Borough Park, NY – Rabbi Nochum Ephraim Teitelbaum, the Volover Rov of Borough Park, today removed his stamp of kosher approval from all baked goods produced by the 15th Avenue Food Corporation.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
In a letter that was publicized today by Rabbi Teitelbaum, shlita, he cites falsification of labels as the primary reason for withdrawing his hechsher.
The letters takes pains to list the brand names of products produced by 15th Avenue, including Korn’s Bakery—but only those Korn’s products actually baked by 15th Avenue, not some other franchises bearing that same name.
In a phone conversation with VIN News, Rabbi Teitelbaum avoided details of his findings and continued discussion, only statung that the issue with 15th Avenue is made very clear in the letter. “My intention was only publicize what I learned,” said Rabbi Teitelbaum.
However, VIN News has learned that 15th Avenue Food Corp. has been kosher-certified by the Hisachdus Harabbonim (CRC) of Williamsburg since May 12, 2009. VIN News was also able to confirm that Hisachdus Harabbonim was made aware today of the letter of claims of the Volver Rav. A reliable source confirmed to VIN News that the CRC’s certification on 15th Avenue will remain in place.
Additionally, 15th Avenue carries a hechsher from the OK, America’s second-largest kosher certification agency.
“Korn’s Bakery has been very cooperative with all OK Kashrus requirements and is under the OK Hechsher,” said Rabbi Yitzchak Hanoka, an OK rabbinic coordinator, in a statement e-mailed to VIN News. “We have received the notice from the Volover Rov (we did not receive any prior notification of Kashrus concern from the Volover Rov); we left a message with the Volover Rov [and] are waiting to hear back from him.”
When we contacted the owners of Korn’s bakery, who seemed somewhat surprised by the Volover Rov’s letter, they told VIN News: “We are currently under two good Kosher certifications [referring to the OK and the CRC] and we have no future comment at this time.”
For future updates on this story check back with VIN News.
Korn’s has excellent products and their kashruth is unquestioned. Who is this “Volover Rov” and how dare he challenge the credibility of this established company which retains hashgacha from two other reputable organizations. Did they refuse his demands for more money for using his name or is there somthing else to this story? His refusal to provide the reasons for his sudden decision further undermines his credibility?
All out to get the big guy why?
I happen to know one of the owners of korns and he is a true talmid chacham and yorei shamayim, I’m very surprised, this doesn’t seem right.
Volover Rav is the father of R. Aryeh Leibush Teitelbaum HY”D who was one of the kedoshei Mumbai
Dear Korn’s Bakery,
Please don’t wait for the Volver Rav to call you back. The OK hechsher is fine. Just call the Volver Ravback first and say, “Have a Good Shvuos and we forgive you for shaming us based on heresay.”He is a good rebbe who obviously fell victim to loshon hora.
I am gladly going in to buy at any Korn’s branch I find. You make great cakes by the way and I will continue to buy at your stores.
Thank you for these years and for all the great tzedakas you give.
Love,
A.A. (formerly of Seagate)
I don’t understand why a bakery need 3 hachsirem to begin with in my book if 2 good hachsirem say that its good then it means its good something looks a little fishy with that 1 bal macshiyr………………………
I just spoke to one of the owners. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE KASHRUS AT ALL! it’s all a matter of politics etc. The owners are true yirei shomayim and they are very reliable with all areas of the kashrus!!!
It will be my pleasure to go against loshon hora and I will iy”H buy from the Korns bakery. I trust them and I don’t trust loshonh hora one bit.
you trust him yestraday when you eat the cake but today when he says its not good u do not trust him ??
How can the volver ruv withdraw without meeting with the other hashgochos and why doesn’t he explain the situation?? Why are we left hanging?
hi guys. let me explain you how this kashrus business works.
when ever any one wants to change baal macshir. the run worn him that he will say that he removed it first for not trust isssues. that’s y when a food corp. wants to change hachsher we do it in secret. over it seems to me that korns change it to crc.
may 12 and now the volover got notice he is jumping. but that’s noramel trama for both the store owner and the ruv….
Why dosent every1 take a chill pill because thats what you all need.the rov has every right to take off his supervision if he feels entitled to.every1 else does NOT have the right to bash him.for those of u that trust korns continue eating ur heart out over his cakes and stuff,for those of u that dont want to,then have a great day
There had to be a problem that they were made aware of and was not rectified as I could see that they chose to take another hashguchu on May 12 that because they know that this could happen otherwise I don’t see any reason why they just took a new hasgucha
This whole system is corrupt. A decent and honorable business can be destroyed through rumors. It’s a shame. We need to revolt against these hechsherim and demand they operate more fairly and openly.
When it comes to hecsirem, we shall say “achrie rabim lehatos”.Two hasgucos out of three say its good.
As a long time neighbor of the owner of Korn Bakery, including the late owner Mr. Korn, I can personally testify to the trustworthiness of the Korn family.
Does it seem odd to anybody else that 2 weeks ago Korn get a new Hashgacha in addition to the two that they already have, that suddenly one of the original hashgachos has a problem. To issue a letter without giving detail as to the nature of any “questionable” issues, is not just genayva, but rather shificas damim.
The old story comes to mind, to say the chazan can’t learn and the rov can’t sing, you’re just a baal loshon hara, but to say that the chazan can’t sing and the rov cant learn you’re a murderer.
How can anyone compare the butcher from Monsey to this? That was meat and this is bread with two other reliable hashgachas saying that no transgressions had taken place.
To all those who are trying to say that this hashgacha that was removed is “better” than the remaining hashgachas obviously have no understanding of kashrus. The “power” of an hashgacha is eid echad neeman besurin, there is no concept of better as no eid is better than the next.
Volover rov, what’s shayach falsifying labels by bread. since when is shayach glatt by bread? Stop with the non-sence.
How can they switch labels if the entire plant is under his Hashgacha?
If he would say they had Tareif, then that’s on thing, but lables? The whole bakery is under his Hashgacha.
The OK is hands down one of the most thorough, sophisticated and smart hecsheirim out there.
Like everything else out there, its about money. A hashgacha can hold a business hostage.
If you can’t publicize the exact reason why you pulled your hashgacha, then leave it in place.
Even if they switched their labels what’s the big deal as long as he knows all the ingredients and can approve them. Is he the allergy police? The USDA? All he needs to know is that all the ingredients are kosher, not if they contain peanuts!
If the volover ruv took off the hashgocho, it was for a good reason, and the owners know why, regardless of what they’ll admit publicly.
The CRC is a recent hashgocho that they got. It seems they realized the volover was going to pull it so they quickly got a backup hashgocho.
The CRC is a joke in the field of kashrus. They continued to give a hechsher on Mezonos Mayven after they were informed of the chilul shabbos. As for the OK, they might not have a problem with what the volover did.
I personally know the owners of Korns and I go to the bakery alot. I can assure you that there is absolutely NO PROBLEM with the kashrus. I personally witnessed many times motzei peisach when they open the bakery that it is COMPLETELY empty. They get the first delivery of flour after the zman and then start baking. It takes tremendous sacrifice on their part. After all, they are the biggest provider of bread to the heimishe oilem and they have to supply the whole city in ne night. I am also aware of the TONS of bread and baked goods that go out of that bakery for FREE to yeshivahs and mosdos and other causes. You should also know that the owners and their sons are big talmidie chachomim and yiras shomaim. They have been around for years, and it is not such a simple thing to besmirch them like this.
This is just part of a long running fued between the volover and korns. Korns manufactures under many ifferent names, and the volover thinks that every single brand has to pay extra for his certification. Even though its the same bakery, same ingredients same mashgiach, same everything. After a long running fued Korns was planning to phase out Volover and go with two other heimishe hechsherim. The were certified anyways by CRC and OK. They wanted to do it slowly so that they can get rid of all the printed packaging first. But the Volover got wind of it and blew a fit. He came out with this unprecedented letter making it sound like there is a question about the kashrus, when the real issue is a dispute over labeling and branding.
Although the Volover is known as a good hechsher, he is also known to be a real bully when it comes to the business end of hechsherim. Ask Mendy’s Bakery why he dropped the Volover. But with this irresponsible act he has lost all credibility. You will see that after this story comes out the Volover will be down the drain. He made a big mistake in starting up with these tzadikkim.
What was the Volover thinking? Doesnt he realize that tomorrow morning thousands of yeshiva boys need to eat breakfast in cheder and they will count on Korns, the biggest provider of bread to yeshivas, to give them sustenance to learn all day? What will mothers feed their children? If this were a true issue, it would be a real serious crisis.
Thankfully we do’t have to worry. Everything is just fine with the kashrus. As a matter of fact it is better than fine. The kashrus is top notch without the slightest question. I would wish this standard of kashrus on everything we eat.
When I go to Korns bakery very often I get a chance many times to talk to the mashgichim standing there (they work for the volover). How many times have they expressed to me how impressed they are with the erlichkeit of Korns and with their compliance with every detail of kashrus.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Korns for providing me with bread all my yeshiva years. They donated to my yeshiva for free, and continue to do so for over 30 years, and for donating bread and cake for our shul and for supplying free cake to the many simchos of needy people that I am involved in.
It is a shame that the Volover messed himself with this one. He doesnt know who he started up with. By tomorrow I bet you there will be dozens of rabbanim who will come out in support of Korns.
Be strong Korn family! The truth will prevail.
In a show of solidarity we should all go out and only buy Korns. The bakery that has been there for us, now needs us. Stand up to the bullies.
So the Volover Rav shouldn’t eat there. In the meantime, Korn’s has TWO excellent hechsherim.
I know reb moshe leib stern, one of the owners of the bakery. He is a talmid chochom and a yiras shomayim. He is one of the biggest baalei chessed in b.p. And does it without any fanfare etc. I would have no problem eating at his bakery with no hechsher at all. I am sure this all has to do with money and politics. The volover ruv seems to be a reputable person in kashrus but that does not mean that he has no “negios” regarding the kashrus there. And besides, this is very weird since all the other bakeries on the list get most of their products from the 15th ave bake shop. I will be eating korns rey tomorrow morning.
Finkel was also a groiseh tzaddik
Look, a Rav can pull his Hechser if he feels he needs to do so.
That being said, this was handled poorly. The reason for the revocation MUST be highlighted, there needs to be cooperation with the other hechsehrim and the letter must say that he no longer certifies, not that the place is no longer certified.
Family korn is a real Honest,Ben Torah and Yiras Shomayim Family. They never hid anything, there plant is always open anybody could always walk into their facility and check the operation.
I read the letter. It says that he is not giving a hechsher. It doesn’t say that it isn’t kosher. I don’t see that he’s badmouthing them.
Rabbi Teitelbaum writes in his letter about false labeling .what did he mean? would it have anything to do with the kemach yoshon labels after pesach?what are his accusations against Korns?why not come out in the open and tell everyone the real reason why Korns isn’t under his certification anymore?C’mon he didn’t pull his hashgacha, Korn’s dumped him!!!!!
Hello wake up we need an international hechsher that’s paid by the people not the stores and it will end all the mafia business
These kind of “business as usual” has been going on for years. Many places have two and sometimes five different hasgochas to get more people to buy their products because the label has their rav. Like he is good and the other are conservative rabbis just out to make a buck. The B’datz in EY became big by trashing everyone else. It happened and worked in the 5 Towns when a new rav tried to muscle in and this incident in BP is just the same. It is called Hasgocha Business, but the word hasgocha is the adjective and it modifies the word business. All you smart guys who know your Rav is best: are your really that stupid? Apparently yes which is why food has three or four hasgochas. On Pesach we search to fine the one product with the most — this we found one with 6. This does increase the cost of a cookie.
I worked the night shift at Korns for a long time as a mashgiach I got paid nicely every week by the Tsadikim owners. 1 night at 3 AM I fell asleep all of a suden sombody taps my shoulder & wakes me telling me go home 2 sleep. who was that the velover himself he fired me like a dog no job no parnusa all because I fell asleep at my job did I deserve the death panelty?
As someone who has been caught in the cross hairs of the Volover Ruv Shlita (he was correct!) I am saddened by the loshon hora etc., being said here. Of all the holyer than thou hechsheirim out there, the Volover as well as his brother the Nirbater Ruv Shlita are as meticulous as you could get. They are not the type like others to just rubber stamp products or allow the distributor to put stickers on products with their name on it without checking it our very carefully. I would not dismiss something that he says just like that.
Hey! you can get a 2 lb. Zomix bread in BP for only $1.49..as they say half the price & double the….
Just remember “it’s as important to watch what comes OUT of your mouth as what goes in”.
One thing is for sure korns has to move there parking lot and loading docks from 15th ave they steal so much time from people just move to linden new jersey that’s it its really not nice yes it cost a lot of $$$ to move such a large factory I’m sure that they will be able to produce much better right now they are using some a few buildings boy there assembly line must suck they would be able to produce much better in one big building.
We can expect the CRC and/or OK to publlish some letter shortly about some minor violation that has since been corrected, and not tarfus was sold. Then we will all see the Volover was correct.
Guys look thru the lines it looks to me like Korns Bakery sent out a PR firm to repesent them in this blog instead of just following orders from their ball machshir. If the Volover rav was namon till now to say it is ok and we ate because he gave the hecsher then he is namon to say now that their was very serious Kashrus violations this whole business of taking in the CRC now is foolish we have to show them that we are smarter then that. Kashrus is too serious to play these games one strike and you are out
The volover rebbe is heilig. He is an excellent rag hamachaher. But a terrible businessman and an even worse politician. He should have pulled the hechsher with no reason given. If u say serious violations without elaborating it sounds like the worst case scenario. I fully support Korns CRC & OK. I WILL SUPPORT THEM 110%
Unfortunately Ki hakesef yeaveir still holds true no matter how holy you are. I’m sure the volover is a ehriche yid and so are the owners of Korn’s ehrilich beyond comprehension. I don’t believe for a second that the owners would skimp anything when it comes to kashrus or in any ingridient even for major maoney. Let’s analyze this for a moment.what could he possibly do skimp on raw eggs? Unsifted flour? You’re being ridiculous in trying to hurt an ehrliche yid and baal chesed and roidef chesed, marbitz toirah, from continuing to make a parnassah. This is pure rishes to be moitzeh laaz on this choshove yid making an honest living. This is just so wrong. I wouldn’t be surprised if the very same people trying to find fault with the bakery are themselves the beneficiaries of this tzadik who literally puts food and your table and is paying to be mechanech your own children out of the goodness of his heart.He doesn’t need your money and certainly wouldn’t skimp on yidishkeit. The bakery has 2 reliable hasguches and doesn’t have to pay for a third. He probably would want nationally or more publicaly known hashgochos which are more well known and as soon as the volover found out he let it be known that he is removing his hashgocho and created a ruckes. Korn’s remains kosher as it allways was. I don’t think any ingridient was changed or procedure s were modified that affect its kashres. Stop hocking a tchainik and stop plying with peoples livlihoods this isn’t fair. Business and the economy is tough enough without this tzigeshtelte bubba maises.
Enough of this baloney.
I’m not from the NY area so I can view this with less emotion.
It seems to me that the more we hear of such cases like the Monsey chickens, the 13 Ave hot dogs, and now the Korn bakery issue, we more we can appreciate the large structured kashering agencies like the OU, Kof K, and Star K. While no one is perfect and no one is free of errors, the so called “heimisher” operations lack the staff, awareness of food processing technology, asleep at the wheel mashgechim, and sources of ingrediants, etc. that the large structured organizations have.
Rabboisay – Everyone who is involved in the Kashrus business knows that the Volover Rav is an expert in all areas of kashrus both halachic and technical. He is the most respected of the “heimishe hashgochos”.
To all those claiming that the Rov had a deal not to provide any other hashgocha to any other bread product, I say GET REAL. So now the bakery is mad at him and goes and takes another hasgocha who does exactly the same thing. Look at all the bread products with the hisachdus hechsher.
As for ShatzMatz and all the other posters who tell us that they personally know the family , woopey-do. We don’t know who you are and therefore your personal testimony is absolutely worthless. You are all posting the same points and I wouldn’t be surprised if you are representatives of the bakery.
BTW a kosher business who replaces labels loses all credibility for ever. It is probably the biggest avlah they can do because even if the food is still kosher, it shows a total contempt and lack of responsibility to their Rav Hamachshir. Such a person loses his nemonus and the rule of “eid echad ne’eman b’issurim” no longer applies to him. If in fact he did change labels he should never be allowed to operate a kosher business ever again.
In the meantime, everyone be quiet and let’s wait and see what happens.
Volover ruv does not have to say details in his statement.
OU, OK do not either say detail nor do they explain why an hescher is removed.
If you trust him blindly yesterday when he gave the hecsher then trust him now too. It workes both ways.
The Volover has been giving hashgocho on Zomicks for over two years, so this has nothing to do with competition. Besides all the frum bakeries are buying different products from each other already.
If the volover says serious violations, I trust that there are serious violations. The fact that the ok and the crc don’t agree doesn’t make him wrong.
The Volover Roov Shlita is very strict with his rules and he won’t move right or left even if korns is reliable does not mean they followed all the volovers rules which is fine for evreybody but not the Volover Roov
What labels were switched ? A korns bread for a sterns bread? A nine grain for for a twelve Grain Bread? Everything is baked with the same process and varying labels in the same places. What is the real issue? It is all one company I.E. one would not say that coke and diet cherry coke and caffeine free coke are different companies. If they would be mislabeled it would be a marketing error. Sterns korns landau are in many ways one and the same. I please ask the volever Rov what the rov is reffering to as falsifying labels
You do NOT get a better or more honest Hashgacha than the Volover Rov.
He would never remove hashgacha for any but good reasons.
He is thorough, and does not take BS excuses.
He knows his business, better than anyone else in the Kashrus biz.
He is the “good guy” in this, not the bad guy.
As far as Korn’s…. I have eaten his stuff for years, and so have my friends.
I am not sure what happened, but 15th Ave Food Corps MUST have done something wrong. Rabbi Teitelbaum is not a “mafia like” rabbi.
He just lost his son in Mumbai, let us not bash him now without cause.
I am in the kashrus field myself.
I do not work for the Volover Rov.
But, he has a reputation among us who really care about kashrus as being the very best there is, the most informed, reliable and honest.
It is essential that every once in a while a hechsher be removed from a frum and previously reliable establishment. This enables various segments of the yeshivish or chassidish population to feel very holy by NOT buying from a certain place. This serves as a very important substitute for trusting other Jews and practicing tolerance towards others who are not exactly like them.
I never had any of Korns products, now I will start buying it and support them!!!
We should not allow any Rav to kill someone’s business, if they had a kashruth violation the Mashgeach should of seen it. Best supervision is still the OU yes the OU they stick to the rules.