Sydney to have second hechsher
The Kashrut Authority (KA) has rejected the findings of the Kashrut Commission of Inquiry, which examined the state of kashrut in Sydney.
The result, as per the KCI report, will be the establishment of a second permanent hechsher in Sydney.
“Each of the KCI recommendations even upon superficial examination are shown to be flawed,” the KA said in a statement today (Thursday).
The statement said the KA will continue to offer the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and opportunity to participate with the KA, the Sydney Beth Din will remain the halachic decision maker of the KA and Rabbi Moshe Gutnick will remain the KA’s Rabbinic Administrator.
“We will do our best to continue to serve the community and to live up to our motto – ‘making keeping kosher easy’,” the statement said.
” If kosher consumers want integrity and only one kashrut, it is time to make your voices heard in supporting the KA.”
The KCI, which released a report last month, said the KA needs structural reform and lacks transparency in relation to operations and finances.
It also states that the community is not properly represented on the KA board, that the KA’s decision to force kosher establishments to use one or two suppliers when it comes to meat “is not based on halachic considerations” and that wholesale meat prices are 30 per cent lower in Victoria.
It further notes that “the KCI is of the opinion that prima facie there are questions about the financial condition of the KA” and that a “conflict of interest situation arose in the past, and currently exists, in relation to the KA which is not in the best interest of the community”.
The conflict of interest is in relation to KA rabbinic administrator Rabbi Moshe Gutnick, who is also the rabbinic administrator for Kashrus Australasia. Both organisations have the same initials, both purport to serve the same geographical areas, “Australia, New Zealand and Asia/Pacific” and Kashrus Australasia’s contact details include Rabbi Gutnick’s home address, mobile number and KA email address.
The report said the KA must revamp itself by March 13 or a second kosher hechsher would be started in Sydney.
More to come in next week’s AJN.
JOSHUA LEVI
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