Jerusalem Kosher News

Chief Rabbinate of Israel
Kashrut Fraud Division
Kashrut Alert – 20

 
7 Sivan 5770
May 20, 2010

Table of Contents
Café V’Tavlinin (Coffee and Spices) 
‘U’ Distributing 
Chofit Hotel – Matte Asher Council 
Kaftorei Chocolade (Chocolate Buttons) 
Yarok Reshet Machsanei Mazon 
Roladin LTD 
Burger Bar – Carmiel 
Hady Earl Grey Tea 
Chevel Modi’in Rabbinate Notification 
Non Kosher Ice Cream 
JKN NOTE: 

Café V’Tavlinin (Coffee and Spices)
32 Eitz Chaim Street – Shuk Machane Yehuda (Jerusalem)
The store sells items in bags displaying the Badatz Beit Yosef logo. In essence, the store does not have any kashrut supervision at all. (Item 1, photo on left side of Hebrew original)

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‘U’ Distributing
Food items being distributed outside of Israel, primarily in France by the ‘U’ Company, which is using the OU kashrut insignia illegally as one can see on the firm’s website. As a result, one may purchase such items with the belief they enjoy a legitimate hechsher when in essence, they may not be kosher.

The OU has called upon the Chief Rabbinate to assist in getting the word out, that it bears no responsibility for these items. Rabbonim are urged to pass the message along to congregants. (Item 2 in original Hebrew document. Photo on left side).

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Chofit Hotel – Matte Asher Council
The Chofit Hotel in the Matter Asher Council district has lost its kashrut supervision. As such, the local rabbinate advises it bears no responsibility for the kashrut of the above-mentioned location.

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Kaftorei Chocolade (Chocolate Buttons)
These chocolate buttons are selling in Israel, barcode 8697422650962, manufactured by Aris Gida, Turkey, import certificate 148.

They are marked kosher under Rabbi Yaakov Westheim, Manchester, Badatz Igud HaRabbonim – special chalav yisrael run, chalav yisrael from the time of milking, with approval of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

The folks at Igud HaRabbonim report the claim is bogus and the agency does not certify the product. (Item 4 in the original Hebrew document – photo on left side.

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Yarok Reshet Machsanei Mazon
An inspection of this minimarket located at 61 Krinitzi Street in Ramat Gan reveals the store advertises as kosher but it does not have supervision from the Ramat Gan Rabbinate.

It is noteworthy to add this company operates a number of stores and shoppers must validate a kosher certificate prior to shopping. (Number 5 in the original Hebrew document – photo on right side)

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Roladin LTD
Following a number of complaints regarding the firm in question, which is located in the Park HaSharon in the Lev HaSharon Regional Council, under the supervision of the regional rabbinate, Rabbi Kubani Shlita.

Items are  marked ‘parve’ when in essence they are dairy. Other items were marked “kosher for Passover without Kitniot’ and also stating “for those who eat Kitniot only”.

Therefore mashgichim are urged to exhibit vigilance and to ensure products and labeling are in sync. (Item 6 in the original Hebrew document – photo right side)

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Burger Bar – Carmiel
A Burger bar located at 92 KKL Street in Carmiel, at the pedestrian mall (midrachov), is displaying a kosher sign but it lacks any kashrut from the local rabbinate as required by law. (Item 7 in the original Hebrew document – photo on the left side)

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Hady Earl Grey Tea
Of late, a brand of Earl Grey tea from Sri Lanka, marketed under the “Hady” label is being sold in southern areas claiming kashrut supervision from Badatz Hadar Kashrut, Rabbi Broida Shlita.

Badatz officials’ and Rabbi Brodia report the kashrut claim is bogus and the agency does not certify the tea. (Item 8 in the original Hebrew document – photo on the left side)

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Chevel Modi’in Rabbinate Notification
The Chevel Modi’in Rabbinate requests the following notification be passed on to readers.

This firm supplies food to many places, with kitchens operating in the jurisdiction displaying photocopied kosher certificate for “Mitbach Ha’em” (Mom’s Kitchen).

The rabbinate states it does not grant kashrut to the company.

Firms advertising that are not under the Rabbinate’s supervision include:
1. Chevel Modi’in Industrial Zone – Osem main warehouse
2. I.M.U. – Chevel Modi’in Industrial Zone
3. Egged parking lot – Achisemach
4. Strauss – Airport Village
5. Amit – Airport Village
6. Diplomat – Airport Village
7. Machtashim – Airport Village
8. Pelephone – Airport Village
9. L.H.D. – Airport Village
10. Neviot – Airport Village
11. Pundak HaMachane – Moshav Beit Nechemia

In addition, the kosher certification was revoked from HaMakom Shel Ezra Grill House – Airport City, due to kashrut violations.

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Ice Cream Warning
With summer approaching, one must be aware of ice creams being sold that may not be kosher, or some selling ice cream and displaying a photocopies kosher certificate (which is not valid).

Stores must have valid kosher certificates from the appropriate local Rabbinate, an original document, not a photocopy. Such businesses might be using chalav akum, or chalav akum powder. There may also be frozen fruits that present orla questions or possibly infested with insects. There may also be wafers that lack a hechsher.

The public is urged to insist on seeing a valid kosher certificate and not to buy ice cream in a store that does not display a valid local rabbinate certificate.

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The following advertise as kosher illegally or kashrut has been revoked:

REHOVOT
Min Haaretz Bakery – 8 Peretz Street – the store advertises as kosher mehadrin but does not have supervision from the local rabbinate.

TEL AVIV
Florentine Pizza – 31 Abarbenel Street – advertises as kosher but does not have a certificate from the Tel Aviv Rabbinate.

Ugot Da La Peh – 1 Even Givirol Street – advertises as kosher but does not have local rabbinate supervision as required by law.

Peninah HaSharma – 4 Mikve Yisrael Street – advertises as kosher but does not have local rabbinate supervision as required by law.

Bilbulei HaBeitzim Restaurant – 117 Allenby St, corner of Ben-Yehuda. advertises as kosher but does not have local rabbinate supervision.

JERUSALEM
Nichoach HaCafe – Har Hotzvim – the Jerusalem Rabbinate has reinstated the kosher supervision.

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JKN NOTE:
 As one finds in this update as well as previous updates, many times the enforcement division bulletins write “advertises as kosher but does not have local rabbinate supervision as required by law”.

I receive many emails regarding this so please, permit me to explain again.

The kosher law of the State of Israel, 1983, compels a business wishing to advertise as kosher to have a valid supervision from a local rabbinate, which in essence is an arm of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, which is the only agency empowered under the law to grant supervision.

At times, one may display a kosher supervision without having a local rabbinate, resulting in the eatery or factory being listed in Kashrut Enforcement Division Updates, since the agency is responsible for upholding the law.

For most consumers, it is wise to adhere to the warnings and distance oneself from such places unless one is well versed and knows which private agencies are legitimate or which are bogus. Some of the ‘unauthorized’ agencies simply sell a sign that has no mashgiach or kosher certifying agency standing behind it. When the term “unauthorized” agency is used, it may be making reference to one of the bogus firms operating for profit, duping the public, but at times, it may also refer to a legitimate non-governmental agency.

If one cannot be certain, one would be wise to exhibit caution and seek out an eatery displaying a certificate from a familiar agency. There are too many bogus agencies operating, presenting impressive signs to the public, but in reality, do not provide kashrut!

Usually, or perhaps in most cases, the legitimate agencies will not grant kosher supervision unless a business has first received local rabbinate supervision, since such agencies do not wish to operate outside the law.

Therefore, if one sees a kosher certificate and it is not aside a local rabbinate certificate, in many cases the agency in question is not legitimate and the kashrut of the establishment is in question.

The reverse however is not true, and seeing an unfamiliar ‘mehadrin’ sign aside a local rabbinate certificate does not guarantee the legitimacy of the store’s kashrut regarding its mehadrin claim.
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Link to Chief Rabbinate original Hebrew document.

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 Rabbi Yaakov Sabag
Chief of Kashrut Division
Rabbi Rafi Yochai
Chief of National Kashrut Fraud Prevention