Comments (0)Kosher Chaos
October 9, 2009Neil Rubin
Editor
Perhaps you’ve heard the expression “two Jews, three opinions,” but those who keep kosher on any level are now learning this one: “two Jews, 1,033 opinions.”
That’s the number of kosher supervising agencies listed in Kashrus Magazine’s “2010 Kosher Supervision Guide,” which came out this month. Talk about growth: in 1987 there were only 44 such agencies. For those counting, that’s a 2,300 percent increase.
As health guru Susan Powter would scream were she a Brooklyn Chasid — and wouldn’t that be fun? — “Shtahp der in’zanitee!”
The magazine’s editors ask the logical question: “Why so many?”
The rhetorical answer: “There are as many kosher certifying agencies as can find companies wishing certification and people willing to buy products with their certification.”
And we thought it had something to do with business competition and the inability for certain rabbis to trust each other!
There’s also this warning: “The recommended plan is for each consumer to choose a rabbi or kosher certifying agency upon whom they rely and ask them to recommend a safe list of kosher certifiers. Add to that list from time to time with the help of the rabbi/vaad and you will soon have a personal kashrus portfolio of recommended agencies.”
In other words, don’t like one opinion? Go get another!