Dough! D’oh!
Given the controversy surrounding Iggy’s in Sydney, one suspects that Pesach can’t come soon enough for the NSW Kashrut Authority.
After an apparent volte-face which saw them questioning the kashrut of Iggy’s bread one minute and then giving their blessing to a function at which said bread was served the next, they’ll presumably be heaving a sigh of relief that, come the chag, bread, from any bakery, is off the menu and there’ll be an eight-day period of respite before they have to start worrying about kosher consumers buying it again.
In the meantime, our hearts go out to those members of our community whose personal Pesach exoduses were scuppered when their trip to the Promised Land of Surfers Paradise was cancelled.
It was less a case of Gold Coast than Golden Calf for the would-be travellers, who invested both their hopes and hard-earned money into a dream getaway which turned out to be something of a false idol, or indeed a false idyll.
We hope all those who had been hoping to flee the slavery of the stovetop – kashering their homes for Pesach, purchasing pricey Pesach products and preparing huge Pesach feasts for family and friends – will easily be able to make alternative arrangements, so the holiday can really be a holiday for them, even if they’re not celebrating seder at the seaside.
Indeed, as the first night of the festival edges ever closer and we all get caught up in the manic rush to change all our dishes and stock the shelves of our pantries with matzah and macaroons, we pray that the 11th plague which strikes all Israelites at this time of year – the cost of kosher for Pesach shopping – isn’t too harsh.
Traditionally, of course, we at The AJN have tried to ease the burden for our readers in the run-up to the festival by publishing a price comparison article featuring a range of products purchased at key kosher outlets.
The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed, however, that no such report appears in this week’s issue. In the spirit of the chag, you may be asking, “Why is this year different from all other years?”
Well, simply stated, it became apparent over the last few Pesachs that healthy competition has seen stores slashing prices in the lead-up to yom tov, so between our reporters visiting the retailers and the paper reaching you, the reader, the prices had all changed.
Apologies to those of you who were looking forward to our annual cost comparison. But rest assured, if we are able to find a store where you can buy a kid for two zuzim, we will let you know.
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