‘Confident’ meat crisis will end
Plans to supply the Sydney kosher community with local meat will soon be finalised.
THE kosher meat crisis in NSW is expected to be resolved in the coming weeks.
Rabbi Moshe Gutnik, rabbinic administrator for the Kashrut Authority, is confident at least one fully functioning kosher abattoir will soon be up and running, while there are several individuals who have shown serious interest in re-establishing a kosher butchery.
“Two Sydney abattoirs are already working toward being able to accommodate shechita and we are hopeful the Melbourne abattoir will, in the near future, be able once again to accommodate us for our emergency needs,” Rabbi Gutnik told The AJN.
“As to a retail sales outlet, we have one fully committed individual and a few others showing keen interest.
“We are confident that the meat crisis will soon be over. And of course M&M Poultry continues to supply the community’s poultry needs.”
The NSW Jewish community reacted with sadness to the shock closure of Hadassa Kosher Butchery and Katzy’s last month.
The combination of COVID, staff shortages, supply chain issues and substantial increases in the price of beef and lamb took its toll, but when the recent devastating floods rendered the only kosher abattoir in NSW non-operational, there was no option but to cease business.
Alan Greenstein who, along with Avron Rayman, bought Hadassa Butchery and Katzy’s six years ago and traded as Kosherworld, told The AJN last month that a “perfect storm” of events meant they simply could not continue operating in such an environment.
At the time of the closure, alternate communal certifier Community Kashrut said, “We believe this presents an unprecedented issue for our community. Even though the provision of kosher meat continues to be maintained thanks to the efforts of Victoria kosher butchers and local retailers, the situation puts the community at significant risk.”
But president of the NSW Kashrut Authority Baron Revelman also confirmed that plans to supply the kosher community with meat will soon be finalised.
“The Kashrut Authority is pleased to advise that commercial arrangements are currently being put in place between relevant parties to ensure a renewed sustainable supply (and effective delivery) of local kosher meat in the near future,” he said.
“It has been a difficult time for so many for a plethora of reasons – the pandemic, the floods, the ensuing economic hardships. Kosher businesses were not immune and several have ceased to trade. The impact of this has an ongoing ripple effect across our community.”
Rabbi Gutnik added that he is, “very confident we’re going to have a butcher”, though its name and location have yet to be finalised.
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