Kashrut Authority to allow Melbourne meat
THE Kashrut Authority (KA) will allow caterers and restaurants to use Solomon’s meat from Melbourne for the first time.
THE Kashrut Authority (KA) will allow caterers and restaurants to use Solomon’s meat from Melbourne for the first time.
The KA announced on Monday night that it has made an alliance with Agudas Chabad of Australia in Melbourne that enables the KA to “co-supervise their shechitah”.
“This means that in line with the KA’s existing halachic policy approved by the ACCC, to allow only meat that it has supervised to be used by KA licensees, licensees will now also be able to purchase meat and poultry from Agudas Chabad supervised butchers,” the KA said in the statement.
Agudas Chabad of Australia’s licensee, Solomon Kosher Butcher, said it will be able to start providing meat and poultry to Sydney after Pesach.
The KA refused to explain what it means to co-supervise meat but it explained, on its Facebook page, why it has changed its longstanding policy on Melbourne meat.
“Over the years, many of our licensees have requested the opportunity to purchase meat from Melbourne suppliers,” the KA said.
“This was a complex request and yet one that we have taken very seriously.
“In keeping with the positive steps we have made and continue to make, and in response to market needs and ever-changing community expectations, we have worked with all our licensees to explore and create further competition in the kosher meat market, all without compromising our standards or our ACCC approved meat policy.”
Kosher consumer Judy Reeve Maynard asked for more information on the Facebook page.
“I would simply like it [the KA] to tell us, the kosher consumers who pay the KA every time we buy a product or service under its supervision, what is going on and why.”
The AJN can reveal, for the first time, that Sydney’s only kosher butcher, Eilat at Hadassah, pays several thousand dollars a week in KA fees; however, the newly licensed Solomons Butcher in Melbourne will not be paying any KA fees at this time.
When the KA was asked by The AJN if that was appropriate and fair they said: “The Kashrut Authority has no comment to make.”
And when The AJN asked the question on the KA’s Facebook page, the post was quickly deleted by the KA.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president Yair Miller said the he was surprised that the KA is licensing Melbourne meat.
“It’s too early to comment on the implications of this decision, except to say that I hope that the KA has done its due diligence and that it complies with all legal, commercial and halachic issues.”
JOSHUA LEVI
KA rabbinic administrator Rabbi Moshe Gutnick.
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