Borough Park, NY – In light of the controversy and confusion swirling around Korn’s Bakery after the withdrawal of the Volover Rov’s hashgachah, [reported first by VIN News] OK’s Tri-State Rabbinic Coordinator Rabbi Yitzchak Hanoka was interviewed by radio personality Zev Brenner for his popular radio show.
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Rabbi Hanoka expressed respect for both the Volover Rov and Korn’s Bakery, as well as repeatedly stating the OK’s puzzlement at the Rov’s statement and position.
Rabbi Hanoka strongly emphasized that the OK stands fully behind its supervision of all products produced by the 15th Ave. Food Corp. which includes several brand names including “Korn’s.”
The interview will be aired tonight on the Zev Brenner radio show 570 AM at 9:00PM
To listen to the entire 15-minute interview exclusively, click below.
is it Hanoka or Chanukah?
why do these rabbis always make their big stnk right before a yom tov? first streit’s no korns?
time to stock up on entemann’s cheescake.
“There was a frum person on the premises at path-mark while they were printing lables that have an hashgacha on them.”
So what, Finkle is also a frum Jew. Why didn’t thay ask permission before they print lables that have his name on it?
After so many kashrus scandals in the past I believe this is a violation.
OK was started by Rabbi Bernard Levy OB”M. The man was a true genius and extremely shrewed. If somebody, talking to him, were even to try bending the truth, that all-telling half-smile would immediately appear on Rabbi Levy’s face, indicating that he is sensing everything.
is it hanuka or purim
what does that mean they dont know whats going on, what did the volever rebbe shlit”s tell them when they called [if they even bothered calling?]
stop the baloney, korns should come clean and tell everybodywhats going on
not hide behind the ok
That was one confusing clarifycation.
He is equivocating all over the place.
Bottom line….. trust the Volove Rov
Its ok for a national Kashrus standard with A1+ paper work, not for a Heimisha mehadrin Kashrus, we don’t need good paper work, registered labels, NO, we need to have KOSHER FOOD under a goos control
The one who started all this controversy is the rabbi who pulled his hashgacha from Korn’s. If he did not not do that, we wouold all not be writing one word here on VIN, and people on the street would not be talking about it.
Therefore, that rabbi should come out and tell the public how he feels. He wrote a letter that puts a negative light on Korn’s . Therefore, he should be able to say a few words about it. Also, if that rebbe, the Volver rav, was wrong, so maybe his hashgacha for other places is faulty.
As I predicted from the first moment, the Volover will not come out looking good from this. Frankly, I am surprised that this has been so slow in coming. I know first hand that Korn’s could have at least a dozen more rabbonim come out in their defense. I am surprised that this hasn’t happened yet. I spoke to one Ruv who visits the bakery regularly, who told me he would be glad to sign a declaration attesting to the cedibility of the Korns family and to personaly attest to the highest standard of Kashrus at the factory. But no one from Korns called him to do so. I am wondering why Korns doesn’t go more on the offensive.
The good news is that I was at Korns bakery early this morning and I am glad to report that the place was still brimming as it always has and it hasn’t skipped a single beat.
I wouls advise anyone who wants to feed his family the highest quality products with the highest kashrus standard to choose Korns with confidence.
I was always a big fan of the Volover hechsher, but now I am in a quandry. Until he doesn’t justify his action in this matter I am afraid that his credibility is suspect.
The Volover Ruv never said that there was any tarfus or kashrus problem. He says they falsified labels, which leads him to not trust them 100%. When a company shows no fear to a ruv, the ruv doesn’t feel 100% comfortable with trusting them.
I heard from an insider to the Volover that he did not want them to use a specific brand ingredient and they went and used it anyway and tried to cover it up. The other ingredient may be ok with the CRC/OK, so they have no problem with the hashgocho. The Volover has a problem with the ingredient and made it clear he will not let them use it.
He is 100% right for removing it, and at the same time it is still and always was 100% kosher.
I’m puzzeled by the ok first i read in the Kosher Spirit magazine Rabbi Levi’s article about his fathers kashrus standards and he goes on saying about the mashgichim demidim he has, then starts nocking the best chsidishe hechsherim on that, and moves on to saying about a recent story in BP where facts were distorted and coverd up, finally he writes how his father would always do everything about the truth….
Next week there was an apology in the Hamidia that there were was not any distortion of facts
truth or not the truth?????
As someone who spoke first hand to Volover Mashgichim who know the Volover’s Modus Vivendi, he’s operating under the guidelines Klal Yisroel received during Matan Tora; NO SUCH THING AS “FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT”! The decision to reveal or not rests solely with the decision maker. A Tshuva must be elaborated with background sources. A decision which involves delicate issues such as THIS STERN/KORN scandal contains 95% Lushon Hora (Yes even true facts are still Lushon Hora)which is what everyone is screaming about “TELL US”, is best written with a minimum of information and to the point! FYI though, responsible leadership Rabbi’s who call him, recieve a full and open background briefing to the very last detail. He sees no need to repudiate any untrue statements regardless where they come from. As a side note, to be Yoitze the FOIA act, just today people from Lakewood revealed more episodes of loose STERNS labels (With the Volover Hechsher) in store.
My father ZT”L, a big talmid chacham, went to work at the OK over 40 years ago as a mashgiach. He quit his job after a short time. When asked why, he said,
“I will not sell my neshama (soul) for this job. I will find another parnassa.”
Apparently, he did not want to be a part of any heterim whatsoever, and did not want to be the one to shoulder any responsibility.
He taught us that the field of kashrus is very complicated, and he watched whatever went into his mouth. Of course in those days it was easier, there was no take out food.
No one asked the volver rov shlita for the details of why he is giving hashgocho on Korns-in essence they trusted him.So why question the removal?asuume he had his reasons.Reasonable people and Rabbonim are entitled to thier opinions
I can’t get over how people think they have the right to know everything. Everyone is an armchair talmid chochom but forget some basic midos in the process. Lets’s see, we have loshon horah, sinas chinam, laytzanus and many more.
Eat Korns, don’t eat Korns-that is your choice.
Here’s something to think about: What’s the connection between Parshios Shemini and Tazria-Metzora? Shmini talks about what you can eat (hilchos kashrus), Tazria-Metzora talks about what happens to someone who speaks loshon horah. As careful as you are about what you put into your mouth- you need to watch what comes out! Stop badmouthing people.
The OK is saying that the kashruth at Korn’s is without any problems. While they use the word “puzzling” to describe the Volover’s behavior, they are essentially saying he is lying about his claim that Larome et. al. has kashruth problems. This Volover now appears to be a loose cannon who has some agenda and should be ignored by frumme yidden.
Money will always buy another hechsher! If the public would only know, though what they don’t know they think doesn’t hurt them. Nu Nu!
Here is my take on this interview and I give it with many years in the industry.
As far as the labels in PathMark, if the labels with the Volover Ruv’s hechsher went to PathMark without written or even verbal permission, it makes no difference if G-d Himself was the Mashgiach there, that IS a violation.
As for the OK not placing an announcment in the paper about losing or dropping the hashgocha if they are picked up by another agency… THAT IS 100% BULL!! They do it all the time. The company leaving the OK could be picked up any any reputable hechesher and usually the OK will place an advert in the papers. I am not saying they should also mention that it is being picked up by another reputable hechsher because that gives credence to others.
I have had personal interaction with the Volover Ruv Shlita and if he says there was an issue no matter who “simple” the uneducated may think it is, then THERE WAS AN ISSUE. The Volover Ruv Shlita wants good hashgochas and if there ever turns out to be what he considers a breach, he WILL drop the hashgocha. He doesnt care about the money involved and as a Kashrus Pro I respect him greatly for that!
I have been on the receiving end of his ire when I had to stand in for someone at the last minute and it was done without the Ruv’s knowledge. He blew a gasket rightfully so and wasnt going to accept the production. He was angry at our organization for many years until BH I was able to straighten it out with him when we met someplace. Since then I have spoken to him and his questions and concerns about products coming out of my plant are tzim zach.
There are not too many of the heimishe chasidishe hoyer than thou hashgochas out there who mamesh care about the items they are approving. I could list you items that I know of that the holyer than thou hashgocha has NEVER asked the OK, OU, Kof-K, etc., about despite the product containing EXTREMLY sensitive ingredients. SHAME ON THEM!
Shame on the people who eat from these Hechsherim only because of the Loshon HaKodesh letters on the labels!!
Shame on these Rabonim for allowing stickers with their names to be placed on the products without at least looking into them.
Shame on the distributors of these products who make use of the yiddish numin or a rebbele who knows nothing about kashrus just to make a buck!
For the most part, the people who “only eat from heimishe hechsherim” would do better if they cut out the malarky and ate from the rebutable hechsherim such as the OU, OK, Kof-K, cRc Chicago, etc.
Doesn’t a hashgacha mean you are relying on the Rov that it is or is not kosher. Seemingly a lot of your comments sould like they only accept the Hashgacha if it is kosher not if the Rav Hamachshir says the reverse. ‘Rak ain yiras elokim bamakom hazeh.’
This must be the most confusing ‘clarification” i have ever heard. This guy didnt explain anything except that hes ‘puzzled’ by the volover rov. Whoopsie…..Why is it we trust the volover rov to “give” the hashgocha but wont trust him when he takes it off ??
Well, me personally when I have to decide who I trust more Volova vs. CRC & OK? I say no doubt Volova! and as far as I know most people that I know agree with me on this, this Volover Rav is serious business as far as I’m concerned. I’m not saying that they sold non kosher stuff but if Volover Rav says they falsified labels I take his word 100%! altough I feel like an idiot while some people are so smart and can tell you a bunch of conspiracy theories that everything is just politics & money motivated and merely a power struggle etc. but if you go in to details with these Oiber Chachamin you are basically not surprised even a bit to see that they are just full of hot air, and have literally no clue what they are talking about besides trying to act like a Chochom who is such a genious, that he came to the Gevaldige conclusion… that everything is money & politics. And I will say it again, if I see the volover writing that labels were falsified I take his word, end of story! and I will proudly remain the Naive & ignorant one who just can’t comprehend the fact that these days all it matters is just money & politics.