13 august 2007

There have been unconfirmed reports, as of august 2007, that the cafeteria now has a mehadrin hechsher again. Anyone possessing more precise information is asked to provide additional details so they can be posted in this space.

1. In the past, the faculty cafeteria in the irgun hasegel building had a mehadrin hechsher of the Ramat Gan rabbanut.

2. Under the current management of Mr. Yishai Rachtman, the cafeteria no longer uses cholov yisrael cheese and bug-free lettuce. It no longer has a mehadrin hechsher. The faculty and the larger public have not been informed of the change.

3. We will try to signal as promptly as possible any future change in the kashrus status of the cafeteria.

Practical advice concerning bug-free vegetables:

4. The situation with insect infestation in vegetables has gotten much worse in recent years. The prohibition against eating insects may involve an issur de'oraisa. Certain insects (certain grasshoppers) were specifically allowed, and in fact the Teimanim have a masoret of eating them. But concerning the bugs found in vegetables, Rav Wye did a considerable amount of research on this, and the conclusions are quite clear, even though they may go against earlier practices that were common in a completely different situation.

5. Gush Katif products are bug-free. They are currently available on the market. My wife served them last shabbos, including lettuce. It is virtually impossible to get rid of all the bugs in non-supervised lettuce, by merely washing it, in my experience.

6. Gush Katif does not have a monopoly on bug-free lettuce. Generally, whatever has the hashgacha of Rav Wye mentioned on it, is reliable, whether or not it is Gush Katif. Some reliable pre-washed vegetables appear under the Badatz Eida Charedit Yerushalayim hechsher.

7. Do you think the irgun hasegel should distribute an email to the faculty list at LISTSERV@listserv.biu.ac.il, to inform the public of the change in the hashgacha at the cafeteria? Please let me know at katzmik@macs.removethis.biu.andthis.ac.il

8. Read all about the regular flies here ("raw nuts" should be replaced by "chocolate vat")



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