The Road to Kosher Singularity

Introduction

In the course of our research on kosher awareness, we couldn’t help but notice that kosher agencies have mainstream media on their side, with little to no counterpoints to this practice being published by anyone. Our surveys lean heavily towards 10% consumer recognition of the most ubiquitous kosher seal, the logo of OU Kosher, which certifies more than one million items today. However, even upon reading the content from professional Kashrus sources, one finds that there may only be one million orthodox followers of the kosher dietary laws in America. That’s only about 0.3% of the population.  Accordingly, justifying the hassle and expenses of kosher certification to food manufacturers and others has become very creative, and yet it is very consistent among the certifying agencies in the industry. Outlets like the New York Times will pump out supportive articles to defend Big Kosher with titles like “You Don’t Have to be Jewish to Eat Kosher.”[1] But in signaling the “virtues of kosher” on every kosher website and pro-kosher news article, where does one draw the line in marketing it for those outside the faith of Judaism? We strongly feel that line is with non-Jewish vegetarians and vegans, and we are shocked that not one vegetarian or vegan organization has taken a similar firm stance! But that’s what political correctness gets you these days, wolves and sheep.

Yes, there are observant kosher-keepers who refrain from meat, and there are countless recipes and articles catering to kosher-keeping vegetarians or vegans. But that is not the subject of this article. This is about selling “kosher” outside the synagogue or temple, promoting its religious services to secular companies in the free marketplace, and doing it all guilt-free despite there being no taxes paid, no financial disclosures for public view, and no patronizing companies or corporations free to openly discuss their kosher costs.

Kosher Certification Agencies Initiate the Marketing Pitch

We looked over the websites of six kosher agencies in America, and found them all exploiting the vegetarian or vegan edge to their marketing advantage: Star-K[2] did so on their About Us page: The Kosher Food Market – “Kosher products appeal to the Islamic world, vegetarians, Seventh Day Adventists, and others, who look for a Kosher symbol on the foods they purchase.” OK Kosher[3] brings it up by reprinting the New York Times article we already mentioned. KOF-K[4] puts it in their introduction, What is Kosher: Kosher Certification Then and Now, and states “It is interesting to note that a significant sector of the market for kosher products is composed of people who are not interested in the kosher aspect at all. Kosher certification is a drawing card for many…fitness and natural food/health food enthusiasts, and vegetarians and vegans.” KSA[5] brings up “vegetarianism” on their page What is Kosher?: How Much is the Kosher Market Growing? Interesting point on their pitch is this, “Market studies repeatedly indicate that even the non-Jewish consumer, when given the choice, will express a distinct preference for kosher certified products. They regard the kosher symbol as a sign of quality – a ‘Good-Housekeeping Seal’.” In fact, we already wrote about the problems with this claim in our article The Great Kosher Seal Comparison: Is it Just Chutzpah?. Or how about this from Seal-K[6]: “People with food preferences or sensitivities, including vegans, vegetarians, and those wishing to avoid dairy ingredients, could use kosher status information to make decisions about what they choose to eat.” [7] Lastly, the largest kosher certification agency in the world, OU Kosher[8] leads this push towards non-Jews in The Power of OU Kosher Certification:

The U.S. kosher market has become an unheralded boom for food manufacturers. Today, consumers are concerned about more than just the kosher status of their food. Over 12 million American consumers choose Kosher food products for reasons related to health, food safety, taste, vegetarianism, lactose intolerance, and other dietary restrictions. Generating over $12 billion in annual sales, the kosher food industry has become big business.

And boy are they right! May we inquire if one can even go into the food business these days thinking they could avoid kosher certification? Someone on the outside looking in at our supermarkets may even suggest that we are living under Kosher Supremacy!

A Comparison

Bishul Akum is a rabbinical proscription for orthodox observers of the kosher dietary laws. It is a man-made religious law that keeps kosher-keepers from eating substantial meals (fit for royalty) absent of having Jewish involvement in creating that meal, and it admittedly encourages segregation between non-Jews and Gentiles.[9] Infringement of this law would likely present deep wounds to the religious spirit of that person, and it would be considered disrespectful to trick such kosher-keepers. In fact, a scheme that would deceive Jews on this matter would be reprehensible, but that’s why there are criminal codes across our nation protecting kosher keepers.

Is it equally reprehensible to lure vegetarians into a religious labeling scheme that might be convenient for them, but coincidentally and in some small way supports kosher slaughter? We find it very unsavory, to say the least. Nobody on the KosChertified staff abstains from eating meat, but we’ve known enough vegetarians to conclude that the purpose of this exclusionary diet runs viscerally within their spirit, as if it were a religion. It is similar to Bishul Akum of Talmudic Judaism. So if Tikkun Olam instructs Jews to “repair the world,” should they – themselves – act with more compassion and respect to non-Jewish vegetarians and vegans, and cease making this promotional marketing pitch to secular companies and consumers? Let’s look at one kosher certification agency’s response to a consumer inquiry on their support of Shechita, the religious slaughter of animals:

STAR-K provides start to finish certification to Shechita, including plant design, humane handling compliance, shochtimand mashgichim recruitment, education and management.[10]

Clearly, this one major kosher certification agency is intimately involved in a practice that vegetarians find offensive. But there’s a problem: the trademarked kosher certification symbols, of which there may be over 600 in the United States alone, do not tell the vegetarian consumer whether they are involved in kosher slaughter. Hence, the kosher labeling scheme, foisted upon them, may or may not be working against their interests.

PETA

So let’s hear what the powerful organization PETA has to say, given their mission as advocates for the ethical treatment of animals: “What About Kosher Symbols? This issue is complex, but vegans and vegetarians shouldn’t base their purchasing decisions on kosher symbols and markings.” (emphasis added)  “Here is what they mean:…”[11] Their article then goes into great detail explaining the kosher labeling scheme, and finishes with “If you have further questions regarding kosher symbols, please consult Jewish organizations or publications.” Question for our reader: By listing in great details the kosher labeling scheme (as we’ve included in our footnotes), does this not make PETA equal to that of the Enabler and the Alcoholic, allowing the vegetarian to merrily continue along his/her dietary exclusion of meat without carefully scrutinizing the essence of kosher certification symbols and associated industry? Is calling the issue “complex” an easy out, when they should actually be calling the kosher agencies to the carpet for the trickery they cultivate in their marketing? Or would this draw accusations of anti-Semitism as has happened recently: “Jewish Groups Condemn EU Ruling Upholding Belgian Kosher Slaughter Ban”?

Indeed, writing at PETA must be an act of managing cognitive dissonance, exposing “Extreme Cruelty at Kosher Slaughter Houses” on one day while on the next praising its virtues in pro-kosher articles like “Here’s Why Israel is the Vegan Capital of the World.” We read, “Judaism has a long, proud tradition of compassion for animals” – a message that has been resonating like an advertising campaign for Big Kosher ever since the 2008 fraud and related criminality of Sholom Rubashkin. It was then that Agriprocessors kosher slaughter house attracted the largest ICE raid in American history, embarrassing the entire kosher industry.[12] (Note to reader: don’t be too concerned about Rubashkin’s long 27-year sentence. President Trump made it one of his first actions to commute his sentence and release him. Now that’s “compassion”!)

It was PETA that delivered to the public terrifying scenes from that very kosher slaughter house. But they also maintain positive messaging, like the litany of rabbinical quotes defending Judaism in the article “Kosher Meat is an Oxymoron.” Maybe they employ different writers for the diametric positions, but one thing is certain: they refrain from tipping the apple cart that exploits vegetarians and vegans for the purpose of promoting expanded market share to non-Jews. PETA’s lack of harder stance here will not just perpetuate Big Kosher, but help grow every part of it, even if the population of kosher keepers stays stagnant.

More on the Agencies

OU Kosher is literally in the business of “certifying” slaughter houses, and we also know that the same agency provides logistical expertise in the matter of Schechita. It is probably impossible to fill a shopping cart with packaged groceries without unwittingly supporting OU Kosher. So, with every purchase displaying the OU seal, consumers indirectly support this New York City based NGO in its efforts and interests. Do all kosher agencies partake in Shechita affairs? No. But read the response from one agency that doesn’t, and you’ll understand that cherry-picking the agencies won’t matter:  “In reality, each aspect of a robust kosher community supports each other part; by the very fact that we help certify the other component of a kosher gastronomic universe…we support shechita.” – Yechezkel Auerbach, KSA Kosher Certification, Los Angeles, CA[13]. This was an honest and sincere reply to a question sent out to many kosher agencies, one that few answered.

Others Organizations Chime In

Promoting the kosher symbol scheme to the non-Jewish vegetarian community doesn’t stop with kosher agencies, but continues in myriad Jewish news outlets:

Mara Friedman, editor-in-chief of The Jew & the Carrot, a blog about Jewish thought and food tradition, along with contemporary issues like sustainability, organic eating and nutrition (jcarrot.org), stated, ‘Vegetarians navigating a world of confusing food labels know that innocent-sounding ingredients in conventional products are often animal-derived. A kosher label on food is one of the most trust­worthy guarantees that certain animal products will not be present.[14] (emphasis added)

Jiv Daya, an Indian philosophy of “being kind” to “life” has a resource center that elaborates on the kosher labeling scheme: “What About Kosher Symbols?” they ask. “What Advantage [does it offer] to a Vegetarian or a Vegan. “Kosher” is meant for observant Jews. [So] how can it help any Hindu or Jain? The answer is that the word ‘Parve’ (also spelled as ‘Pareve’ or ‘Parevine’) is very functional. It means a guarantee that the food product does not contain any meat or dairy products, and it has not come in contact with either. So it is very useful for all the vegetarians and vegans.[15] But this website also forewarns: “It is clear that the various Kosher symbols have no specific relation to ethical vegetarianism or veganism, but are designed partly to certify that animals meet certain standards of slaughter, and largely for keeping the meat and dairy products in separate meals, not primarily from a desire to avoid them altogether. Moreover, the degree of strictness certified by the symbols is far too lax to be dependable for vegetarian or vegan purposes. (emphasis added) For example, in the Kosher system, fish and fish products are not considered ‘animal’ and thus can be included where you might not expect animal products.”[16]

Kosher Agencies Ally with Vegetarian Organizations

Allow us to re-emphasize our point that nobody in the mainstream is taking a firm stand to stop the exploitation of non-Jewish vegetarians and vegans for the furtherance of the kosher certification industry. To make matters worse, alliances are created by kosher agencies with the non-religious food certifiers, enhancing the perception of “kosher” as healthy, high quality and meeting other dietary restrictions. For you may not know that Quality Assurance International has used rabbinical supervisors from Star-K Kosher to certify organic products, or that a subsidiary of OU Kosher performs the gluten-free certification for that famous trademarked GF seal you’ve grown accustomed to recognize.[17]

Trademarked Gluten-Free Certification Seal
Trademarked QAI Seal

The network of food certifiers is almost getting incestuous, as follows here:

OU Kosher and the American Vegetarian Association (AVA) are pleased to announce that they have recently partnered to more easily provide their clients who produce both kosher and vegetarian products with the opportunity to obtain OU Kosher and AVA Vegetarian certifications for their products.

Research has shown that obtaining such certifications greatly enhances the perception of quality among consumers. Even those who do not keep strict kosher or vegetarian diets are often reassured as to the quality of food products when they see well known symbols on the labels. As the respective leaders in their markets, OU and AVA present food producers with the ability to differentiate their products from the competition, by adding both well-known emblems that signify quality to millions of consumers. According to research from Mintel, the top three reasons why consumers intentionally purchase kosher food are quality (62 percent), healthfulness (51 percent) and food safety (34 percent). (http://www.thestar.com/living/food/article/785423—kosher-food-market-growing). Likewise, the Vegetarian Resource Group reports that health is the most common reason for consumers purchasing vegetarian products.[18]

Ah, that one Mintel study seems to be the magnum opus of research repeated by almost every kosher certification agency, ad nauseam. But we would like the reader to know that we have done some studies of our own…

Our Research

Our first survey tested 200 Costco members on symbol recognition related to labels, and only 10% could recognize the ubiquitous OU Kosher seal (the most common kosher seal in the world).[19] This strongly refutes the claims that any kosher seals are “well known symbol[s]” that consumers particularly seek out. In fact, Costco stores are literally saturated with the OU kosher seal, even sometimes on the bulk boxes where they store their products. But consumers just don’t notice them, and our respondents’ three most common guesses to the meaning of the OU symbol were “United Aluminum Certified”, “Usable With Food” and “U.S. Department of Agriculture Certified”. How wrong they were! Also, only 1.5% in this survey recognized the Canadian “COR” kosher seal that is largely displayed on the Kirkland dishwashing detergent sold in this big box wholesale store.

Kirkland Dishwasher Detergent, Kosher-Certified by Canadian COR

That was our first check on Big Kosher’s assertions, and perhaps there were few kosher keepers in that initial survey. But this article is on vegetarians, and we wanted to check if they really are a core segment of the non-Jewish consumer who seeks out kosher seals, as the kosher agencies regurgitate. To get an approximation, we surveyed over 450 “self-identifying” vegetarians or vegans, and the results were oddly similar to our Symbol Recognition survey. While 66% of them claimed to “scrutinize product labels when shopping for food,” the OU Kosher seal was ranked fourth out the five kosher seals we presented when asked which “they’d expect to find more frequently when shopping?” Think about it, 4th-out-of-5, and only 11% of respondents choosing the OU seal. On the other hand, one response that stood out quite clearly received 42%: “I’m not too familiar with common kosher seals” (49% when excluding self-identifying Jews, Muslims and Seventh-Day Adventists). Anybody who is truly kosher aware, familiar that kosher certification permeates nearly every major food category and brand, knows well that OU Kosher seals are the most common to be found. They are everywhere! And if vegans or vegetarians were actively looking for kosher seals, then they’d be more “shopper wise” than our Costco respondents. Instead, the 11% correct response (9% for Christian respondents) better reflects recognition reality and general kosher awareness.

Trademarked OU Kosher Seal (Plus descriptive text not usually seen by consumers: “KOSHER CERTIFICATION SERVICE”)

In that same survey, The Veggie Shopper, we did present to them a visual display of four common certification seals – two that are strictly vegetarian, one gluten-free, and the OU kosher seal. While being instructed to select as many of these that they “regularly seek out” when shopping “to support their diet”, the Vegan.org certification was most popular coming in at 52%. The gluten-free seal came in next with 36% of respondents. AVA displays a carrot within a triangle representing the American Vegetarian Association. They received 26%. Finally, the widespread and pervasive OU kosher seal was selected by 22%, the lowest of all four trademarked symbols, while 10% simply do not look for any of these. Perhaps they shop more at farmers markets than supermarkets. Interestingly, when our survey was filtered out by religious faith or ethnicity, only 28% of the 25 Jewish respondents chose the kosher seal, and only 14% of veggie eaters outside of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Seventh Day Adventist (or preferring not to state their identity) did the same.

Trademarked Vegan and Vegetarian Certification Seals

There were plenty of other questions that gauged the shopping behavior of vegans or vegetarians, but our final one was this: “How would you feel about financially subsidizing religious organizations (and their interests) that reside outside your faith/congregation/identity through the purchase of food products at the supermarket? (Example: You buy a Halal certified product for $5, and the food company that produced it is paying a Muslim agency 5 cents for that certification, but you are Hindu).” Our results were interesting. First, we’d like to share with you that we posed a similar question on a previous consumer survey, and this general population appeared to be more displeased with the scenario.[20] Veggie shoppers, we found, are instead fairly indifferent with 32% neutrally stating that they are “neither satisfied or dissatisfied”, while about 14% reported firmly negative on this. Call it irony, though, that the most bothered group to this question that did identify religiously or ethnically were those claiming Jewish identity, coming in with 20% marking “dissatisfied” or “very dissatisfied”. Maybe we should reach out to this self-concerned group for answers on The Kosher Question given their deeper conviction on the differences between religious freedom and religious intrusion. Indeed, the inquiring consumer has historically been met by utter silence, obfuscation or deflection when questioning non-profit organizations and companies on the details of these secular/religious partnerships, and this could lead to kosher delusion.

Conclusion

On the web page titled “The World’s Best Known Kosher Trademark” supporting the Orthodox Union of Jewish Congregations, they proclaim, “The  logo indicates that a product may be consumed by all those who observe kosher dietary laws, as well as by many others who have special dietary requirements. … It also serves as a guide to millions of individuals who are vegetarian or lactose intolerant.[21] Well, we can now call this prideful embellishment at best, shameful gratuitous lies at worst. The OU symbol was ranked near the bottom of popularity when presented five choices, and claims like this are used to justify the pervasive expansion into every brand seeking to grow in the supermarket chain. A sincere promotion of this religious trade to our avoiders of meat might include a clickable warning such as this simple facet of Kashrus, as read off of a kosher certification website:

“Another kosher procedure [is] the mandatory salting and rinsing of meat and poultry…There are many steps that have to be completed before a piece of steak is considered kosher…First, meat has to come from a kosher animal source.  It’s pretty well known that beef is a kosher animal source, and pigs are not.  But after the cow is selected, it needs to be checked for overall health.  Then it must be slaughtered according to the Torah guidelines by a shochet, a rabbi expert in this area. The Torah’s Extra Health Requirements: But this meat is still not yet considered kosher.  It needs to be checked by a specialized rabbi for internal signs of ill health.  For example, if he finds certain lung “adhesions” — growths that show there was once disease in that location, it is a problem. Such a cow, or a cow with any other Torah “health” issue, will be sent to a different line to be processed as non-kosher.  Its area and equipment must be cleaned well so that the next cow does not come into contact with any residue from the non-kosher beef…If the animal passes the test, then the blood must be removed from the meat, since the Torah does not allow the blood to be eaten.  This has to be done within a certain time limit.  Once the meat is cut into pieces, it will be rinsed, salted, and rinsed again.”[22]

As much as PETA can post apologetic quotes from rabbis indicating the religion’s humane compassion for animals, only mass control of the media can hold back the facts that kosher ritual slaughter is an integral part of the kosher certification business, that its methods are quite different than traditional slaughter, and that enough of the general public finds these differences so outrageous that entire countries ban it. So if European countries are so inclined to ban this practice from their territory, is it “kosher” to push kosher certification on vegetarians and vegans?

Our surveys conclude that only 9 to 22 percent of this dietary class even know what the most common kosher seal looks like after nearly one century of craftily putting these tiny symbols on labels! A casual look into American vegetarian demographics indicate anywhere from 2 to 6% of our nation. On the low end of this data, there may be 0.2%, and on the high end, 1.3% of U.S. adult demographics, who are vegetarians, actively engaging the kosher seal scheme for the benefits of health or general identification of ingredients. And so other than attempting to grow this market “perception”, the pitch that vegetarians are looking for hekhshers (kosher seals) is weak.

Sure, the animal lover of 1923 may have been pleased that the Heinz Corporation produced a version of their famous baked beans minus the pork, Vegetarian Baked Beans – but they probably didn’t notice the accompanying OU kosher seal. For with all our research of newspapers from that time, it didn’t appear that “kosher” was being marketed in the mainstream ads towards the non-Jew. This Heinz product did, however, signify the beginning of a new realm, thanks to technology. And even as more of the general public may complain about the industry, the industry will continue to employ more marketing strategies to bring the entire food market into kosher singularity[23]. Think we’re kidding? Did you know that Impossible Foods partnered with  OU to certify their Impossible Burgers as OU Kosher’s newest kosher products.[24] Won’t that make the vegans happy! Perhaps the closer we get to kosher singularity, the easier it will be for industry lobbyists to fend off any intolerant anti-kosher slaughter movements like that in the EU? Who knows, maybe all slaughter houses will eventually be kosher certified?

So you’ve seen the PETA videos of kosher slaughter on YouTube. Which do you find more sickening, these videos or the trade practice of promoting “kosher” to the non-Jewish vegetarian? We at www.TheKosherQuestion.com believe the line of decency has been crossed, just as 20% of our Jewish respondents felt strongly about not supporting the interests of outside religions.

We dedicate this article to the inactive account of @CursedSalad on Twitter, whose profile page quotes a famous Jewish propaganda guru, Edward L. Bernays:

“Opinions of the masses are manufactured by mechanisms unseen.”

His account, boldly critical of Jewish influence in our society and history, includes a lengthy thread on the kosher certification business. And even though much of what he wrote there was understated compared to the research we’ve produced, we find this particular tweet sums up our own sentiment, and represents this article’s core issue:

The kosher industry builds itself beyond their religious patrons with two words: “perception” and “healthy”. So in this regard, allow us to reiterate our healthy perception:

This is shameful!

Finally, for the 45% of our Veggie Shopper Survey respondents who reported a Christian identity, we leave you with John 2:16:

“Get these out of here! Stop turning my father’s house into a marketplace!” – Jesus [Christ cleaning the temple]


Appendix: Extraneous Quotes

“Who Buys Kosher?: In addition besides religious groups, the greatest boon in the industry has been people seeking out kosher food for health reasons: vegans [and] vegetarians…who favor kosher foods because the industry’s labeling practice are considered more rigorous. – https://kosherorganics.com/kosher-certification/why-certify/

“Why Go Kosher? In addition, Muslims, Vegans, Vegetarians, Seventh Day Adventists, Lactose Intolerant and Celiacs all look to Kosher certified products to support their religously inspired, moral or health informed way of eating.” – Earth Kosher

“Why is Kosher Food Soaring in Popularity? It also offers certainty for vegans” – BBC News (1/16/2020)

WebMD: “You might also appreciate kosher food labels if you are vegetarian or vegan. Kosher food packaging must note when the food shared equipment with meat or dairy.”

“VegeCert’s inspections are performed by COR – The Kosher Council, one of the largest and most respected kosher certification agency. COR – The Kosher Council has been servicing the food industry for over 60 years and now certifies over 65,000 products at over 1000 facilities around the world. There is considerable crossover between kosher certified food products and vegetarian and vegan diets, so VegeCert is proud to benefit from COR’s considerable expertise.” – https://vegecert.com/about/

Reposted with permission from KosChertified?® : mynkcproducts.com.


[1] “You Don’t Have to be Jewish to Eat Kosher”, New York Times, by Sherry Day, 6/28/2003

[2] Star-K Kosher Certification, Baltimore, MD

[3] The Organized Kashrus Laboratories, Brooklyn, NY

[4] KOF-K Kosher Supervision, Teaneck, NJ

[5] Kosher Supervision of America, Los Angeles, CA

[6] Seal-K Kosher Certification, Chicago, IL

[7] What is Kosher?, Seal-K, The Seal of the Kosher Trust   https://sealk.org/what-is-kosher/

[8] The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations, New York, NY

[9] https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/playing-with-fire/

[10] Rabbi Zvi Holland, Star-K Kosher Certification, from email correspondence passed to us by supporter

[11] https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/what-about-kosher-symbols/

A “K” or “OU” kosher symbol basically means that the food-manufacturing process was overseen by a rabbi who, theoretically, ensured that it met Jewish dietary laws. (There are actually dozens of symbols used by different kosher certifying agencies.)

There may be additional letters indicating the presence of meat, dairy, or fish. A “K” or “OU” by itself could indicate that the food is pareve, meaning that it doesn’t contain meat or dairy, but it may contain fish, eggs, or honey. For example, kosher gelatin, like that used in kosher gelatin dessert and marshmallows, usually comes from a fish source.

An additional “M” or “Glatt” symbol means the product contains meat.

An additional “F” symbol means that fish ingredients are present, but if “fish” is in the name, some products don’t display the “F” symbol. Please note: Some foods that contain small amounts of fish, like Worcestershire sauce, aren’t labeled with an “F” if the fish comprises less than 1/60 of the product.

An additional “D” or “DE” symbol means that the food either contains dairy or was produced with machinery that handled dairy. For example, a chocolate and peanut candy may be marked “kosher D” or “kosher DE” even if it doesn’t list dairy products in the ingredients, because the dairy-free chocolate was manufactured on machinery that also made milk chocolate.

The additional “P” or Passover symbol means that the food is suitable for consumption during the Passover holiday, when leavened grain products may not be eaten.

[12] https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/omaha/press-releases/2010/om062210.htm

[13] Email correspondence passed on from KosChertified supporter

[14] The Kosher Symbol: A Seal of Trust, by Ted Powers, Jewish Herald-Voice, 8/12/2010 https://jhvonline.com/the-kosher-symbol-a-seal-of-trust-p9497-148.htm

[15]  Jiv Daya Resource Center https://www.jivdaya.org/kosher_parve_certification_what.html

[16] https://www.jivdaya.org/kosher_and_vegetarianism.html; Also from this site regarding their take on vegetarianism: “We put a strong emphasis on a strict plant-based vegetarian diet.  We are also against using animals as ingredient or for testing cosmetics and other household items.  We believe in simplicity of life that is friendly to us, animals, and environment…We can live, even in this country, without exploiting poor animals…We aim at helping members of the Indian community to live by the principle of Ahimsa – fundamental to Indian philosophy”

[17] https://oukosher.org/blog/news/new-food-safety-program-independent-certification-program-for-gluten-free-food-processing/

[18] AVA to Benefit Clients with Kosher, Vegetarian Products, by OU Kosher Staff, 11/28/2012 https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-news/ou-ava-partner-to-benefit-clients-with-kosher-vegetarian-products/

[19] http://www.thekosherquestion.com/#!our-blog/symbol-recognition:-our-commissioned-survey-results

[20] https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-LGSHWNLX7/ ; In this Consumer Recognition Survey,   54% of respondents either wanted above average transparency in religious-secular partnerships (23%) in the grocery market, or no such intervention at all (31%); also in that survey, only 14% properly recognized the OU kosher seal/symbol

[21] The World’s Best Known Kosher Trademark, by OU Kosher Staff, 12/18/2006 https://oukosher.org/blog/corporate/the-worlds-best-known-kosher-trademark/

[22] Ibid., https://sealk.org/what-is-kosher/

[23] We’ll define this as the outcome of Kosher Supremacy, a point in time where growth of the kosher industry becomes so large and uncontrollable, that it will signify irreversible changes to society

[24] Impossible Burger: Now Kosher!, by OU Kosher Staff, 6/5/2018 https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-news/impossible-burger-now-kosher/

25 replies
  1. anonym
    anonym says:

    Amazing how they have managed to sell this outwardly racist, hateful, superstitious belief system as a “health trademark” comparable to “gluten free”.

    It´s as if we were to label our food “judenrein”, market it as extra healthy and even make Jews pay for it.

    They truly are marketing geniuses.

    • Anti-Anonym
      Anti-Anonym says:

      Geniuses they are not. Claiming so only perpetuates the proven myth of higher Jewish IQ, of which there is no such thing when comparing white European and Asian IQ VS Jewish.
      You do nobody a fovor by calling a superstitious clan of animal abusers with boundless chutzpah “geniuses”.
      They are merely the most co-ethnic and nepotostic network of shape shifters, manipulators, and utterly God-less creatures the world has ever known.

      • anonym
        anonym says:

        Eeh… Ok. How about “slick” then, or “sneaky”?

        It seems to me that the kosher rules is mostly about keeping filthy goyim away from food for the divine chosen people. From Wikipedia:

        Since the Talmud views all non-Jews as potential idolaters, and viewed intermarriage with apprehension, it included within this prohibition any food that has been cooked or prepared completely by non-Jews.[56] (…)
        Consequently, Orthodox Jews generally rule that wine, certain cooked foods, and sometimes dairy products,[58][59][60] should be prepared only by Jews.

        If they can make this into a “health trademark”, they truly are slick at marketing.

        I don´t think we can overestimate the Jewish skill at duping and gas lighting. Christianity, Islam, Communism, usurer-merchant capitalism, libertarianism, neo conservatism, multiculturalism… The Jewish mind is the source of most problems that plague´s us.

  2. Gerry
    Gerry says:

    USANA is the maker of some great nutritional products, vitamins and minerals and such by a highly educated and trained medical scientist and if one goes to their website guess what one will find the kosher seal on vitamin and mineral supplementation? lol? It just boggles the mind really?

  3. Margit
    Margit says:

    But a nice explanation how even the most “innocuous” healthy food tip ir trendy vegan recipe ultimately promotes a cultish agenda.

  4. guest
    guest says:

    I buy unpackaged food whenever possible to avoid the tax. I make my own yogurt as well.

    • Hans Frank
      Hans Frank says:

      Most bulk foods are kosher too. It really is insane or maybe evil is a better word.

      • Barkingmad
        Barkingmad says:

        Yes and no. If you are in a bulk food store, the open display of the food in the bins automatically voids the kosher designation. (Little insects might have found their way into the food. Or your gentile vibes, breath and bits of skin from your hands entered the bins when you scooped the pinto beans into your plastic bag.)

        So, you have paid for the original kosherizing at the mfg or packaging plant, but once the large bag was opened by the store owner and emptied into the barrels at the store, voila, it ain’t kosher no more.

        • Charles Frey
          Charles Frey says:

          01 A large proportion of US and Canadian produce originates from Mexico and is imported into California, for subsequent regional and Canadian distribution. .

          02 Mexico allows its crops to be irrigated by GREY WATER, neither raw sewage nor clear, but nevertheless toxic.

          03 The USDA forbids that domestically: for good reason, since e-coli is not partial.

          04 Who, for a few shekels, would refuse to label heads of lettuce individually with stickers assuring the consumer, that it is ” Produce of The United States ” ?

          05 This fraudulent, immense, up-front profit-margin is deemed fair practice by those dominating the food distribution throughout North America.

          06 LA County DA Gascon [ Gas-lighting Con ] is uninterested – so wash it very well !

          • Barkingmad
            Barkingmad says:

            What you say about the possibility of labeling of Mexican produce as Grown in USA doesn’t surprise me. However, I do see much produce having the Mexico label. I wonder how my parents (for the earlier part of their lives), my grandparents and ancestors managed to survive, both here and in the old country, without produce from hundreds or thousands of miles away.

            Well, actually, I do know: they grew their own food and put it in the cellar for the winter. Much was canned, dried and pickled. And you didn’t have to have a farm to be able to grow a lot of vegetables and have fruit trees. Everyone in the cities did it until, maybe, the 50s, as far as I know.

            Yes, there are vegetable-washing products you can buy but if you don’t have those, plain white vinegar is supposedly a good substitute.

  5. Robert Penman
    Robert Penman says:

    Everything these people do is a scam, a swindle or lie. The more one unearths, the more one despises them

    • Al Ross
      Al Ross says:

      You may be on to something here . The TV show ‘ “American” Greed’ is preponderately populated by those whose Israeli citizenship is guaranteed by operation of that non – European country’s Law.

  6. Charles Frey
    Charles Frey says:

    A somewhat elderly person, who was present when Moses received the Ten Commandments, told me, that Moses wrapped his loins in Reynolds Aluminum Wrap [ already kosher ], to prevent his pubic hair from being singed when approaching the Burning Bush.

    Said person also assured me, that after the Commandments transaction, Moses received his Certification, in triplicate, as The Official Real Estate Attorney and General, for the recent Arrivals from Egypt. In a Subsection, said Certificate also stipulated his appointment as Permanent Plenipotentiary Over Gaza and the West Bank.

  7. tadzio
    tadzio says:

    Am economic analysis would define the pelf garnered by the Kosher Industry as a tax on goyim. What is needed is an equalization levy. Example, a company that pays a rabbi to certify a product for 2% of the population should pay an amount 49 times that sum to be distributed to the religious and cultural organizations of the balance of the population. As the Kosher Tax is is small, the equalization fee would not be all that much in the big economic scheme of things.

    Koscertified should announce a program to facilitate such an equalization, complete with an authorized Religion Fairness Symbol that can be displayed on products of companies adhering to freedom of conscious production standards. Not many will sign up, if any. But the announcement should release gales of indignation from the Kosher Tax collectors and their Racist, anti-Christians minions of all stripes.. Koscertified will be, of course, called anti-semites – again.

    Remember, there is no such thing as bad publicity when it gets your message out. It might even drive some rabbis out of canneries as managers decide the whole issue is a nuisance.

    • KosChertified?
      KosChertified? says:

      We like your idea of the Religious Fairness Symbol. We’ll solicit art designs for this logo soon!

      We, however, refrain from calling it a tax, as taxes have more transparency. This is closer to a Machiavelli-styled Tribute.

      • tadzio
        tadzio says:

        Good point on taxes. So do not call it a tax. How about going woke with Equity, the latest focus group tested word being pushed in lieu of the negatively received Reparations?

        Religious Equity Fund.

        “REF”, as in he who assures fair play. A wee symbol of a head blowing a whistle with some eye-catching red and white stripes.

  8. Barkingmad
    Barkingmad says:

    It is a bald-faced lie that koshered food is automatically somehow healthier. Ever look at the label of (kosher) Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting? It reads like the catalog of a chemical supply company. And there are countless other products just as bad. Not that I buy this stuff, but I look at labels.

    I have a 47-year old book written by a jew promoting vegetarianism. There’s a chapter entitled “The Sin of the Slaughterhouse”. He describes jewish ritual slaughter without trying to hide anything. Just as a point of interest, I recently looked this fellow up on the interwebz. He said in a recent interview, “After the presidential election of 2016, I felt sad and depressed about the future of humanity”. LOL. He obviously didn’t see the whole picture – that Trump’s election was very, very good for some folks.

    • Kris
      Kris says:

      In respect to your comment and Mr. Santomauro’s, it sounds like there were a number of interesting books coming out in 1974.

  9. Michael Santomauro
    Michael Santomauro says:

    Dr. Harold P. Gastwirc who was Associated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote a hard to find book in 1974 titled :

    Fraud, Corruption, and Holiness: The Controversy over the supervision of the Jewish dietary practice in New York

    It reads like the Sopranos. Jewish gangsters involved from the beginning, murder and dishonesty within the Jewish community was rampant and lots of money was involved. A forgotten history or should I say a suppressed history we are not to suppose to know about.

    The book above proves the Kosher Industry is a racket.

    • ChilledBee
      ChilledBee says:

      “The book above proves the Kosher Industry is a racket.”

      Imagine if the naive Goyim were made aware of that fact.- and that this very lucrative racket started way back in 1915. It would be interesting to know how much extra the Goyim around the world have to pay for the luxury of consuming kosher products.

      A little snippet from Kosher History Site:

      “Without the Jewish people’s influence on American traditions, the food industry as we know it would not exist”

    • Charles Frey
      Charles Frey says:

      Key in VIDEOS OF RUBASHKIN, to get a confirmation of, and an update to, the book you cited. Showing mostly the US and indeed world-wide celebrations of the tribe’s Faith in their God after their ” wrongfully convicted ” Chabad Lubavitcher hero’s 27 year sentence is commuted by Trump, through the usual channels. [ Including Congresswoman and DNC Chair, Miami-based Debbie Wasserman-Schulz ].

      Then key in CHARGES AGAINST RUBASHKIN, and/or WIKIPEDIA, to read of :
      a] Child Labor; b] 30 million 3 Banks Fraud; c] Mail and Wire Fraud d] Tax Evasion; e] Money laundering; f] Employment of hundreds of Illegals; g] Procuring false identities for them; h] One of several ICE raids arresting just under 400; i] Falsification of his Agriprocessors books; k] repeated Cruelty to Animals.

      In other words the commercial KULTURA their father Aaron brought with him from Russia to Brooklyn, thence to the idyllic rural American Postville, Iowa.

    • Charles Frey
      Charles Frey says:

      I hasten to add to my reply, that Rubashkin’s Defense apparently adduced evidence, that the original trial-Judge was too deeply involved in the ICE raids, and therefore incapable of judging impartially.

      A fair argument – BUT – does that invalidate the proven statutory charges ? Apparently not, since Appeals all the way to the Supreme Court failed. Which still makes it kosher red meat for the imbecilic Brooklyn streets.

  10. 9593
    9593 says:

    https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/9/10/296

    Here is an interesting reference to the history of the kosher food industry, or rather the industrialization of kosher meats from the trusted neighborhood butcher to, for example, Agriprocessors of Sholom Rubashkin; he recently having his 27-year sentence commuted by Donald Trump. That was about financial fraud put upon his lenders. But also, Agriprocessors was apparently cheating their customers in the delivery of “unclean” meat. According to this study, that was a recurring problem in the industry.

    It is sort of a Bernie Madoff story, cheating against the Affinity Group. It might be well to commission the Amish to do the kashrut butchering.

Comments are closed.