Banning Food! Next: Raisins!

In case you haven't heard, you can't eat any vegetable/ fruit any more because of insect infestation: First spinach and asparagus then broccoli and cauliflower, strawberries etc. The latest to join this growing list is RAISINS. The KAJ evidently felt very strongly to the point where they feel that NO raisins are kosher under any hashgacha at this time. The OU however, does not agree with their findings and has issued the following report. To eat or not eat raisins...that is the question!

Update: The Vaad of Queens has issued a statement declaring that the infestation was found only in gefen and mishpacha raisins.Dole and Sun-Maid were not found to have infestation. In other words don't buy things with Jewish names as they may have infestations? (sarcasm)

Emerging Jewish Communities

Well it's almost here and I can't wait to go check it out. If you would like to sign up click here.

Rubashkin Investigated: Again!

As I had mentioned previously, PETA has been a thorn in the side of Rubashkin, the largest kosher meat manufacturer. PETA has been pressing allegation on the mistreatment of animals at the Rubashkin plant known as Local Pride. It looks like they have gotten their wish so far.It has been reported that a special prosecutor has been assigned to the case. Evidently the OU has launched their own investigation as well.

Coming to the Web: OU Launches Simply Kosher

The Orthodox Union is preparing to a launch a web-based cooking channel. The 5 minute video segments will feature OU supervised products. "It's a Rachael Ray recipe-type program," said Barry Mase, OU media sales director.One of the channel's first guest chefs, Ashley Farnell, has served as a personal chef to the British royal family, President Bill Clinton, Sir Elton John, Tina Turner and The Rolling Stones. Even more interesting is the OU is looking into programming on the Food Network.

Kashrut Alert: Tropicana Smells Fishy?

Recently shopping at Brach's I noticed a little sign next to a Tropicana carton. It was labeled "OK-Fish". The OK has issued a kashrus alert that the Tropicana with Omega-3 contains fish oil and should therefore not be used in conjunction with meat. If you like the idea of fish in your orange juice and are worried that you can't have it with your steak, do not worry.According to the information off the OU's website this whole issue is not problematic:There is also a question if gravy of one fell into the pot of the other and there is less than 1/60 of one of them, whether one can employ the halachic rule of bitul b’shishim (nullification of the minority substance). The gemara (Chulin 111b) seems to imply that fish may be cooked in a fleishig pot, while some argue (see Taz, Yoreh Deah 95:3). It would seem that one can be lenient in these and other related questions. This is because several major poskim point out that the danger Chazal referred to is no longer prevalent (see Magen Avraham, Orach Chayim 173:1; Pitchei Tshuva, Yoreh Deah 116:3, in the name of Chatam Sofer; Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh Deah 116:10).Since the Omega-3 in all likelihood is bitul b'shishim some may wonder why the OK brought it up in the first place. Some people are of the opinion that this whole kashrus alert may have have been a publicity stunt by the OK. Others say because there is a danger mentioned in the Talmud regarding eating fish and meat together, some try to strictly adhere to it since the reason for the danger is not clear.

Brooklyn Kashrus: A Fantastic New Developement

A fantastic new development has been made in Brooklyn in regards to Kashrus. The KIC ( Kashrus information center) is an independent party that checks into the standards of kosher supervision at kosher stores throughout the Brooklyn area. It then reports it's findings to the Rabbis of the community. They do not give supervision and therefore have no agenda, you can read more about this organization here. There was an advertisement in the Hamodia that if a store had it's supervision pulled ( like the Junior cheesecake situation (except it's not a store)) another hashgocha would have to contact the KIC before issuing it's supervision. For example if the OK Labs withdrew it's hashgocha from a pizza shop, another company such as Star-K could not give supervision there without meeting with the KIC to discuss things first. This way there would be higher kashrus standards across the board. The lisiting of Hasgchos that agreed to this program included: star-k, kehila kashus, ARK, Tartikor Rav, OK, OU, Rabbi Gornish. I might be missing some but the chof k was absent perhaps because they don't really give all that many hashgochas in the area. It will be interesting to see how it effects kashrus standards.

Junior's Cheesecake Loses It's Supervision....

To be certain, I don't believe I ever had the honor of trying the famous Junior's Most Fabulous Cheesecake. They have however lost their kosher supervision label from the OU. The reason for the Orthodox Union pulling their supervision:They are owned by Jews and they baked a batch of cheesecake over Passover.

“The whole thing was a mistake,” Junior’s co-owner Alan Rosen told The Brooklyn Paper. “One of our customers ran out of cheesecake, so our shop foreman made some. I didn’t know about it at the time, and it’s a violation. We know we’re not supposed to bake during Passover, but what can I say? The company said it would search for Kosher certification from another kosher supervision company. Can you say Chof-K?

Le Maraislll: The Lawsuit continues...

The Le Marais debacle continues with a $10 million lawsuit pending a state judge issued what is essentially a gag order. The mashgiach, Mr. Bitton was ordered to stop posting anything about Le Marais or its employees - including the restaurant's head chef, Mark Hennessey, whom Bitton called "a Jew hater." This is certain to be a big chillul hashem and hopefully we can get some clarity on the issues at hand. The NYPost article sounds scary as it reveals:

One of Bitton's allegations is that dairy margarine "was placed in a pot with other food" in the restaurant's kitchen several months ago. Kosher law forbids mixing dairy and meat.

But the OU said it was an honest error, and the food was not served.

Bitton also complains that Hennessey ordered non-kosher fish to be delivered to the restaurant during the Sabbath, when Le Marais was closed. But the fish company said the delivery was a mistake.And, Bitton says, strawberries arrived in the kitchen without having been checked by Bitton or the eatery's other mashgiach. "When I later checked those strawberries I found several worms in them," Bitton said.To make matters worse, says Bitton, Hennessey sometimes lit the restaurant's ovens. Under kosher law, that's a job for the restaurant's mashgiachs.

Le Marais ll: Lawsuit Pending....

As per our previous post on the latest Kashrus fight between the OU and La Le Marais's former mashgiach. Le Marais is fighting back with a defamation lawsuit to the tune of $10 million. His kind words about the bistro has cost it a 30 percent decrease in business. This is going to be another major Kashrus battle and it will be interesting to see if it will effect any policy change by the OU .


(HT Ezzie, Life-of-Rubin)