ira

Shmita debate: Tzohar may form alternative kashrut board


Group of modern Orthodox rabbis mulling establishing its own kashrut authority and granting kashrut certificates to businesses harmed by rabbinate's decision not to obligate municipal chief rabbis honor heter mechira practice

Kobi Nahshoni Published: 09.26.07, 21:26 / Israel Jewish Scene




In wake of the halachic debate surrounding the shmita year in Israel, the Tzohar organization is mulling forming an alternative kashrut authority that will grant kashrut certificates in cases where the local rabbinates refuse to do so.



Controversy

Lithuanian rabbis slam 'heter mechira' practice / Neta Sela

Practice that enables farmers to sell farmland to non-Jews during shmita year under attack by haredi rabbis
Full Story



The new plan came following the Chief Rabbinate's recent decision to allow local chief rabbis to determine whether or nor to honor the practice of heter mechira and grant kashrut certificates to restaurants or hotels that buy produce from farmers employing heter mechira.



Heter mechira is the sale of Israeli farmland to a non-Jew to avoid the prohibition of working the land in Israel during the shmita year.



Several municipal chief rabbis have already declared they would not grant kashrut certificates based on the heter mechira arrangement.



'Kashrut is the main casualty'

On Monday Tzohar, a group of modern Orthodox rabbis, convened an urgent meeting on the subject. Dozens of prominent Zionist rabbis attended. The organization's representatives have also met with a number of religious MKs to discuss the matter.



Tzohar is currently considering a proposal presented in the meeting to establish a private kashrut institution that would honor the practice of heter mechira. Furthermore, the organization is trying to promote legislation that would obligate the Chief Rabbinate to honor the practice.





A leading rabbi on Tzohar's board told Ynet that the group perceived the rabbinate's decision as a genuine threat to the issue of kashrut in general. He said that in many places, business owners preferred to give up their kashrut certificate because of their inability to meet the new requirements. "Those who took off their certificate from the wall will not ask for it back at the end of the shmita year," he stated.



"Kashrut is the main casualty, not business owners or consumers," he concluded

Livni

it is so ridiculous what they are doing if they want to give the ground a rest every 7 years why not split up the country into 7 zones and each year one of them will rest ?
this way all the problems of food supply will be solved.

enough with the orthodox stranglehold on religion it has to end.

__________________
Did you know - Israel's landscape is per size, the most diverse landscape on planet earth, with 4 climate regions, snow peaks to sandunes, unique flora, fauna & climates mixing and crossing over from 3continents. for example - 500 million(!) birds use Israel's sky to migrate twice a year from the northern hemisphere to the south and back.

ira

Philosophy is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat.




Metaphysics is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat that isn't there.




Religion is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat that isn't there and shouting
"I found it!"