Comments on: Home Plates

By: LeeT

LeeT — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:41:48 +0000

Sindyanna’s main aim seems to be helping to build up and develop Israeli Arab agriculture in the Galilee. They are members of IFAT (The International Fair Trade Association.) Their olive oil has organic and kosher certification. It is also really delicious.

By: Rabbi Shmuel

Rabbi Shmuel — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:56:42 +0000

we just had a bar mitzva and we used them _ I was concerned that they had to be shipped from CA – I had to make a cost benefit analysis if the educational component of our simcha and the awareness raising of using the plates would justify the burden on the carbon front occasioned by the cross country shipping – we chose to use them and they were very well received. We had to explain that they were compostable and biodegradable and not edible! People wanted to know what bracha to make on them – it made for a fun and lively conversation. After the bar mitzva, the plates and cutlery all went into our compost heap keeping a tremendous amount of material out of the landfill.
Candidly, I was not aware of the details of their fair trade policy or I might not have purchased them. They were significantly more than conventional paper plates and I try to vote my dollars wisely. As I’ve said in prior posts, it’s a damn shame that these issues have to get bundled – why do I have to buy the chrome package if I want a better radio? Hey I’m all for peaceful co-existence, but as Abba Eban wryly commented “some people never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity” If anyone is interested in buying some, we have left over (which we would have used in our year round programming), you can contact me offline and this way they don’t have to be reshipped across the country. It’s win-win for everyone.

By: Becki

Becki — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 22:07:34 +0000

Eric, I am married to a grammar snob, but I was too poor to be able to go to college, so he loves me the way I am! ( you should watch new show Kill Point. The main detective is OCD on grammar…)Anyway the thing is… I do not want to support “secure Arab lands from confiscation and gain a fair return to Arab farmers.” What about land being confiscated from Israelis? Is their a fair trade for them? And if I recall, the Palis were given greenhouses from Israel and they burned them down! The other PFTA, might be a cover for funding suicide bombers….I will get olive oil from Israel only.But I do respect your opinion.

By: Eric Schulmiller

Eric Schulmiller — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:16:29 +0000

dammit! even in quotes it takes them out! the html tags were supposed to say “grammar snob” and “/grammar snob.” sigh. I’m going to bed now.

By: Eric Schulmiller

Eric Schulmiller — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:15:22 +0000

Sorry, that last comment was meant to be tongue in cheek, but the comments editor wouldn’t let me include the fake html tags that said “” and “”
Out of context, I deserve a good smack upside the head. My bad.

By: Eric Schulmiller

Eric Schulmiller — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:12:48 +0000

By: Eric Schulmiller

Eric Schulmiller — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:12:14 +0000

Huh?

World-Centric sells two brands of olive oil, one produced by the Palestinian Fair Trade Association (PFTA), an organization which has long been supported by Rabbis for Human Rights, and the other by Sindyanna, which, according to World-Centric,”consists of Arab and Jewish women who believe in a future of peace and prosperity for all people.”

I fail to see the controversy.

And it’s “whose.”

By: Becki

Becki — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:02:35 +0000

I noticed this company’s fair trade supports Palestinian and Arabs farmers…some who’s land was “seized”. I don’t think I will support that.

By: Rivka K

Rivka K — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:24:58 +0000

thanks for this. I can’t stand using plastic and did not know of this.

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:33:34 +0000

Not perhaps realistic for most, but when we eat our lunch at the field on Fridays, we harvest our plates: giant outer-cabbage leaves, the size of your lap, perfect for eating off of, and they go straight to the compost afterwards!