I have been waiting to rant about this for a while. One of my major beefs with NY but specifically Brooklyn is the lack of a universally accepted hashgacha (aka VAAD). The 5 towns and Queens each have a VAAD that all their residents agree is solid. Although there were talks about these 2 Hashgchas becoming one bigger VAAD, however problems emerged that would not allow it to form. One of the issues was a difference of opinion on giving supervision on an establishment open on shabbos (like Carvel or Duncan Donunts). The 5 towns said it's ok but the VAAD of Queens said no they tried to reach some middle ground ( some kind of sign that would say the store was open on shabbos and it's up to you to trust the owner...Perhaps other thing too not really certain) but it was not meant to be. But I digress..Why doesn't Brooklyn have one? The Vaad of Flatbush took a nose dive years ago and it seems that since Rabbi Goldberg took it over it has been better from what I understand. The question is "how good"? I get mixed reviews on certain stores from Rabbis I respect and trust. An example of this is "Brooklyn Bagel" which an old rebbe of mine says is fine. However Rabbi Fievel Cohen does not think the Vaad of Flatbush is a reliable hashgacha, period. Boro Park has it's own set of problems with all these "Rabbis" giving hashgachas and people eating in these restaurants, not even knowing who they are and if they know anything about hashgocha. I once heard a funny idea about it....Since it's very probable that some( not all I said!) of these chassidish can't read English, how will they know if something treyf is delivered? The problems with the Vaad of Flatbush led to the creation of "Kehilah Kashrus" which is now in place in many establishments throughout Brooklyn. There have been other questions that have been raised with hasgochas in Brooklyn. One example is the hashgocha of Rabbi Gornish. The question was how one person who has so many stores (perhaps not as many as he used to) can be effectively managed with one ( or even two) people. This question when raised to Rabbi Fievel Cohen said his hashgocha is very reliable. Not sure what to believe with a lot of these issues. There is no question politics play some part but there is a truth somewhere and it would be nice to know what it is. Kehilla Kashrus really seems to be available in so many establishments in Brooklyn in a certain sense it is the new Vaad of Brooklyn.
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I will back up that comment with the following...my father davens at Rabbi Feivel Cohen and I heard it directly from my father. As far as the 5 towns: Rabbi Eisen who tuns it is certainly very knowledgable and he gives hasghachas on hotels that many prominent rabbanim will eat by and not others. There are politics at play here also remember.
I was a mashgiach for The Vaad of Flatbush before The Kahila Kashrus was formed. I was also a mashgiach for The O-U. It all depends on the mashgiach. I don't trust any Kashrus Organization anymore. If the owner is a G-D fearing Jew, I would trust the establishment. There is too much politics with kashrus. There are different standers for different places. WHAT A SHAME
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