Like most of our readers, we never heard of the Zanuba restaurant. It doesn't seem to appear on the lists of supervised eateries of Adass, KA or Kosher veYosher.
Helpfully their advertisement in the AJN included their website which we checked out.
“Open 7 days a week”. Not a good start.
Then we had a look at their extensive menu and we reproduce some of the options that guests may request while listening to Yuval Rotem view's on “a range of issues”.
Egg and bacon sandwich on turkish bread
BLT bacon, lettuce, tomato w/mayo on turkish
BLAT bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomato w/mayo on turkish bread
Ham, tasty cheese & fresh tomato
Grilled tomato spinach, 2 slices on bacon, leg ham,
Steak open sandwich w/mustard mayo, lettuce, tomato, caramelised onion, on pane toscana w/chips (extra bacon, cheese)
Creamy garlic prawns cooked in dry white wine, fresh garlic & cream
Caesar salad w/bacon, poached egg, cos lettuce & anchovy dressing
Seafood linguini w/ prawns, salmon, calamari and scampi cooked in white wine
Linguini carbonara w/bacon, onion, white wine, grana padana,
Burger w/egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, caramalised onion & corn relish
Chicken fillet burger w/bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion & corn relish
(One thing we can say about Zanuba; the do not make any claims to being “Kosher-aware”, "Kosher-friendly" or “Kosher-style”.)
We seemed to recall that Israeli diplomats were ordered to stick to Kosher – at least in public. Here's a Reuters report we found from 2007:
Here's a link to another article about Israeli government regulations.
Who is organizing this dinner ?
ReplyDeleteThe ad doesn't seem to indicate who is behind this. Most probably the restaurant itself who offered Rotem and family a free meal. Just guessing but I doubt that he would be taking money for this gig.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the case I agree with the post that it is quite disgraceful for an official Israeli diplomat to be used as a drawcard for a chazir-treif restairant.
I have seen the ambassador and family shopping at Kraus (surrounded by body-guards) so obviously he isn't against kosher food - in principle.
ReplyDeleteBut why would he allow himself to be the drawcard for a ham joint?
Who knows? Maybe a mossad operation
As we come to the time of remebering the churban, followed by Elul and Y'mei Ha-din, could AJNWatch help us to remember our own failings, rather than making us feel smug about the errors of others?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Yeah, right. don't mention that the israeli ambassador is being used as bait to attract jews to eating treif. that's not our problem and we don't care.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe we'll care in nissan and iyar - but definitely not in tammuz, av, ellel or tishri.
as long as we and our families eat kosher - everything is hunky dory
Get off your high-horse. If you don't like it, then don't go. He can eat wherever he wants. The AJN seems to pick and choose what to report on. I see adverts in the AJN for function venues which are "Kosher Friendly" (not kosher). They are happy to take their money for these adverts. If you cared so much, then you wouldn't advertise these venues. The average Jew could not care less what the ambassador eats.
ReplyDeleteDear AJN Watch,
ReplyDeleteThis secular Jew has many friends and Family that keep kosher and I fully respect their way of life and I would hope they also respect my choice not to keep a strictly kosher way of life.
The State of Israel and its diplomats represent all Jews in the diaspora whether they keep Kosher or not ,you should be more tolerant other wise you are stooping down to the level of Israel neighbors and the many intolerant Islamic countries around the globe.
Zanuba is not a Kosher restaurant so Jews that keep Kosher would never go there anyway, who knows maybe Ambassador Rotem doesn't even eat the food there if he does its his decision.
I doubt there will Pig or Bacon served in their 5 Course Banquet Israeli style meal. { However of course the meal will not be Kosher]
The owner of Zanuba ,Sharbel an Arab-Israel- has gone out of his way to support the Jewish state of Israel most days you will hear Hebrew songs playing in the background at Zanuba.
How many Jewish businesses would dare publicly support and promote Israel this day and age fearing for their lives and for their businesses , Sharbel should be congratulated for his effort and has set an example of what Jews should be doing.
You should have such courage as this man and his staff have shown.
Jews that are openly supporting our enemies here in Australia are causing a worse sin to their religion than those Jews that do not keep Kosher, that's for sure.
Get a Life
Michael.
Hi Michael, I agree with you that Sharbel should be congratulated for his support of Israel. If only we had more non-Jews like him.
ReplyDeleteHowever, i agree with the blog that the ambassador should be condemned for allowing himself (whether he partakes in non-kosher food or not) to be used to attract other Jews to a non-kosher venue.
And it is 100% right for this blog to bring this to the attention of the community
Thanks you for the details Michael .
ReplyDeleteI will certainly be recommending the Zanuba to my non jewish friends and business associates. And I hope that they too will do so. But I cannot approve pushing jews towards a tref establishemnt and agree that the Jewish news and ambassador Rotem shouldn't be doing so either.
But to Zanumba - kol hakavod
Surely this is a storm in a teacup. The proprietor put on an Israeli style meal, there was no pig or prawn on the menu and I ate vegetarian. Most of those in attendance were strong supporters of Israel and Jewish causes and eat at such establishments at all other times.
ReplyDeleteI agree that you should get a life.
I agree with everyone here.
ReplyDeleteZanuba can do as they like and the ambassador can also.
But then the blogmaster also has rights and if he feels that using an israel public servant as a drawcard for jews to eat at a non kosher location - he too has the right to protest or criticise.
Since when has criticism been banned in the Jewish community?
Good so we all have rights and all agree to disagree ,what a great country we have ,just thank G- d we don't live in Hamasastan, Afganastan, Baluchastan , I-Ran or what ever.
ReplyDeleteMichael.....
Ps for what's it worth the fish was great!
The defence of the original post has now become "saving Jews from the nichshol of eating trief". That's certainly not how it comes across; it is clearly directed at censuring the ambassador and saying what a bad man he is.
ReplyDeleteThat is why I said above that pointing out how bad other people are is not the best way to prepare for Y'mei Ha-din. Actually it's amongst the worst.
'directed at censuring the ambassador and saying what a bad man he is.'
ReplyDeleteCensuring, yes, Where do you see anything about him being a bad man?
Hochiach tochiach is a miztva from the torah and maybe this blog will be the reason that before he agrees to publicly support a non kosher function, Mr ambassador will think twice. And that will certainly be a good thing.
My rabbi discussed this matter at a shiur and he stated that quite clearly a representative of the Jewish state being promoted at a treif affair (for Jews) is a chilul hashem and he plans to discuss this with his rabbinical colleagues.
I hate to give you some bad news guys you obviously are not aware but we Jews [ that is Zionist Jews] not anti Zionist or S.H .J 's have very few friends in Australia so if one of our few friends and he happens to be of Arab/ Christian background put his b-lls on the line and wave the blue and white flag, you know the one with the Star of David in the center I would be highly grateful.
ReplyDeleteBetter you guys fight another battle worth fighting for?
Michael.
So Michael, tell us, is Israel's situation so low and so bad that it needs to stoop to having it's ambassador being used as a drawcard for a treif joint? (Even if the owner is one of our few Arab mates?)
ReplyDeleteAnd what if the catholic archbishop said some nice things about israel - will Rotem attend a service at St Patricks?
Ginger I hate to tell you mate but just like in the 1930's and 40's there were Jews like you I presume law abiding, human rights activists , good Jews, Rabbis, Chazans Kosher keeping and it didn't matter a rats arse they all went to the place the other non kosher , secular Jews went and never came back.
ReplyDeleteHistory is starting to repeat it self only this time we have a different enemy Many of their leaders have made it quite clear they would like to finish off what the Germans and their allies couldn't and this time around these guys unfortunately have many Jewish allies that live amongst us.
I suggest you appreciate those around you that are wiling to risk their lives and livelihood to support a Jewish State where those that wish to keep Kosher as they should have the right to do and can do so with out fear.
So I repeat
ReplyDeleteAnd what if the catholic archbishop said some nice things about israel - will Rotem attend a service at St Patricks?
Ginger have you ever heard of 'self survival' perhaps you should just relax , bend your rules or just look the other way sometimes in order to live another day.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are not one of those Nutra Karta mashooganas religious Jews like your self I suspect they also would not accept me as being Jewish because I am secular. The difference between you and me is I fully respect your way of life and your strict observance to Jewish law.
As far as Ambassador Rotem attending a service at St Patricks [ if it suited Israels cause ] no problem he doesn't have to eat there but I would object him going to a Mosque that's for sure.
You object to a mosque but not to to a bacon joint.
ReplyDeleteAh well, I suppose at least you have SOME standards. Probably better than none.