AJN WATCH - the on-line voice of Australian Orthodox Jewry observes and comments on matters of interest to that community. We particularly monitor prejudice and monopolistic abuse of influence in the pages of the Australian Jewish News - the main source of information to and about Australian Jewry. We spotlight errors, expose misrepresentations and vigorously advocate our community's positions.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Community pranked by Yavneh year-12 students
One has to hand it to today’s youth – they sure come up with some smart ideas.
The above letter spread around town like wildfire on Monday and by the feedback received here at AJNWatch most were hoodwinked into believing that it was genuine.
And why not? Everything in that letter could have actually been stated by Roy Steinman and/or the school board. And no doubt they would, even there wouldn’t be the Mizrachi connection to Kosher Australia.
And after all, most of them do not deny that they quite happily partake in foods and establishments approved by Kosher veYosher. (We suggest that readers see for themselves next time they are out shopping at Kraus, Alex or Tempo etc.)
As we hear it, KV’s supervision is not aimed at the Adass or Yeshiva market but indeed the Mizrachi/Yavneh modern orthodox crowd, who seek more lifestyle opportunities to expand their eating practices.
The Galus Australis blog also features this clever hoax and has quite a few comments. Here is one that we thought was interesting:
Malki Rose says:
...A good chunk of people spent recent days wanting to congratulate either Mizrachi or Roy Steinman personally on a decision many of them referred to as “finally common sense has prevailed”, making reference to their joy at seeing the end of all the “political nonsense”.
Many of them felt stupid and embarassed when they found out it was a prank. They no longer saw the letter as brilliant or clever or remotely funny. I think they felt disappointed that it hadn’t been so.… and concerned that the letter had caused many of them to ‘out’ themselves as closetted supporters of KVY.
Funnily enough, I received several very excited emails from brand new clients one after the other enquiring about making an order, just before I found about this and didn’t quite understand why the sudden interest in ordering from MWL.
Eventually I saw a copy of the letter and wondered if this had been why…
- Guess what? Yesterday afternoon all these “new” clients emailed me to say, rather apologetically, that they would not be seeking my services after all.
Interesting, if nothing else. I guess its back in the ‘kashrut closet’ they go….. at least until the adults come to the same conclusion as a group of 17 year old, alleged, children.
Smart kids those Yavnehites. But there is obviously a lot of truth in what they wrote in that letter.
ReplyDeleteThru my kids I know a number of students in Yavneh and they don't give a hoot at what some of their rabbis say about Kosher veyosher. Just check out who is eating at Lord of Fries and Soho
There are definitely some people who eat at both SOHO and Lord Of The Fries. It was interesting to see the wife and daughter of one of the Adass communities most prominent members eating at the Lord Of The Fries in Chadstone.
ReplyDeleteCan we assume that the Rabbonim in Adass who haven't come out against Kosher veyosher initiatives are in favour of his Kashrus
Does this mean that the Rabbis in Mizrachi are more stringent?
I am not sure how stringent the rabbis in adass are compared to mizrachi. But at least they haven't turned this into a personal brawl with Rabi.
ReplyDeleteIt's seems plain to all of us that the Mizrachi-employed rabbis are concerned about competition and nothing else. They long have a habit of badmouthing every other supervision in Austraia - from NSWKA, to Adass and more recently KV.
Sorry fellas, it's not gonna help you. The vast majority of Australian Jews will partake in food under the supervision of any of these organisations, as they hold that they are all of equal value.
All the attacks on RMR achieve is that the younger generation loses whatever respect they have for all rabbis. And that definitely doesn't lead to more kashrut observance.
B'H
ReplyDeleteUnless it has the Kosher Australia approval, don't think I will be eating there. I mean how reliable is the maishgir and how can you check the shops with a lot of goyim working there who know very little about Kashrut. No.
Ilana that is your prerogative. I happen to trust rabbi Rabi at least as much as I do some of the other supervising rabbis. As for your problem with goyim, then you shouldn't be eating from 90% of teh establishments approved by KA.
ReplyDeleteB'H
ReplyDeleteActually there are not that many KA approved places and I do eat at home more than most. I think Zavdiel's and Amalya's do have both Jewish and non Jewish staff, and I eat at both those places. Are you going to tell me that there is a Jewish person who knows the basics of Kashrut at the Flinders Street Station outlet of Lord of the Fries every minute of its opening time. I know for a fact that in both the KA approved places I mention above, there is a frum Jew present 100 % of the time. Having you insinuate that I have a problem with goyim puts another quite ugly slant on your comment. My advice to you is to grow and get a life.
If nothing else, the chutzpah towards Sarah Imeinu should have tipped people off.
ReplyDelete