Jerusalem Kosher News

The following is taken from Chief Rabbinate of Israel Kashrut Enforcement Division Update 028/5772 dated 22 Elul 5772 (September 9, 2012)

Often consumers opt to have food items delivered. The update in this case mentions the nationwide Burger Ranch hamburger chain as an example. It is important to realize this applies to others as well, companies such as ‘Aroma’  and ‘Coffee Bean’ for example, which also maintains kosher and non-kosher branches.

It is critical to stress that when one calls a nationwide order number, one may be speaking with a central location that processes the orders and not a particular branch. Therefore, regarding companies like Burger Ranch that has non-kosher, kosher and kosher mehadrin branches, one may receive non-kosher food, as is documented to have occurred.

One may attempt to ascertain the source of the branch from the paperwork accompanying the delivery but the Chief Rabbinate advises one to visit the branch and pick one’s order up and not to rely on nationwide delivery which has proven unreliable regarding kashrus. Walking in and picking an order will assure one of the source of one’s order.

JKN ADDS: The Eida Chareidit for example writes in its kashrus guide that it assumes no responsibility for the kashrus integrity of food once it leaves the store (that means deliveries) unless stated otherwise. This means your pizza deliveries are no longer under the hashgacha of the Eida Chareidit once the pie leaves the store and whatever may occur en route is not addressed by the hashgacha.

In addition, the Eida Chareidit seeks to avoid confusion with a company with numerous branches under different hashgachas. One example would be Holy Bagel, which has numerous branches under the hashgacha of Rabbinate Mehadrin (in different cities), some under Badatz Mehadrin (Rabbi Rubin) and one under the Eida Chareidit. The name of latter branch, which is under the Eida Chareidit is called “H” Bagel, not “Holy” Bagel to avoid customer confusion.

This is a step taken by the Eida to prevent you from buying in one branch based on the assumption it is under that hashgacha when in actuality it is not.