in Efrat, with Burgers Bar being a good example. The poultry is R’ Aurbach’s schita, and meat Jerusalem mehadrin. The bread comes from a Jerusalem Rabbinate mehadrin bakery in the capital.

SHMITAH MEHADRIN – HETER MECHIRA
I could not ignore the unique policy that existed during shmitah year, one that resulted in signs claiming mehadrin status while stipulating the produce was heter mechira.

In short, after the rabbonim consulted, they decided they are compelled to address the hashkafa of the community, offering mehadrin with heter mechira, kedushat shvi’it and nochri, produce from area not in halachic Eretz Yisrael, but never from Israel’s enemies.

Alizah confirmed the ‘mehadrin’ status alongside ‘heter mechira’ is not commonplace, but pointed out the signs read loud and clear and they made certain everyone who wanted to know, knew exactly what was being served.

That seemed to be the underlying theme throughout my tour, which by the way followed my unannounced visits prior to my meeting to get my own feel for the operation.  Transparency is a biggie in Efrat, and while you may or may not feel the level is suitable for you, you know that the rabbonim and mashgichim deliver what is promised and everything is out in the open for all to see. Big time transparency and reliability is the scene in Efrat in my opinion, an example for the big city boys who give kashrus but are rarely seen making the rounds, something that needs to change!

Back to shmitah, Alizah admits she was quite busy making trips to the Aravah seeking non-kedushat shvi’it produce and the variety was limited, but all residents were accommodated, providing a service for all shmitah viewpoints and for the rabbonim in Efrat, that was an important goal. 

A LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY’S KASHRUT
Now, following shmitah, stores with a regular hechsher may buy produce as they wish while mehadrin stores and businesses must use mehadrin certified items. The greens are all bug-less brands, and only those brands that have been tested and found to be acceptable, not any brand claiming to be bug-free. The greens are washed before use in all places, mehadrin and regular alike. Alizah is too wise to just permit purchasing any brand, well-aware that many of the so-called infestation-free greens have been tested in Chief Rabbinate labs, and in essence, they are Petri dishes for insects.

It should be pointed out that the term of ‘coming and going’ for a mashgiach is taken literally in Efrat, with each store getting a visit from a mashgiach 2-4 times daily, at any time. The number of visits is not dependent on mehadrin or regular hechsher Mrs. Hochstead explains since everyone must adhere to the same rules and halachot. The difference in essence is raw ingredients, hechsherim of those ingredients and shmitah. Halachic demands such as inspection of grains, sifting flour, separating challah, not using chadash, using toveled dishes and other halachic dictates are applicable to all stores, on the same level. This is a critical point, one that needs to be adopted by local rabbinates around the country. 

SUPERMARKETS
Talking about vegetables, the supermarket in the Taenah Shopping Center carries mehadrin produce, which is inspected when it arrives daily, while the supermarket in the Dekel Shopping Center carries non-mehadrin. I must add that after walking through two supermarkets it became abundantly clear that there is a broad selection of mehadrin and other hechsherim, as well as an impressive selection of American products for those who yearn for the old country.

Anyway, let’s jump to Rav Golan for a moment, who explained he permits carrying Sunfrost frozen vegetables [as a policy example], with notification to shoppers that even if they carry an acceptable hechsher, this does not eliminate the need to address insect infestation. In Efrat, the atmosphere seems to prevail around permitting residents to find their kashrut comfort zone within the boundaries of halacha.

One should also be aware that in the supermarkets, there is kashrut supervision for produce, bakery, meat and other departments, with each adhering to strict demands for total separation where applicable. Once again, an example for many supermarkets in major cities.

A LOOK AT THE STORES
The Yad-HaFalafel - Taenah Center
This store has a regular non-mehadrin hechsher, yet Alizah is there daily, and the humos beans are inspected as required. She adds in this case, the owner is extremely trustworthy and can be relied upon to inspect the beans if the need arises.

Burgers Bar – Taenah Center
The vegetables during shmitah were nochri by the way, and today, mehadrin of course since the store carries a mehadrin hechsher. The poultry is R’ Aurbach (Tiveria) and the beef Jerusalem Rabbinate Mehadrin.

 

 

Angel Bakery – Dekel Center
Mehadrin. There are separate parve and dairy ovens. There is a sign regarding mehadrin catering but that is someone who uses the facility, not referring to Angels.

The Bagel Place – Taenah Center
The bagels come from Jerusalem mehadrin. The vegetables mehadrin, as are the cheeses (chalav yisrael).

Phili Pizza – Dekel Center
Mehadrin, Eida Chareidis cheese and according to Alizah, the worker is “extremely reliable”, a G-d fearing Jew who is constantly aware and concerned regarding kashrus. (I point this out regarding separation of challah and sifting flour and more).

 

 

Efrat Pizza – Taenah Center
Not mehadrin and therefore uses any cheese, possibly non-chalav yisrael, and tomato paste may be heter mechira and so-forth.

We did not cover every store, but we did discuss the standards in every store, and interestingly, the kashrut supervision remains constant, regardless of ‘regular’ or ‘mehadrin’ status as Mrs. Hochstead points out because that is what halacha demands. A store maintains a ‘regular’ kosher standard must be as kosher as what is referred to as ‘mehadrin’ and that appears to be the way things are in Efrat.

CHADASH
Supermarkets sell products from the United States, but only those with approval of the Chief Rabbinate import department. In restaurants and catering, there is no fear of Chadash. In short, there is yoshon only, mehadrin or regular hechsher, no differentiation is made.

TOVELING
All dishes in all facilities are toveled and mashgichim make certain that newly-acquired items are always toveled as well.

BISHUL YISRAEL
For all, ashkenazim and sephardim alike. There are no non-Jews working in kitchens anywhere in Efrat.

Of course the report will generate additional questions, but I tried to paint a picture of reliability and trustworthiness, and you may call and speak to one of the mashgichim or Rav Golan. They are all accessible to the public and in Efrat, regarding kashrus at least, there are no hidden secrets.

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