Discrimination Against Arabs? Or the Protection of Jews?

זאת חנוכה תשע"ד

Life In Israel: Rabbanut changing policy about non-Jews working in restaurant kitchens
December 4, 2013

[Israel's] Channel 2 News had an interesting expose on kashrut certification. There seems to be some confusion in the report between regular Rabbanut and private mehadrin hechshers, but the issue overall is fairly clear.

They have discovered that the Rabbanut, and this is not limited to the Rabbanut of a particular city but they found the same in the religious council of a number of different city Rabbanuts they spoke to, is now requiring restaurants to only employ Jews in the kitchen in the areas of food preparation. Non-Jews can be hired but only to be on the cleaning staff, and not to work in the kitchen.

Why do I find this interesting? Because until now the Rabbanut has always been very vocal about the fact that they rely on the Rama regarding the issue of "bishul akum" and allow non-Jews to work in the kitchen with the mashgiach lighting the fire or solving the bishul akum issue some other way. Allowing only Jews to work in the kitchen is a significant change. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Oh, don't worry. Just give it time. Someone is BOUND to launch an "anti-discrimination" suit.

You know,...democratic, equal rights, and all that crap.

As critical as I am of the Rabbinuth, I think this is an excellent decision, both from the standpoint of increased stringency in kashruth observance, and that of providing what the consumers want, within halakhic (Torah legal) guidelines.

When I remind you of...

• The attempted poisoning of food by Arab employees in a restaurant in Ramath Gan,...
• The attempted poisoning of drinks by Arab employees in at the popular Café Rimon in Jerusalem,...
• Not to mention the successful introduction of a certain bodily fluid* into the tehinah at a now defunct restaurant on Agrippas Street in Jerusalem,...

...perhaps you will agree with me.

*No, it was neither urine, nor feces, nor blood, nor saliva, nor phlegm....  Pretty disgusting, huh?

I would that qualifies as "Arab terror." Wouldn't you?

Hmm... That reminds me. I wonder what the nosy Rabbinical Council of America [RCA] would say. Previously, it has shown displeasure in the apparent "discrimination" against Arabs in housing. When it comes to ingesting something prepared, or even touched, by an Arab, I suspect that it might just play a different tune.