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Jul 29, 2014
ensuring the food sent to soldiers in south is kosher
One of the problems with the tremendous outpouring of solidarity and support from the people of Israel for the soldiers down in and around Gaza is the kashrut of the food sent to the soldiers.
The IDF Rabbinate has decided that they have to figure out how to keep track of the food that is being sent to soldiers to ensure that it is kosher. To that end they have turned to kashrut supervisors from around the country to assist in keeping track of the food donations sent to soldiers in the south.
Specifically they ask the mashgichim to inform them about businesses that donate food for the soldiers. This information, what business is donating what food and if they are supervised by a kashrut organization, will help the mashgichim in the field better control what food is brought to the soldiers and ensure that the food brought is kosher.
source: Ladaat
While the IDF Rabbinate letter to mashgichim refers to food donated by businesses, restaurants and catering halls around the country, it seems to me that that is a relatively controllable situation. The more difficult part is the food sent by private people. How do soldiers know if the food they receive is kosher or not, and how can the mashgichim and IDF Rabbinate know?
this must be a major task on the Rabbanut...
The IDF Rabbinate has decided that they have to figure out how to keep track of the food that is being sent to soldiers to ensure that it is kosher. To that end they have turned to kashrut supervisors from around the country to assist in keeping track of the food donations sent to soldiers in the south.
Specifically they ask the mashgichim to inform them about businesses that donate food for the soldiers. This information, what business is donating what food and if they are supervised by a kashrut organization, will help the mashgichim in the field better control what food is brought to the soldiers and ensure that the food brought is kosher.
source: Ladaat
While the IDF Rabbinate letter to mashgichim refers to food donated by businesses, restaurants and catering halls around the country, it seems to me that that is a relatively controllable situation. The more difficult part is the food sent by private people. How do soldiers know if the food they receive is kosher or not, and how can the mashgichim and IDF Rabbinate know?
this must be a major task on the Rabbanut...
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Labels:
IDF,
kosher food,
Protective Edge,
Rabbanut,
soldiers
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I think it is an interesting question of how much does the Rabbanut Tzvait have to mix in? They are certainly responsible to ensure that everything supplied by Tzahal is kosher. That responsibility has existed since 1948, when Ben Gurion agreed with Rav Goren that all the food in the IDF must be kosher. But if a private citizen offers a soldier food, isn't up to the soldier to decide if he wants to eat it - l'kula or l'humra? I think it is analogous to soldiers bringing food from their own homes - something reservists especially do. I always did. And they share that food, despite the formal regulation limiting that. And I don't think the food police should interfere to that extent.
ReplyDeleteThe food we are talking about here is in addition to the IDF supplied basics. There is more than enough food down there. Our young neighbor reported the other day that his reserve unit is actually sending the food to others, including local Israeli civilians, because they have more food than they can handle. So the rabbinate can ensure that anything gov't supplied is kosher, and otherwise allow the soldiers to be responsible adults.
according to this article, they have received so much food, they throw plenty in the garbage.. it is just too much for them
Deletehttp://www.kikarhashabat.co.il/%D7%97%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9C-%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%97-%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95-%D7%A0%D7%96%D7%A8%D7%A7-%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%97.html