25 Shvat 5770
February 9, 2010

Aldo - Max Brenner sign over store entrance

Thanks to JKN reader E.B., the following matter of concern was brought to my attention today. I present the little episode as such to encourage readers to question email, and send photos, towards raising the overall level of kashrut in our Homeland.

The case in point refers to a branch of Aldo Ice Cream, located at 40 Jaffa Street in Jerusalem. It is under the supervision of the Jerusalem Rabbinate non-mehadrin and Badatz Beit Yosef mehadrin. EB noticed whole strawberries on the ice cream and he told me they were offered as a topping as well. He innocently questioned if they are cleaned before being offered to customers, explaining he is well-aware of the problems with fresh strawberries today.

While upon my visit to the Aldo branch I found whole strawberries on two flavors, ‘strawberry’ and ‘strawberries & cream’ ice creams, but I did not see berries offered as a topping.

In any event, I contacted Badatz Beit Yosef, and they appeared more surprised than I. I was assured that the appropriate measures would be taken, immediately, and the presence of fresh strawberries are of course not permitted for the mehadrin hechsher, only berries that were properly cleaned and pureed.

Please continue exhibiting vigilance regarding kashrut and do not be embarrassed to speak up and to question, for mistakes do happen at times, with all agencies. Our continued kashrut vigilance can indeed raise the level of kashrut as we have been doing for the past two years. 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 16:12 and is filed under JKN Alerts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.