Comments on: Gefilte fish, Mr. Ambassador? http://jcarrot.org/gefilte-fish-mr-ambassador/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:25:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Larry Baitch http://jcarrot.org/gefilte-fish-mr-ambassador/#comment-1497 Larry Baitch Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:54:56 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/gefilte-fish-mr-ambassador/#comment-1497 This is a problem for anyone who wishes to treat anyone to a "nice" meal at a kosher restaurant. Aside from a few cities with Vaads aggresively trying to attract kosher businesses (e.g. Baltimore, New York)kosher restaurants are generally a disgrace and definitely an embarassment. Many are filthy, the service slow and the employees often surly. What motivation is there for the owners to improve? There is no impetus from their Vaads (certification is not based on cleanliness and service, only kashrut) and often they are the only game in town for someone who wants to eat a meal outside the house. That is a problem, not only for families who keep kosher but for businesspeople, politicians or anyone who wishes to host non-Jews in an attractive, pleasant environment. As an Orthodox Jew I understand the rationale from both sides of the "Kosher Ambassador" argument, but I think that the influential Rabbaim in the US should address the problem. -Larry Baitch This is a problem for anyone who wishes to treat anyone to a “nice” meal at a kosher restaurant. Aside from a few cities with Vaads aggresively trying to attract kosher businesses (e.g. Baltimore, New York)kosher restaurants are generally a disgrace and definitely an embarassment. Many are filthy, the service slow and the employees often surly.

What motivation is there for the owners to improve? There is no impetus from their Vaads (certification is not based on cleanliness and service, only kashrut) and often they are the only game in town for someone who wants to eat a meal outside the house.

That is a problem, not only for families who keep kosher but for businesspeople, politicians or anyone who wishes to host non-Jews in an attractive, pleasant environment.

As an Orthodox Jew I understand the rationale from both sides of the “Kosher Ambassador” argument, but I think that the influential Rabbaim in the US should address the problem.

-Larry Baitch

]]> By: Dan Aviv http://jcarrot.org/gefilte-fish-mr-ambassador/#comment-1487 Dan Aviv Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:31:24 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/gefilte-fish-mr-ambassador/#comment-1487 “Keeping kosher has preserved the people of Israel,” Yishai told Livni. ... Gee ! I thought it was the Shabbat that has preserved the people of Israel. This concept could spawn a mad-lib style shibboleth game where folks can vote on what is the source of Israel's preservation! “Keeping kosher has preserved the people of Israel,” Yishai told Livni.

… Gee ! I thought it was the Shabbat that has preserved the people of Israel.

This concept could spawn a mad-lib style shibboleth game where folks can vote on what is the source of Israel’s preservation!

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