Kosher Australia small-mindedness?

Received from Sydney reader JW:

I am a longstanding subscriber of the Sydney Kashrut group KCA who really do an excellent job in advising and assisting Kosher consumers here.

Today I received the following email from them:

From: KCA_Sydney@yahoogroups.com On Behalf Of KCA_Committee
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2011 11:39 PM
To: KCA_Sydney@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [KCA Sydney] Coles brand canned tunas

Twenty-one varieties of Coles brand canned tuna marked "Made in/Product of Thailand" are kosher certified pareve by the Orthodox Union.  They are acceptable even without the OU symbol.

The list includes four Smart Buy Tunas (in brine and in vegetable oil) and seventeen Coles Tuna cans (in olive oil, brine, springwater, sandwich style, and pole & line chunks).

Kosher Australia (Melbourne) issued the full list to its subscribers prior to Rosh Hashanah.  It is important to note that only those varieties actually listed both by name and can size are acceptable.

Kosher Australia also recently issued a list of fifteen John West Tunas which are kosher certified pareve when marked "Product of Thailand".

For information on these products contact Kosher Australia Pty Ltd, email info@kosher.org.au; tel 03-8317 2500.

Note that the list of products certified by Kosher Australia may not be reproduced without permission. (Highlighted by JW)

KCA Committee

That last line really bothers me.

If the aim of Kosher Australia is to promote and grow Kashrut in Australia, shouldn't they rather be encouraging the reproduction of their advices - new approved items and warnings regarding non-Kosher products?

Could this be an attempt by Kosher Australia to force people to subscribe to their Kashrut Directory? Very possible. But why should those of us who live in NSW and receive to the NSWKA directory cough up another $50? (And did Kosher Australia pay OU for giving them the information?)

I also wonder, if there is  another Kashrut organisation anywhere that bans publication of its information? As I see it, the most respected ones, eg, OU, OK London BD, CRC, all publicise their findings on the net - for all to see and benefit. And so too does our own Kashrut Authority. In my humble opinion, if Kosher Aust wish to be taken seriously they must work on their image to show that they are not 'moneyhungry'. 

I was attracted to Kashrut many years ago when some Chabadniks approached me and explained that they were following the demand by their Rebbe to educate Jews about Kashrut. No doubt many other "non-Kosher" Jews were also influenced by this campaign. Thus I am doubly upset when learning that all the main players in the Melbourne Kosher scene are Chabadniks. Maybe someone should pass on their Rebbe's message to them too.

Kosher kvetchers: What next? The pilot should remind them about Yaaleh Veyavo?

                                    

Instead of appreciating that they can get a Kosher meal whilst flying, it seems that some travellers expect Qantas to keep one eye on the Jewish calendar and another on the Shulchan Aruch.

Really, did those whingers expect Qantas to inform all employees to keep an eye out for 'forbidden' (Kosher) meat meals?

And then what? Captain announcements for Yaaleh Veyavo and Al HaNissim? A Shofar after Shachris in the month of Ellul?


(And not a little bit hypocritical of the AJN, as they continue to publicise “glatt treif” food establishments – week after week.)

COSV RE COSTCO KOSHER PRODUCTS

As some earlier comments show, there is some concerns  for the local Jewish food stores, being undercut by the "Big American". So the question is, are we happy that consumers will be getting a better deal? Or should we focus on the damage that Costco may do to our established kosher vendors?

20,000 families in Australia actively buying Kosher?

Melbourne Kosher Consumer's Guest Post:

I have nothing but praise for KA's work in the Kashrut field. They do much good without the need to go right over the top.
Thus when I received the following email from Yankel Wajsbort today, I was a bit stunned. Exhorting consumers to call (harass?) food manufacturers is one thing. But asking them to use dodgy and ridiculous figures is a different ballgame altogether.
“If they are not Kosher, ask them why they haven’t looked at Kosher certification – there are 20,000 Australian families who actively buy Kosher”
20,000 families! That would mean some 100,000 souls – or almost 100% of Australia’s Jewish population.
Yes, it would be wonderful if such was the case. But sadly, this is far from the truth, and I am surprised that Yankel isn’t aware of this.

Sure, everyone should join in the campaign to improve Kashrut in Australia and increase product availability, but please keep in mind “Mid’var sheker tirchak”.

Rabbis "respectfully" request Kosher functions

Looks like the letters of Mr David Ainsworth and Rabbi Chaim Ingram (published here on AJN Watch) have Baruch Hashem awakened Australia's rabbinical establishment from their slumber. And not a moment too early. Better late than never…

But we are not convinced that “appealing respectfully” to local Jewish organizations to make their affairs “kosher-only” will do the job. Rabbis, rabbinical organizations, orthodox shuls and of course our Kashrut organizations must become far more outspoken and forceful by taking a hard line against any group that hosts treif functions. This is the only way that they will achieve the aim.

There is absolutely no reason for any organization not to use the services of one of the many excellent and reputable Kosher caterers that we have. They offer high-class food and prices that are close enough to what is charged by treif food vendors. (Not that price should in any way be the deciding factor.)

Another very important sector whose voice should be raised in protests are the wealthy frum Jews of our communities. There are dozens of such families in Melbourne and Sydney and they have a duty to use their influence (and money) for this holy endeavor. They are regularly invited to attend communal functions where, if they are lucky, the organizers are “kind enough” to supply them with “special Kosher meals” - as if they were airline passengers.

These financially fortunate people should clearly assert themselves and take a firm hard line by notifying all organizations that they will refuse to attend any event where treif food is served.

So over to you our “ashirim”. Hashem has been good to you. Now it’s pay-back time.