Thus, typically, products from these companies, even when kosher in the countries where they were manufactured, would not have an explicit hechsher on the package. The London Beth Din calls this kosher status “approved”. From what I understand, it might not quite meet the same standard of supervision as an actual hechsher – which is why they advice to prefer products with hechsher.

In such a case, I imagine the only possibility for the Israeli Rabbanut endorsement and any other Israeli hechsher, would be on the importer’s label.

Have just been told by someone from Holland, that there are occasionally products which are not kosher in Holland, but – probably because they have special production lines – are kosher here in Israel with the full authorization.

A specific example is Menthos mints – although now also kosher in Holland – was a few years ago not kosher in Holland – but in additional to the Rabbnut Authoization had a chareidi hechsher on the product in Israel.

I agree that it can sometimes be very confusing.

Quite often the authority on the import label is a very local Rabbi – I had some cookies with a label from the “Rabbanite of Holland” and I checked their website and couldnt find that brand. Some other product claimed Kashrus from the “Sephardic community of Milan”. Without good online records, I have no way of knowing if such entities exist and provid kashrut to these products.

“Chocolate Chip & Butter Cookies original danish recipe”

Nothing else but this title appears on the front of the tin box.

On the back of the box all there is actually printed on is a couple of codes and a sell-by date. The importer’s label is also stuck on the back and most of the meaningful information is printed on this in Hebrew and Arabic.

It says on the importers’ label that it is from Wili Food, and the hechsher is triangle-k-d; for those who eat non-jewish butter ; Afiat Yisrael (Jewish baking) ; llo hashash chadash (no possibility of chadash); b’ishur harabbanut harashit l’yisrael (under authorisation of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate).

The product is made in Portugal.

Although the product is not mehadrin (primarily I assume because of the butter), I trust that for those who rely on this standard it is kosher and not a fraud.

This doesn’t always hold true, as is the case with Toblerone, which has an OK on the import label but not on the original packaging. I have confirmed this with the OK.

YECHIEL: And not all Toblerone sold here is kosher either, depending on country of origin so beware before you buy. Too many generalizations regarding brands imported and too little knowledge.

YECHIEL: One can only assume so since the Chief Rabbinate does not approve and item prior to confirming its kashrus.