Vaad L'Shomrei Mesoret

For five years now, the "Vaad for the Keepers of Tradition" (Vaad L'Shomrei Mesoret) has certified establishments in Israel. Founded by Tuvia Movshovitz--a baal teshuva who had worked in kashrus for a leading Israeli hashgacha, only to "return to questioning"--the Vaad certifies establishments as "kosher without frills." Movshovitz, no longer commited to halacha, decided to use his acquired skills in servicing the so-called "Traditional" Jew in Israel, interested in kosher but not Shabbos. Initially, he certified establishments which were kosher but wanted to stay open for business on Shabbos. In that role he has helped many establishments to fight in the courts against the Chief Rabbinate's hold on kosher standards for eating establishments.

Today, however, the Chief Rabbinate has issued a damaging statement about the actual standards of Movshovitz's Vaad. Included in the July statement issued by Rabbi Yaakov Sebbag, head of the Kashrus Department of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, based upon a recent investigation made by the Rabbinate, are the following:

1. The kitchen in Mitzabarei Walkin, which until now had been certified by the Chief Rabbinate, is no longer kosher-certified by the Rabbinate, but is now certified by the Vaad. Whereas until now a mashgiach was present six hours each day, the Vaad requires only two hours per week.

2. Most of Movshovitz's certified establishments are open on Shabbos for cash business.

3. In several Vaad establishments, non-kosher meat was found.

4. In addition, the basics of kashrus, such as avoiding non-Jewish cooking, vegetable inspection, and not using meat left unwatched, were not tended to at all.

Despite the Vaad's lack of kosher standards, they have succeeded in attracting several dozen establishments which they "certify." Travelers to Israel, please beware!

Couscous Concerns

Couscous is a popular precooked semolina product, edible just as it comes from the package. It is not an extruded product like pasta. The temperature it is cooked at is about 100 degrees (for 15 minutes). Couscous is not used straight out of the box, but typically is cooked further.

These facts may possibly present a bishul akum concern for production. At present, we know of no kashrus agency which controls for bishul akum at plants making couscous. (There is a couscous-like product from Osem which the label calls "Couscous," but that is really an uncooked pasta product. The pieces are smooth--not rough the way real couscous is.)

The temperature of 100 degrees (which was provided to us by manufacturers) is just below the 110 degrees that is considered cooking by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein--others use 113-120º as the entry level of bishul--but it is likely that our investigation, not yet complete, could substantiate that slightly higher temperatures are actually used.

Even if there is a concern for bishul akum at production because of the cooking, many authorities would permit its use, since, although completely edible out of the box, traditionally it is cooked again by the consumer. Halacha says that if a Jew is involved in the cooking at a time before the product is to be eaten, then there is no bishul akum. Some even use this reasoning to permit the use of cereals which are never eaten without milk.

Whatever is finally decided, KASHRUS advises readers to discuss this issue with their rabbis, and requests kashrus agencies who certify or use couscous to take note.

Liver Laws

Liver is not a soaked and salted product. All liver needs broiling.

Unfortunately, the word "Kosher" in Hebrew is branded on the meat at slaughter, reflecting that the slaughter was kosher. This branding is sometimes visible on the slice of liver sold unbroiled in your butcher, something which is probably illegal.

Even broiled liver should not be cooked or sauteed unless you can determine that the broiling took place within three days of slaughter. Few butchers post this information for the consumer--information which they may easily have available.

Few kosher shoppers know that nearly all fresh or frozen chicken livers are to be considered as being three days old, precluding, according to most opinions, cooking them or even sauteeing them after they are broiled. Consult your rabbi for instructions.

This summer, one frantic reader called KASHRUS when he discovered that liver was being barbequed for him while the liver sat in an aluminum pan, literally cooking in its own blood. Unfortunately, we could not save his supper, but maybe we will be able to help others.

Lactose Intolerant?