Jerusalem – A new bill seeks to require kashrut certificates for restaurants open on Shabbat, as long as the food they serve is kosher.
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Ynetnews.com (http://bit.ly/1aXkKLK) reports that the proposal’s initiator, Knesset Member Elazar Stern, also states there is a need for law preventing rabbis from requiring that restaurants seeking a kashrut certificate must observe other religious mitzvot as well.
The suggested amendment to the Kashrut Fraud Prevention Law has already been submitted to the Knesset.
According to the proposal, when a rabbi examines the kashrut of food before providing an inspection certificate, he will not think about other considerations, for example, whether the business is open on Shabbat, the owner’s religious affiliation or opinions, performances or ceremonies held on the premises, etc. Rabbis who violate this order will face a four-month jail term or a fine.
For businesses open on Shabbat, the bill states that the restaurant must separate between sets of dishes so that utensils used during the rest of the week are not used on the Jewish holy day.
And who will ascertain that they’re not using the same dishes? And will the mashgiach periodically pop in on shabbos? Is this the general level of non-mehadrin kashrus in Israel that so many people eat from?
But of course there is no trend, Bennet, Lapid, Stav?
I hope the kashrus agencies especially the govt kashrus agency – the rabanutt – tell the Knesset to shove it.
MK Eliazer Stern the writer of this bill is a proud member of the M.O community in Israel.
So the Dat Lumi slide into Reformism is well underway.
yes folks the world is coming to an end….what is this guy thinking? hes worse then czarist russia?
There have always been restaurants and Hotels open on Shabos and Yom Tov. What is being changed is that I assume the hashgacha can not hinge upon whether they take money on Shaboss.
PS: Even very frum Hotels run backroom operations on Shaboss in Yerushalyim!
Hmm, now they are controlling how the rabbis should pasken. you bet the world is coming to an end.
I’m with them 100%. Just one stipulation. Needs to declare next to the certification ; shomer or mechalel shabbos.
It has become the trend in NYC as well. The kashrut of the restaurant becomes questionable, politics or religious affiliation of the owner aside. It’s the Rabbi’s responsibility. Don’t know what is happening to us! We are being controlled by the anti-religion movement. Scary and very sad indeed!
On its face, this proposal is wrought with government impingement on religious liberty and practice, paternalism and a stunning ignorance of Kashrus and certification. Kashrus isn’t just a set of ingredients, it is the meticulous preparation and supervision of foods in a halachically prescribed manner. That Halacha specifies the what, who, when and where. It is oxymoronic for the Knesset to demand Kashrus according to the Knesset’s rules of perceived kosher status.
Furthermore the idea that the legislature (Knesset) can compel a Rav to give a Hashgacha against his religious beliefs is unconscionable. Moreover, the preparing of food on the Sabbath constitutes a violation of Halacha and cannot (in good conscience and) according to halacha be endorsed, certified or otherwise approved.
However, if there is a silver lining; it’s that Israelis, even secular ones, still yearn to eat kosher and seek ways to minimize their eating of ‘Tarfus’. This is a precious moment in which the Religious community can serve to educate the masses on the aspects of Kashrus and the importance of Shabbos. Don’t let it go to waste. Focus on the positive…
Isn’t meleches Shabbos assur, thus making the food not permissible to eat?
Not exactly kosher. But hey, knowledge of halachah, is obviously not a requirement to get into knesset. Nor, it seems is any knowledge at all.
It will never work…frum yidden demand a top of the line chassideshe hashgacha and no legitimate mashgiach from a major chassidus will travel to a restaurant and work on Shabbos. I’m sure they can find some litvish mashgiach but that would defeat the purpose of finding some way to circumvent the kashruth requirments.
I thought good cooked on shabbos is by definition non kosher? kind of an oxymoron. Our just pain moronic
Reply to 13. You trying to start a religious war (literally! )