Chabad Rabbi Skirts Local Kashrut Council, Sparking Anger

When Chabad Rabbi Mendel Jacobs took over the kosher Hello Deli in Glasgow, Scotland  last month, he announced new kosher supervision as well as new ownership – himself and his wife Tzirl.

 

Chabad Rabbi Skirts Local Kashrut Council, Sparking Anger
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

When Chabad Rabbi Mendel Jacobs took over the kosher Hello Deli in Glasgow, Scotland  last month, he announced new kosher supervision as well as new ownership – himself and his wife Tzirl.

The problem, at least as far as Glasgow’s organized Jewish community is concerned, is that Jacobs is not the city’s official kosher supervision agency – West of Scotland Kashrus Commission (WSKC) is.

The WSKC’s head, Rabbi Moshe Rubin, told the Jewish Chronicle that self-supervision is, in effect, worthless.

“Self-supervision is not supervision,” Rubin said. “Supervision means you have an external, independent person who does it. We are hoping he will come round to our way of thinking and join the community structure.…One person breaking away from that community has consequences down the line. If everyone does what they want with kashrut, where do you draw the line?”

Jacob’s deli sells fresh meat along with prepared foods.

The owner of another local kosher deli, Mark Cohen, told The JC he was “delighted” with the kosher supervision he gets from the WSKC.

“They are very helpful. They go out of their way to make it economical,” Cohen reportedly said. “There are a lot of people who come to Scotland as tourists or for business, so if they see a hechsher [kosher certificate] that we are supervised by the commission in Glasgow, it’s reassuring for them.”

Jacobs declined to comment for The JC’s report.

While Jewish law allows for self-supervision – with some caveats – it normally would not do so if local rabbinic authorities disapprove.

Comments

[shmuel]

I know you usually don't like Chabad, but here they have done a good job of breaking the monopoly and hegemony of the Beth Din who will usually charge absorbitant prices for a hechsher.

If you don't want to eat there then don't! Just like you decide yourself whether your neighbour or friend is kosher enough for you to eat there without supervision based on trust.

[Barry]

From the London Board of Shechita web site

'For students of Halacha - Jewish Law in practice - it is interesting to note that the concept of Shechitat Chutz - prevention of cheap imports of meat - was developed to protect local sources of supply and, more importantly, revenue, as was the case with these small shechita boards. The London Board does not fully enjoy the shelter of this law since it's revenue does not fund the community, but its Beth Din - the court of the Board's Rabbinical Authority - will act to ensure long-term continuity of supply, so that both the price and availability of meat supplies are not adversely threatened by unfair competition.'

It is most important to understand that kosher supervision is intended as and acts as a tax to bring in the highest revenue achievable to the rabbinic authorities. The interests of the consumers and the food industry are secondary.

In any other industry such price fixing would be prohibited but when it comes to religious economic predatory behaviour, the secular authorities ignore their own laws.

[seymour]

I know you usually don't like Chabad, but here they have done a good job of breaking the monopoly and hegemony of the Beth Din who will usually charge absorbitant prices for a hechsher.

If you don't want to eat there then don't! Just like you decide yourself whether your neighbour or friend is kosher enough for you to eat there without supervision based on trust.

Posted by: shmuel | September 28, 2012 at 08:28 AM

true but it must be publicized so people understand that it is self supervised

[rebitzman]

The customers will decide.

End of story.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

they have done a good job of breaking the monopoly and hegemony of the Beth Din who will usually charge absorbitant prices for a hechsher.
---------------------------------------------
Yes, competition in the Hechsher industry as in most industries is good for the customer.

[A Yid]

I'm sure most people will rely on their supervision just like they would rely on the self-supervision in their home or in their Chabad House : Chabad Lubavitch of Glasgow, Scotland http://lubofscot.co.uk

[Norman]

The problem, at least as far as Glasgow’s organized Jewish community is concerned, is that Jacobs is not the city’s official kosher supervision agency – West of Scotland Kashrus Commission (WSKC) is.

Nothing wrong with good old fashioned competition. The ""American way".

[Yosef ben Matitya]

of all the idiots who fail to see the monstruosity of this kat meenoos it was written Ezekiel Chapter 12 :ב בֶּן-אָדָם, בְּתוֹךְ בֵּית-הַמֶּרִי אַתָּה יֹשֵׁב: אֲשֶׁר עֵינַיִם לָהֶם לִרְאוֹת וְלֹא רָאוּ, אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם לִשְׁמֹעַ וְלֹא שָׁמֵעוּ--כִּי בֵּית מְרִי, הֵם.
2 'Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of the rebellious house, that have eyes to see, and see not, that have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.

[Yosef ben Matitya]

he announced new kosher supervision as well as new ownership – himself and his wife Tzirl.

oh, yeah! darkam shel resho'eem,
him and his wife.
just like achab and izevel his wife expropriating and murdering nabot the izra'eli.