- Kosher Spirit

Certified Soul
Nutrition
Nissan 5763
Spring 2003
Global Audience:
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By Dovi Scheiner
sually, a person dies, and then their soul shines
down on us from heaven. It is rare that a spirit
shines down on us from heaven, and then dies.
Ilan Ramon was one such rare soul. As Israel’s
first astronaut, he succeeded in lifting an entire
people into space along with him.
“I think that the people of Israel, and the Jewish
people as a whole, are a wonderful people,” Ramon
said in an interview from outer space. Viewing himself as a “representative of all the Jewish
community,” Ramon sent NASA hunting for certified kosher food to put in thermostabilized sealed
pouches, as he insisted on eating only kosher
during his 16-day space mission. “It is very, very
important,” he continued in the interview, “to preserve our historic tradition, and I mean historic and
religious tradition.”
Word that “Columbia is lost,” along with its precious crew, troubled me on two accounts:
a) because it was the most devastating piece of
news I have heard in a long time, and b) that it was
the most devastating piece of news I have heard in
a long time.
Since the outbreak of the second Intifada in
September of 2000, 742 innocent people have been
murdered in Israel at the hands of ruthless terrorists. Each one of these victims was a star. Each one
of these men, women, and children reflected the
image of G-d, much as the moon reflects the light
of the sun.
On October 21, 2002, Ilona Hanukayev, age 20, of
U
Hadera, was one of 14 persons killed when a bus
was blown up in a suicide attack by a terrorist driving an explosive-laden jeep near the Karkur junction. On November 21, 2002, Ilan Perlman, age 8, of
Jerusalem, was one of 11 people killed in a suicide
bombing on a No. 20 Egged bus in the Kiryat
Menahem neighborhood of Jerusalem.
So why was it only the loss of Ilan Ramon, along
with the six crewmembers he considered family,
that truly shook me up? Why are we so taken aback
by the disintegration of a Space Shuttle at 200,000
feet, while the explosion of a bus on a busy city
street is somehow considered tolerable?
Sadly, I reached the conclusion that, as the terrorists rob their victims of life and limb, they have also
deprived many of us of our ability to truly grieve.
The incessant senselessness has left us desensitized.
But with the destruction of the Space Shuttle
Columbia, something changed. When I heard the
news of the Shuttle’s disastrous end, I was suddenly
paralyzed by pain; I felt all blood drain from my
face as tears welled up in my eyes.
So Ilan, from the bottom of my heart, I say Todah!
Thank you for a lifetime of sweet service to your
people, for your boundless Jewish pride that makes
me proud to be a Jew. Losing you, Ilan, has reminded me how much pain I ought to feel whenever I
learn of the destruction of innocent life.
Dovi Scheiner is editor of Kosher Spirit.
PRIDE
&pain
2
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NOTE: The views and opinions presented in Kosher Spirit
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By Rabbi Zvi Konikov
A Triumphant Experiment
Rabbi Zvi Konikov, is the Chabad
Rabbi on the Space Coast in Cape
Canaveral, Florida. He was a friend
and spiritual guide to Colonel Ilan
Ramon, who died on the shuttle
Columbia.
F
rom the moment I met Ilan Ramon
some 15 months ago, there was an
instant feeling of warmth, love, and
total informality between us—we were
like brothers, laughing, joking, and hugging each other. He showed extraordinary respect to me as a Rabbi, but what
touched me most was his genuine humility and sincerity.
Just from Ilan’s smile, you could tell he
was different. He was a decorated Air
Force Colonel and a brilliant scientist, yet
anyone who knew Ilan recognized that
the only pride he harbored was Jewish
pride. With regard to the space mission,
it would have been convenient for Ilan to
act in a secular manner and concentrate
exclusively on the many sophisticated
scientific experiments involved in his
mission. Doing so would have earned
him prestige with the Israeli Space
Agency & NASA, but Ilan chose to also
showcase his Jewish soul. While some
Jews are so embarrassed about their heritage that they will not display it in public, Ilan took his Jewishness with him into
space.
Last year Ilan asked me when one is
meant to observe Shabbat in space,
where every 90 minutes the sun sets,
making every 10 ½ hours Sabbath and
every 20 days Rosh Hashanah!
Jerusalem, we have a problem!
I must admit, though, I learned more
from the question than the answer. Ilan
taught me that no matter how fast we’re
going, no matter how important our
work, we must pause and think about
why we are here on this earth!
Ilan’s request to NASA to keep kosher
during the mission showed he had “the
right stuff.” Bringing a historical Torah
scroll on board, and his effort to observe
Shabbat and make Kiddush while in
orbit, was pushing it a bit. Ilan’s request
that NASA delay the launch until after
Tisha B’av (the ninth day of the Hebrew
month of Av—the saddest day on the
Jewish calendar—which was the original scheduled launch date) was plain
chutzpah! [Interestingly, at our
Shabbat dinner table the night
before the scheduled landing, I mentioned this postponement. One guest, a
NASA engineer who
worked at the Shuttle
Launch facility for many
years, adamantly rejected the possibility that
NASA could have
rescheduled the launch.
The following week I
confirmed it;
Ramon had,
indeed, convinced NASA to
postpone the
launch.] Yet it was
this chutzpah emanating from a pure
heart filled with
sincerity and
Jewish pride, that
won Ilan the admiration of his fellow
astronauts, NASA, and the innumerable hearts he touched worldwide.
On the Shabbat morning of the scheduled landing, I was walking to synagogue with my 10-year-old daughter
just after 9 A.M. When we did not hear
the sonic boom that we expected at
9:16, we assumed that the landing was
postponed due to bad weather at the
Cape. How crushing was the news when
a member of the Satellite Beach Police
rushed into our synagogue just minutes
before 10 A.M. to inform us of the catastrophe.
Our hearts were broken. After Shabbat,
I called Ilan’s wife, Rona, and told her
that Ilan had chosen to go to space as a
Jew, and that his memory will forever be
imbedded in our hearts. He had carried
the Torah, the soul of the Jewish people,
with him. I told her that we are planning to write a new Torah scroll to
replace the Holocaust Torah that
Ilan had taken with him on the
mission, and would be giving it to
her family in time for their
son Tal’s Bar Mitzvah. She
cried and I cried with her.
By Divine Providence,
the El-Al plane I took to
Ilan’s funeral was the
plane carrying his
remains home. Everyone
on the flight, the Israeli
Army Rabbi, the pilots, the
stewards, and the passengers, were filled with emotion. I merited reciting
Kaddish for his lofty
soul in a service
arranged by the head
steward.
After the Shuttle disaster,
people wondered if any
results of the scientific experiments had come back before
the tragedy. One experiment
has produced obviously
remarkable results: the feeling of Jewish pride Ilan
inspired in countless Jewish
hearts. Imagine the Jewish children
around the globe who today know about
keeping kosher and Shabbat only
because a Jewish astronaut stressed their
importance even in outer space. That
vision of pride and hope is desperately
needed today when only hedonism is
offered to our youth. It is encouraging to
see that the polls in Israel show that the
highest demand for Purim costumes this
year is Ilan Ramon, rather than Elvis
Presley or Britney Spears.
I was honored to have been a friend of
Ilan Ramon.
Today, I am humbled to be part of his
legacy.
Yearning
For AHug
JERUSALEM—In my soul’s imagination, I travel back 2,700 years to
one of the street corners of this
splendid City of White Gold.
I can see our prophet Isaiah wiping his tears as he uttered those
moving and immortal words,
“Comfort, comfort my people,” says
the Lord. “Speak to the heart of
Jerusalem and call out to her.”1
Jerusalem! Today I wish to heed
Isaiah’s words and speak to your
heart.
How many secrets, City of Light,
does your gigantic heart contain?
How many impressions, how
many scars, are imbedded in the
crevices of your ancient stones?
If only I could, even for a moment, feel
all that you have absorbed over the past
4,000 years. You have been there to take
in every tear, every sigh, every wound,
and every death. You have seen your children born and your children slaughtered,
the brides married and then mutilated.
You have watched millions of Jews dancing in your streets and then seen millions
of them massacred on the very same
thoroughfares. You have heard infinite
melodies of jubilation and have lent your
ear to endless wallows of grief. The entire
story of my people is displayed right here
on the worn and weathered lines of your
stony, silent face.
You have been a loyal witness to our
collective drama, unique among all the
peoples of the world: Our glory and our
horror, our despair and our hope, our
firm faith in the existence of ultimate
good and our rational skepticism caused
by evil’s ruthless power on this planet.
Above all, you have served as the energizer in our millennia-long battle to fashion
a world that will reflect the infinity of
human potential.
When I enter your walls, oh Jerusalem,
I forget my ego. I become larger than
myself, part of the eternal melody of my
By Yosef Y. Jacobson
people Israel, reverberating in every inch
of your soil.
In the rest of the world,
people pursue meaning; in
you, Jerusalem, meaning
pursues people. You have been
the center stage of a 4,000-year struggle
to discover G-d in the ordinary lives of
mankind and to build a fragment of
heaven down here on earth. This courageous effort always sustained itself from
your terrain — the one place in the world
where heaven and earth kiss.
The Kabbalists teach us that every holy
thought, every moral instinct, every
sacred yearning, every spiritual experience, originates within the walls of
Jerusalem. You have been chosen to serve
as the power plant of holiness and morality in a hostile and depraved world.
And you never forgot us, Jerusalem.
Since the day the Temple went up in
flames, you did not close your eyelids for
even one night’s rest. Like a mother tossing and turning, awaiting the return of a
missing child, you have never ceased
1. Isaiah 40:1. - Isaiah, who wrote the 66 chapter book that bears his name, was born 2767 years ago in
the year 765 B.C.E. Isaiah was 25 years old when he experienced his first prophetic vision, and is considered, after Moses, to be the greatest of all prophets. According to the Talmud, he was born circum-
anticipating your children’s return.
You never came to terms with us
being expelled from your sacred
borders.
On this day, Jerusalem, your
children are hurting badly. Just
this year alone hundreds of your
children were blown to pieces by
their bloodthirsty neighbors.
Among the victims were babies,
teenagers, parents and grandparents. A big hole has formed in the
collective heart of Israel. No celebration is complete, no serenity
genuine. Too many people’s laughter has been stolen in this tiny
country.
Yet, we, the people who brought
humanity the Bible and with it a dignity
of purpose, refuse to accept that these
deaths and our lives are meaningless
accidents in a random universe. We
choose to embrace our millennia-long
conviction that our fight for goodness
and for the sanctity of life is worthwhile,
because goodness ultimately will triumph, and evil will be banished.
Jerusalem! What we, the Jewish people,
need more than anything today is a big
hug. We crave reassurance that our daily
efforts to live lives of goodness and kindness, inspired by the ethics and morality of
our Torah and Mitzvahs, are truly purposeful. We can’t get rid of the pain, but we
want to at least feel that our lives and
deaths have real meaning and are leading
somewhere.
This Shabbat, we will embrace you,
Jerusalem, and you will embrace us. May
G-d embrace us both, with the coming of
Moshiach, now. Only then will the eternal smile return to the face of Jerusalem
and its children.
Yosef Y. Jacobson, one of the most sought-after
speakers in the Jewish world today, has lectured
to Jewish and non-Jewish audiences on six continents and in 25 US states and is the author of
the tape series “A Tale of Two Souls.” His weekly
Internet essays are read by tens of thousands
cised and lived for 120 years. Menasseh, the King of Judah, killed him. Isaiah predicted the demise of
the northern state, as well as the future destruction of the Temple. Most of his book, however, consists of words of comfort and healing for Zion and Israel, predicting its future rejuvenation and
By Rabbi Manis Friedman
T
he entire Jewish world is uneasy. Jewish hearts and souls
are distraught that Israel’s efforts to protect her citizens
have become controversial, misunderstood, and even
condemned.
Some say we are being punished for our sins. Nonsense! After
3000 years of devotion, this charge is unacceptable.
Then what is happening? What does G-d want from us?
The Torah tells of Moses encountering an Egyptian who is
beating a Jew. Believing that no one is watching, Moses kills and
buries the Egyptian. The following day, Moses sees two Jews
fighting. He says to “the wicked one,” whose hand is raised to
strike, “Why do you strike your fellow?” The Jew replies, “Who
made you lord and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you
killed the Egyptian?” Moses is frightened by this and says, “The
matter has become known!”
The simple meaning of this phrase is that the matter of Moses
killing the Egyptian has become known. But on a deeper level
Moses is saying: Now I know why G-d is not fulfilling his promise
of taking the Jewish people out of Egypt and bringing them to the
Promised Land. He is not redeeming them now, because of the
way they treat one another.
In the Bible, G-d promises to take the Jewish people out of
Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land.
The above story suggests that, at that time in
Egypt, we were not yet a people; we were
more like a dysfunctional family. Since
there was no “Jewish people,” the promise waited to be fulfilled.
Similarly, G-d promised an end to our
insecure
u
exile and the coming of Moshiach. When Moshiach comes there
will be a perfect world, but we have to be ready.
In what way are we not ready? We resist redemption by being
stuck in an exile mentality.
A classic example of “exile mentality” is Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon’s oft-repeated statement that he will root out terror
because “we have a right to protect our citizens.”
Is that what we have – “a right”? How sad! As Prime Minister
of Israel, Ariel Sharon has a moral obligation to ensure the security of his citizens. It’s not a right – it’s a commandment.
Here in the USA we suffer from a similar lack of moral clarity.
On April 15, 2002, more than 120,000 Americans rallied in
Washington in support of Israel. It was a magnificent event, but
it took a representative of the National Christian Leadership
Conference for Israel to say, “G-d has not revoked G-d’s
covenant with Jews. G-d has never revoked G-d’s promise to
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and I add, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and
Leah.” These words are from our Torah. Aren’t we supposed to
quote it?
The world does not accept Jews who don’t act the way the
Bible says Jews should act. When we say, “We live
by Torah—by the Bible,” that gains us respect.
But we don’t do this. We don’t allow G-d to
take us out of exile because we insist on acting exiled.
Jewish writings discuss the nature and characteristics of Moshiach, the one who will lead us
out of exile. Many of his qualities are listed: his
scholarship, piety, etc. But the first quality
attributed to Moshiach is that he stands up
straight. That he has good posture.
Why is good posture mentioned first?
Because the first step out of exile is to stop
acting like victims. We have to stand up
straight and proud. If someone asks why a
Jew would live in Israel today, we should stand
up straight and say, “What kind of question is
that? Jews are the people of Israel. Don’t you read
the Bible?”
Were Israel to infuse its policies with a healthy
dose of faith and spirituality, it would take us out
of exile a tiny drop. At the least, it would give us
good posture. And then G-d would do the
rest.
World-renowned author, counselor, lecturer and
philosopher, Rabbi Manis Friedman uses ancient
wisdom and modern wit as he captivates audiences
around the country and around the world. Rabbi
Friedman is the Dean of Bais Chana Institute of
Jewish Studies of Minnesota and the Founder of
It’s Good to Know. For more information visit
www.itsgoodtoknow.org
AKosher Tree
by Lisa
I
t was snowing gently the night my husband and I dined at
the Box Tree in Midtown Manhattan’s Turtle Bay District. I
had heard about the elegantly eccentric décor. The restaurant was designed over the course of a few years, with each
antique carefully collected in the spirit of King Ludwig of
Bavaria, the mad king who dedicated much of his life to building castles filled with opulent treasures.
Recently, the restaurant has become kosher under the auspices of ~ Kosher Certification. Restaurateurs Serge Gorge and
Rafi Bitton chose to have their establishment adhere to the
highest kosher standards. “My goal is to raise the standard of
kosher dining to a whole new level,” says Mr.
Gorge, “to show the world that kosher dining
can be a first class experience.”
And first class it is! We left the clamor of the
New York City night, and stepped into the elegant foyer of the Box Tree restaurant. The amicable staff took our coats and asked us to sit
down for a moment while they found us a table.
While we waited, we relaxed on overstuffed
leather armchairs around a crackling fireplace
and took in our surroundings. The restaurant,
which is situated in two brownstones, is decorated like a European country manor, with polished wooden floors, stained glass windows,
and an eclectic collection of objects d’art and
antiques. We were struck by the sheer surrealism of the place, by the charming old-world
touches of a bygone era… right in the middle
of the concrete jungle.
After a few moments, we were taken to our
table in the main dining room. We passed by a
number of stylishly furnished rooms and a magnificent white staircase that led upstairs to more
dining rooms. Most of the rooms seat 20 diners,
although some seat 10 or less, offering
patrons privacy while dining. After dinner we asked if we could see the
other rooms and the staff graciously complied. We viewed
the Louis Tiffany Room, the
Music Room, the Blue Room,
and the Versailles Room. The
Versailles Room was especially
impressive, with sparkling chandeliers and gold leaf detail on
the ceiling and walls.
The room in which we dined was softly lit with deep forestgreen walls, creating the effect of a fairytale grotto. Tiffany-style
stained-glass windows portraying trees lined the room. The ceiling was painted gold with collectible plates mounted high above
our heads.
A bow-tied French waiter brought us the menu and a delicate
sliver of bread with chives and pureed salmon, compliments of
the chef. I ordered the Box Tree Rib-Eye Steak, and my husband
ordered the Ahi Tuna, a spicy aromatic fish dish.
The food was unmistakably European, delicious, and
magnificently presented.
When we saw the confections the waiter
brought to other diners in the room, we decided
to try a few desserts. We ordered a fruit sorbet,
crème brulee, and a wicked looking chocolate
mousse. The pastry chef, Mark Dalpe, is a real
artist; every dessert looked like a work of fine
sculpture and tasted superb.
Ever since the Box Tree opened a number of
years ago—first in Westchester, then in
Manhattan—it has enjoyed an excellent reputation. The restaurant combines magical
ambience with good food, while the various
dining rooms offer patrons as much privacy
as they require. In the past, this combination
proved irresistible to celebrities and other
members of high society, with names like
Kennedy and Nixon among them. The restaurant has also received rave reviews from Forbes
magazine among others. It is a highly upscale,
top-notch restaurant, perfect for a very special
occasion.
With the help of ~ Kosher Certification, a kosher
agency with valuable experience in certifying restaurants of the highest caliber, ‘impeccably
kosher’ has now been added to the
Box Tree’s accolades.
THE BOX TREE
250 East 49th Street, NYC
212-758-8320
Glatt Kosher - Under ~ Supervision
Hidden Treasure.
Prep: 15 minutes plus cooling
Bake: 20 minutes
1
2
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6
1
Baker’s
pkg. (14 oz.) BAKER’S ANGEL
FLAKE Coconut (5-1/3 cups)
cup sugar
Tbsp. flour
tsp. salt
/4
MIX coconut, sugar, flour and salt in large bowl. Stir in
egg whites and almond extract until well blended.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased and floured
cookie sheets. BAKE at 325°F for 20
minutes or until edges of cookies are
golden brown. Immediately remove
from cookie sheets to wire racks.
One Bowl™
4
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egg whites
tsp. almond extract
pkg. (8 squares) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet
Baking Chocolate, melted
Cool completely. DIP cookies halfway into melted
chocolate. Let stand at room temperature or refrigerate
on wax paper-lined tray 30 minutes
or until chocolate is firm. Makes
about 3 dozen. Storage Know-How:
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~
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Chocolate is chocolate, but Baker’s is love.
©2003 KF Holdings
bakerschocolate.com
ith the dust from the Six-Day War
still settling, Ariel Sharon took his
wife, Lily, and eleven-year-old son, Gur,
to visit newly liberated Jerusalem. Sharon
was in battle in the Sinai desert when he
first heard that Jerusalem had been freed.
Now, after the miraculous victory, the
family walked together through throngs
of eager Jews toward the Western Wall. A
tefillin stand run by a Chabad Rabbi
caught Sharon’s eye. Moved and inspired,
W
doesn’t know me.”
“A Rebbe is a leader, he feels the pain of
every Jew.” The General understood.
A Letter
The Chabad Rabbi had mentioned his
earlier encounter with Sharon to the
Lubavitcher Rebbe. He now told the
Rebbe about Sharon’s pain-filled questions and the Rebbe reached out to
Sharon with a long letter.
First, the Rebbe expressed his grief and
sympathy over the tragic loss of
Sharon’s son: “We cannot understand
Moshiach, at which time He will repair
the personal loss of every Jew by fulfilling
the promise of resurrection.
The Rebbe signed off saying, “May it be
G-d’s will that, from now on, your family
should know no pain.”
A Meeting
Sharon was deeply touched by the letter. When he traveled to America, he
arranged a meeting with the Rebbe.
General’s
in the shadow of the wall, Ariel Sharon
put on tefillin.
The Rabbi manning the tefillin stand
immediately recognized Sharon, the war
hero who had earned a reputation for
bravery and brilliance. Fighting in every
war since Israel’s birth, Sharon had
recently led Israeli tanks through Sinai to
the eastern bank of the Suez Canal,
greatly contributing to Israel’s victory.
A Tragedy
Just weeks later, Ariel Sharon’s son was
dead. On Rosh Hashanah Eve of 1967, the
boy jovially saluted his father and went
off to play. A minute later a shot rang
out. Gur and his friends had packed an
antique gun with powder and somehow
Gur had been shot. As a soldier, Ariel
Sharon knew the wound was fatal, yet,
still hoping, he picked up the boy, blood
soaking his shirt, and flagged down a
passing car. Moments later, Gur died in
his father’s arms.
The Chabad Rabbi from the Wall visited Sharon during the week of mourning.
The room was full of generals and politicians. A devastated Ariel Sharon pulled
the Rabbi aside and implored, “You are
religious, how could this happen?” The
Chassid could only suggest that he ask
the Lubavitcher Rebbe for answers.
“But why should I write to him? He
the ways of G-d. During a time of war you
were saved, yet, at home, a tragedy
occurred! Just as a small child cannot
understand the ways of a sage, so too, a
created being cannot comprehend the
ways of G-d.” He added that this explanation “does not come to minimize the
pain.”
The Rebbe commended Sharon for
being among those who secured victory
for the Jewish People against their enemies. The Rebbe also thanked him for
donning tefillin at the Western Wall, a
publicized event that inspired many Jews
worldwide.
The Rebbe went on to discuss the traditional Jewish statement of condolence,
‘May G-d comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.’ “What connection is there between one grieving the
loss of human life and the mourners of
Zion and Jerusalem?” he asked.
The Rebbe offered a number of explanations. Just as the grief over Zion and
Jerusalem is common to all Jews, so too,
all Jews share the grief of one Jew. The
heathen conquerors of Zion could only
capture the physical Temple, because the
spiritual essence of the Temple resides
eternally inside the heart of every Jew.
Similarly, death dominates only the physical body, the soul, however, is immortal;
upon death it merely ascends to the
World of Truth. Ultimately, G-d will
rebuild Zion and Jerusalem through
Naturally, Sharon assumed he would
meet a Chassidic Rabbi whose only brilliance was in Torah studies. He was
therefore astonished when the Rebbe discussed defense issues as authoritatively
as an IDF General. Likewise, the Rebbe
was familiar with the geography, demography, and politics of Israel.
When the Rebbe asked Sharon why
eight soldiers had died in the battle for
Kalkiliya, Sharon explained that they had
to cross a certain Wadi where the enemy
had been waiting. “But why did you have
to go through the Wadi?” the Rebbe
asked, and then proceeded to draw up an
By Sara Levy
alternative method of capturing
Kalkiliya, as if he had consulted a regional military map! Sharon was amazed.
The two men talked for hours, and their
meeting continued well into the early
hours of the morning. When they parted,
Ariel Sharon left with a genuine respect
and affection for the Rebbe.
On July 23rd 1968, the Rebbe saved
Sharon’s life. During a meeting with the
Rebbe, Sharon periodically checked his
watch, as he was scheduled to return to
Israel that night. The Rebbe suggested
that Sharon stay a little longer and take
another flight. Sharon complied and
they finished their conversation. Later
that night, the EL-AL flight Sharon had
planned to take was hijacked to Algeria
by the ‘Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine.’ All Jewish passengers were
held for five weeks before being
released unharmed. According to those
released, the hijackers seemed to be
looking for ‘someone important,’ and
they were enraged when they realized
that he was not aboard. It was later
revealed that the entire incident was an
operation executed to capture Ariel
Sharon.
Israel
At various times, the Rebbe expressed
his concerns to Sharon regarding political issues facing Israel. When Sharon
approached the Rebbe asking him to
influence his followers to settle in the
territories captured during the Six Day
War, the Rebbe expressed reservations.
“What would happen if a fight were to
break out between a Jewish boy and an
Arab boy, whose side would the government take? Especially if the Arab mayor
comes along and makes a loud fuss
about Jewish provocation…”
For six years between 1967 and 1973,
Israel built up her military defenses
including the Bar Lev Line. Named after
Israel’s Chief of Staff, Chaim Bar Lev, the
Bar Lev Line was a fixed demarcation
between Egypt and Israel along the Suez
Canal defended by small military outposts. Sharon was adamantly opposed to
the plan because he felt that a more
mobile security arrangement was essential. He was discharged from the army
because of his confrontations with Bar
Lev. Sharon, always deeply interested in
Israeli politics, now felt free to enter the
political arena. He met with politicians
while still in uniform. His uniform was a
blatant reminder that Sharon’s war hero
status made him a well-known and
extremely popular figure among Israelis.
Bar Lev received a phone call from
Parliament instructing him to reinstate
Sharon “before he interferes in the
upcoming elections.”
The Rebbe agreed that the Bar Lev Line
was a grave error, and kept in close contact with Sharon, advising him to remain
in the military as Israel needed his experience and abilities. The Rebbe warned
Sharon against the cease-fire with Egypt
that was negotiated after the Six Day War.
It subsequently became apparent that in
violation of the ceasefire agreement,
Egypt was steadily fortifying its army with
Russian assistance. War was inevitable.
The Rebbe cautioned Sharon, “If one truly
desires peace, then he must show that he
is prepared to fight for it, with the utmost
intensity and under the most advantageous conditions.”
The Rebbe often told Sharon, “Our
greatest mistake would be to withdraw
from our new borders. Without hesitation we must stop trying to please other
countries. Regarding the various solutions now being put forward, involving
either full or partial withdrawal by Israel,
such action will cause a worsening of
tensions in the future.” The Rebbe
emphasized, “These solutions defy the
natural order, as the current borders of
Israel are its natural borders.”
A few years later, Sharon left the army
and formed the “Likud” party with
Menachem Begin.
When the Yom Kippur War broke out in
1973, Israel was caught unawares. The
Egyptian army destroyed the Bar Lev Line;
hundreds of soldiers were trapped in their
positions and almost 3,000 died. Sharon,
reinstated as Commander of the armored
divisions, promptly crossed the Suez Canal
and attacked the Egyptian army unexpectedly. This battle assisted Israel’s subsequent victory.
After the Yom Kippur
War, Ariel Sharon
reentered politics,
eventually becoming
Prime Minister of
Israel in 2001.
At his last meeting
with the Rebbe in 1989, Sharon asked the
Rebbe for a blessing for Israel. The Rebbe
replied with a verse from the Torah, “And I
will give peace in your land, and you shall
lie down, and none shall make you afraid.”
The Rebbe pointed out, “The Torah does
not say ‘in the land’ but ‘in your land,’
which suggests that true peace will come
only when the land is clearly Jewish.” The
Rebbe concluded, “To help the world realize that Israel is indeed Jewish, the citizens
of Israel must strengthen their observance
of Torah and Mitzvoth.”
Sara Levy is associate editor of Kosher Spirit
By Wendy Kaufman
The
y
d
a
L
The story behind the smile
napple got its name from an experience Arnold Greenberg, Leonard
Marsh, and Hyman Golden had in
the 1980s while developing a new drink.
It was a carbonated apple beverage,
which they were fermenting in glass bottles in a New York warehouse. Over a hot
weekend in the summer all the bottles
suddenly began exploding. They snapped
and broke, so they came up with the
name “Snapple.”
Arnie Greenberg, one of the founders of
Snapple, was my best friend’s father. He
kindly gave me a job at an extremely difficult time in my life. For many, Snapple
is just a drink, but for me, it helped save
my life. This is my story:
I was born in the late 50s to a secular
Jewish, Long Island family. After graduating from Syracuse University with two
degrees, I worked in the shipping department of my father’s steel company in
New Jersey. By then, I was already in deep
trouble. It all began when I was 12-years
old and went to my friends’ Bar and Bat
Mitzvah parties. I suddenly had access to
alcohol. Drinking seemed like fun, however by the time college was over, I was
losing control.
In my early thirties, I sought help at a
rehabilitation center where it took me
nine full months to reclaim my life. I have
been sober now for 14 years, but back
then, leaving rehab was a terrifying experience. I was not welcome in the family
business because part of my therapy
S
involved learning to survive on my own. It
was a very painful and emotional time for
me. I was jobless for a year, the economy
was terrible, and I was tentative about my
sobriety and my place in the world. One
night, absolutely distraught and weeping,
I gazed heavenward looking for G-d, and
said, “Please G-d, please help me and
make me a star at something. Find me
some place where I can shine.”
Shortly afterward, Arnie offered me a
job at Snapple. He believed in me when I
didn’t believe in myself.
Snapple was becoming very popular
and we began to receive lots of mail from
happy customers. We were a growing
company and employees were busy with
their chores. No one wanted to answer
the mail, so I started doing it. I would not
only write, but also call, and consumers
were delighted to know that someone
was really reading their mail.
Reaching out to others, and moving
the focus away from myself, began to
positively redefine my life. The Snapple
letter campaign became a crucial key to
my recovery. By bringing joy to others, I
increased the joy in my own life. I
reached a point where I could look in the
mirror and like what I saw.
When Snapple hired a marketing director, Jude Hammerle, he saw the value of
the letters. He said, “Why not take the
person who’s getting all these letters and
put her on TV?”
I was plucked from the anonymity of
the shipping department, where I was
working at the time, and put under the
‘bright lights’ of national television.
The TV spots began with me reading a
letter: “Hello from Snapple. Today’s letter
is from Linda Fairbanks from wherever.
Linda writes, ‘Snapple is the best drink
I’ve ever had. I swear! I am not lying.’”
Then Linda would come on screen and
we would give her a lie detector test. We
hooked her up to a real lie detector and
found out that she was not lying. The TV
commercials featured real life customers
who starred in their own scenarios. The
response was incredible. At one point I
was getting 3000 letters a week! I became
somewhat of a household name—a sober
and happy star!
I have no doubt that G-d watched over
me in my most difficult days. In fact, I
suspect I have an entire cheering committee up there! Sometimes, when things
get rough, I just look up and say, “What’s
happening gang? I need a little more
attention down here!”
In these tenuous times when there are
almost as many terror alert colors as
there are Snapple flavors, people are
starting to lose it a little out of fear. Fear
does terrible things to people. I pray that
we should have no fear! Either I’m the
stupidest person in the world or I just
have such faith that I believe nothing is
going to happen. G-d works in mysterious ways. In the end, things always work
out the way they’re supposed to.
By Jill Mannie
IN MAY OF 2002, AN APPEAL WAS MADE FOR VOLUNTEERS FROM THE DIASPORA TO HELP OUT IN ISRAEL
DURING ONGOING TERRORIST ATTACKS. JILL
(YOCHEVED) MANNIE, OF JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH
AFRICA DESCRIBES HER RESPONSE TO THIS CALL.
W
hy did I choose to leave my three
children (aged 6, 4 and 2) and the
comforts of my home, and fly to
Israel as a military volunteer in the
middle of frequent suicide bombings? (I
left my children in the safe care of my
husband and mother and prepared three
weeks of meals in advance.) I did so
based on the belief that all Jewish people
are a soul family. We are one, and right
now it is OUR Israeli children who live
under terrible threat and need our help.
By choosing to be a volunteer on an
army base as part of the SAR-EL program, my family and I were not given any
information about where I would be stationed or what I’d be doing. I only knew
could provide.
One inspiring volunteer was a wonderful old man who had come with his wife.
We never met her, as she felt that she was
better equipped to help out in a hospital.
For three weeks this remarkable couple
(both in their mid 80s) only saw each
other on Shabbat, when we at the base
had time off. Another man in his mid 30s
came from one of the Scandinavian
countries where he is the ONLY Jew in
his town; neither his wife nor his two
daughters are Jewish. Yet when Israel
sent out a cry for help, his soul
heard the call and he rushed
to serve.
As a religious woman,
I was issued an army
shirt and boots as well
as an army SKIRT – an
unusual sight on the
base. In their home-
difference? You bet. For every volunteer,
the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) saves
thousands of shekels they would otherwise pay a reservist – a long term saving
that puts money into vital resources like
medical and military supplies. It also
means that an Israeli family can stay
together because someone in the
Diaspora has come to do the job of someone’s father, mother, brother, son, etc.
Back home in South Africa, my four
year-old son thinks his mother is the
“coolest” mom on the block because I
all my children
that I would try to give every Israeli I met
some sort of encouragement that G-d
loves them and that we Jews in the
Diaspora really do care.
To my delight I found out that there
were 51 other volunteers stationed with
me who felt exactly the same way. They
came from Norway, Italy, England,
Canada, America, Germany, South Africa,
New Zealand, and Germany, and were a
mix of religious and secular Jews and
even a few gentiles. The volun-
teers ranged in age from 20
to 88. There were students,
ex-marines, lawyers, a vet,
a ballroom dancer, a
bail-bondsman, a dentist,
psychologists, a banker,
housewives, and retirees.
Each person was there to give whatever
help, love and support that he or she
towns, many of the volunteers would probably
never have discussed
Judaism with an observant woman – the wig
alone would have kept
them at bay. Because they
had come to help Israel, their
hearts and souls were receptive.
As a result, I found myself sharing time
and again the incredible story of how my
husband and I gave up our scuba diving
school on the banks of Lake Malawi to
adopt a Torah lifestyle.
Im my conversations with soldiers
(who are mere children themselves, just
out of school), many told me that when
they see so many people coming from all
over the world, they realize that they are
not alone, that Israel is strong and that
our Homeland will indeed survive. Sadly,
too many Israelis are of the opinion that
Diaspora Jews always send money but no
one really comes when there is trouble.
Did our being in Israel really make a
went to help the Israeli Army. In truth,
my children are still too young to understand much about the threat to Israel. I
kept a diary while in Israel, complete
with newspaper articles, etc., for them to
read when they are old enough. What
better legacy in the education of love for
one’s fellow can I possibly give them?
World Jewry is once again under threat;
we have to stand together no matter what
our religious affiliation. Recently, 52 volunteers from the four corners of the
world put aside their political and religious differences and stood together in a
common cause. If we are to survive as a
people, we must all do the same.
By Rabbi Don Yoel Levy
F
aced with the prospect of weeks of
grueling Passover cleaning, shopping, and cooking, many Jewish families opt to follow in the footsteps of our
ancestors in Egypt and make a run for it.
With a plethora of Kosher for Passover
hotels advertising a holiday of luxury and
convenience, many choose to spare themselves the rigors of Passover preparations.
But before you pick up the phone and
make your reservations, you should consider both your physical and spiritual
needs. Passover is a time when Jewish
families are traditionally more meticulous in their kosher observance. If staying
in a hotel will result in your being more
lenient, the whole experience may not be
worth it.
To help you evaluate hotels, I will outline the issues that the ~ Kosher
Certification uses in determining
whether a hotel can be made
grammed for each individual guest. This
is fine for weekdays, but electronic keys
cannot be used on Shabbat or Yom Tov.
In some hotels, housekeeping receives
an electronic signal when the room is
empty, at which time the staff knows to
come and straighten the room. By leaving the room, the guest automatically
triggers the electronic monitor.
Many hotels have doors which open via
an electronic eye. Even when the doors
are kept open ( for example, by someone
who has just walked through them), the
electronic eye may flash as each person
walks by.
Of course, the laws of Shabbat must
also be observed in the kitchen. Cooking
is forbidden on Shabbat. Cholent, a stew
comprised of meat, beans, and potatoes,
is a staple in the Jewish home for
Shabbat lunch because it is placed on the
stove or in the oven before Shabbat and
koshering a Passover hotel kitchen a full
week prior to the holiday.
Many Passover hotels are not kosher
year-round. Before the ~ even considers
koshering a hotel, we evaluate if it is generally fit to be kosher. As the ~ insists
on complete separation of meat and
dairy, several concerns arise.
Storage. In most cases, members of the
hotel kitchen staff are not accustomed to
keeping meat and dairy separate. Unless
there are separate storage areas for meat
and dairy, it’s easy for the foods to be
mixed accidentally.
Cooking areas. Due to the high volume of
cooking, spillage and splattering is frequent.
Thus, complete segregation of all areas,
including the area where the food is set out
on plates, is necessary to preclude the unintentional mixing of meat and milk. The ~
requires separate stoves, ovens, dish
warmers, sinks, steam kettles,
PACKING UP AT PASSOVER
Choosing the RIGHT HOTEL for your PASSOVER GETAWAY
acceptable.
“Acceptable” is a
more appropriate word
than “kosher,” because preparing a hotel
for Shabbat and Yom Tov use involves
more than just food!
Let’s look at two potential problem
areas: Shabbat and Kosher issues.
Shabbat
If the hotel you are visiting is being used
exclusively for Passover guests, there
should be no blatant desecration of
Shabbat or Yom Tov. On Shabbat and Yom
Tov, check-in and check-out should not be
allowed, hotel shops should be closed,
and music should not play in the lobby.
Electronic signals, like electrical
switches, must not be triggered on
Shabbat. Thus, the modern technology
that solves many security and housekeeping problems for hotels, presents serious
problems for the Shabbat-observant
guest. Electronic keys are one example.
These are plastic key-cards that are pro-
kept warm until Shabbat afternoon.
Some hotels are convinced that they
must supply their customers with a hot
meal other than the traditional Cholent
on Shabbat afternoon. They sometimes
reach very far to find leniencies to justify
heating foods on Shabbat.
Kosher
Koshering a hotel is very complicated
and time consuming. The process must
be performed with scrutiny, patience,
and responsibility.
First, all non-kosher or non-Passover
food must be removed before the cleansing of equipment can begin. Once the
koshering process begins, the entire
kitchen is off limits for non-Passover
food production.
Depending on the size of the hotel
kitchen, it can take from two days up to a
week to kosher properly. Many hotels
seek to delay the koshering process until
the last possible moment—as close to
Passover as possible. The ~ insists on
broilers, griddles, etc.
Steam kettles. The use of
a common steam line for kosher and
non-kosher cooking is not acceptable.
This is a method in which steam is used
in place of fire for cooking. When steam
is returned to the boiler after having
been used to cook non-kosher food and
is then used to cook kosher food, the latter becomes not kosher. The same holds
true for dairy and meat foods. Another
problem arises with consecutive use of
steam. This is when steam first heats a
dairy kettle and then a meat kettle.
Afterwards the steam, which now contains meat and dairy elements, might be
directly injected into a pressure cooker to
steam vegetables!
As you can see, there are many issues
involved in preparing a hotel for Passover
use. Please use this information to question the various tour providers. By booking your retreat responsibly, you will
assure your family a truly redeeming
Passover experience.
Texas Schindler
’m in a doctor’s waiting room in
Huntsville, Alabama, the very buckle
of the Bible Belt. I’m leafing through
episodes in the life of Elisha, the Prophet,
instead of reading about bodily improvements in Cosmopolitan. The Book of
Books sits right there on the coffee table
along with its trendy companions.
It’s a brief wait. I don’t even get to finish the story in Kings II, about Elisha
causing an ax head to float to the surface
of the Jordan River. The nurse calls me
into the business end of the suite and the
doctor—let’s call him O’Neil—checks me
out. Later, as I dress, he notices my
Jewish Community T-shirt.
“Oh, you’re Jewish. I’m Irish.”
He hesitates. O’Neil is normally a quiet
man who doesn’t wear his heart on his
sleeve. I can see that he’s deliberating,
considering whether or not to share the
thoughts that are visible on his face.
I encourage him by using the old psychotherapeutic technique of neutral repetition.
“Oh, so you’re Irish. That’s nice.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Ya know, a Rabbi
blessed my Daddy just before he died;
and a Jewish boy who rose to be
President of Midwest Grain came to my
Daddy’s wake.”
Here it comes, and it sounds like a
good one.
“We lived in a dusty, little town twenty
miles from Galveston. My Daddy was the
head accountant—you might call him
the office manager—for Midwest Grain
Corporation. It was a good job in the late
30s—plenty of groceries for the family.
“Anyhow, in our town there was an old
Jewish guy. I’d often see him on the street,
dressed all in black, full gray beard.
Instead of a Stetson, he wore a widebrimmed black hat. Can you imagine
walking around in a black suit in a hot,
South Texas town where the river dries
up in July? I never understood that.
I
“Well, seems like most
every weekend,
Daddy would go visit
the fellow with the
beard. Me and my brother and sister, we’d stay in the car
and listen to the insect noises
that filled the night. Daddy
would stay in the house about
an hour. He never said what
they talked about, but one
thing I remember is he always
came back to the car with a
handful of papers.
“In those years, you know, it
was hard for Jews to get into the
U.S. They had to have a sponsor
and a bona fide job waiting for
them. My Daddy, we found out
later, was working with that Jewish
Rabbi—I’ve forgotten his name—
arranging for German Jews to immigrate to America. Jobs were a prerequisite, so my Daddy, in his official
capacity as office manager, hired seventeen Jewish office boys. Seventeen!”
In a happier time it would have
been a comic scene out of a
Marx Brothers movie.
Seventeen office boys falling
all over themselves speaking
Yiddish or fractured English. Midwest
Grain must have given their Galveston
region manager a huge corporate wink.
He had more office boys than invoices.
He and the old Jew in the outlandish hat
worked it out, Doc O’Neil told me, and
one of those office boys rose to be
President of Midwest Grain!
“And that’s why the President of
Midwest Grain and a Rabbi who looked
like an Old Testament prophet came to
my father’s funeral.” Dr. O’Neil paused to
remember a wake in South Texas: a room
full of Irishmen and two Jews. “You know,”
said the doctor, “those Nazis were mean.”
The Doc was probably repeating words
By Ted Roberts
he’d heard as a child as his
dad sat in his large living
room chair and read the
headlines. Here was a Texas
Schindler. His actions were
all the more praiseworthy
since he was so remote
from the catastrophe;
totally disconnected from
the victims. He never saw
the broken lives. He heard no
widows’ cries.
All this was reeling around
in my head as I buttoned
up my
shirt. Just goes to
show, I thought, how
life can occasionally
threaten a curve ball
and instead put a big, fat
pitch right over the plate. Thirty
minutes with a medico and I
get: A) a small innocent lump
painlessly removed from my
neck, B) a good report on the
content of that lump, and C) an inspirational jolt that makes me feel a whole lot
better about my planetary brothers.
In Jerusalem, in Yad Vashem, the
Holocaust memorial, there’s a section
dedicated to righteous Gentiles—heroes
who saved Jewish lives during the
Holocaust. I nominate this South Texas
Schindler. He’d probably be the first
Galveston honoree.
The stories and lighthearted commentary of
Ted Roberts appear widely in Jewish publications such as Hadassah and The Reporter.
When he is not commenting on the joys of
Judaism, Ted teaches Bar Mitzvah students. He
lives in Huntsville, Alabama
T
he atmosphere sparked with intensity. A Chassidic gathering was taking
place in Czarist Russia, an inspired
group session led by spiritual giants,
where all participants bathed their souls
in the warm glow of Jewish mysticism.
As their spirits soared to tremendous
heights, the Chassidim were served food
by the caretaker of the Synagogue,
Shmuel Munkas. People knew Shmuel
Munkas as a good-hearted fellow with a
tremendous sense of humor. He was well
known for his amusing antics. Nobody
present had ever had a proper conversation with him, and so they did not know
of his vast intelligence and deep commitment. Until now, he had successfully hidden his true greatness.
The Chassidim were distracted from
their lofty discussion as Shmuel Munkas
entered the room. He was bearing aloft a
massive dish of roasted lung prepared by
the wife of Nochum the ritual slaughterer.
As he neared the table, however,
Shmuel held up the dish and started to
dance with it, turning it this way and
that. The Chassidim, initially amused,
began to grumble. Thoroughly distracted
from their spiritual pursuits, they roared
for him to stop his jesting and serve them
the succulent meat.
Shmuel danced on and on. The delicious aroma from the roasted lung
prompted a few of the younger
Chassidim to leap at the dish to try to
wrest it away from him.
When he saw that, Shmuel gracefully
tilted the dish with its contents directly
into a spittoon filled with slime and filthy
water.
For a few seconds there was a deathly
By Ruth Benjamin
silence. Then someone suggested Shmuel
be beaten for his wastage. Shmuel
accepted his punishment gracefully, got
up and went to find other food to serve
the hungry Chassidim.
He found plain fare. As he set it out,
angry mutters and glances followed him
for spoiling the sumptuous meal that the
gathering should have enjoyed.
It was well past midnight, when a wailing and knocking on the door roused the
students from their meditations. The ritual slaughterer, Nochum, rushed in, his
eyes red and wild with terror and his face
a ghastly white.
“The lung is not kosher! I
was out all evening and in
my absence a lung put aside
because it was not kosher
was mistakenly roasted and
sent over here. I came as
soon as I found out. This is
terrible! he cried.
”
His body trembled as everyone stared
at him in stunned silence.
He sniffed the air where the aroma of
the roasted lung lingered. One of the
Chassidim pointed to the spittoon and
the butcher looked at the remains of the
forbidden dish.
“All of it?” he stammered.
“All of it!” said the Chassid. “That fellow
there would not let us eat it,” he said
pointing to Shmuel. “He danced with
the meat for a long time and eventually dumped it here in the spittoon.”
The Chassidim were stunned and
Conscientious
Objector
confused, “Beat Shmuel up again for his
arrogance.” said one young Chassid. “He
has no right to show off his spiritual
powers at a Chassidic gathering!”
A few young Chassidim moved towards
him, yet nobody wanted to touch him
anymore. They looked at Shmuel with
respect and even awe. Meanwhile,
Nochum sat down, crying with relief.
The Chassidim gathered around
Shmuel and demanded to know why he
had used mystical powers? Shmuel
quickly reassured everyone that he had
not used Kabalistic powers. He explained
that, years ago, in preparation for his first
personal interview with the Rebbe, he
had succeeded in eliminating his craving
for food.
Earlier that evening, when he realized
how strongly he wanted the fragrant
roasted lung, he grew concerned that
there was a problem with his own spirituality. But when he saw the desperate
way the other Chassidim also desired the
meat, he realized it must be forbidden
food. Only something deeply forbidden
can rouse such burning desire. He therefore threw the meat, dish and all, into the
filthy water where it belonged.
With that Shmuel continued on, in his
jestering manner.
Ruth Benjamin is a clinical psychologist,
University lecturer, and prolific author. She lives
in Johannesburg,
South Africa.
The saintly Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak of
Pshischah once sent his disciple Rabbi
Simcha Bunem on a journey without
telling him the purpose for his travels.
Rabbi Simcha chose several fellow students to accompany him and set out.
Honored
guests,
welcome
to my
Kosher
Inn. I hope
you will all
be
A
meat meal?
But who
slaughtered Oh, No!
Who
koshered
the meat?
Was
the ani-
I’m sorry I have no
dairy food available,
but I can prepare a
delicious meat meal.
My dear Chassidim!
You are so careful
about what you put
into your mouths…
But are you just as
careful with what
comes out of your
mouths… your words?
mal
Ah! Now I know why the Rebbe sent
us on this
journey, simply to learn this lesson. Now
They returned promptly to Pshischah.
~
CREATING A KOSHER ENVIRONMENT
Where Jewish life can flourish
NEW ~ CERTIFICATIONS
JANUARY, 2003
DECEMBER, 2002
NOVEMBER, 2002
OCTOBER, 2002
SEPTEMBER, 2002
AUGUST, 2002
OMYA PERALTA
Hamburg, Germany
Emulsifiers & Stabilizers
GOLDEN TASTE
Spring Valley, NY
Salads
PAN AMERICAN GRAIN
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Water
GENUTH SUPPLY CORP.
Monsey, NY
Coffee
ORLEANS PACKING COMPANY
Hyde Park, MA
Cherries
SNYDERS OF HANOVER
Hanover, PA
Candy & Chocolate
POWER SNACKS
Brooklyn, NY
Dried Fruits & Nuts
SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
Wayne, NJ
Xanthan Gum
BMF INC.
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Water
GOLAN HEIGHTS WINERY
Katzrin, Israel
Wines
GFA BRANDS INC.
Cresskill, NJ
Popcorn
INTERNATIONAL AROMATICS SAE
Alexandria, Egypt
Flavoring Extracts
RHODIA FOOD
Faro, Portugal
Emulsifiers & Stabilizers
COLD ALEX
Alexandria, Egypt
Frozen Foods
FORTUM OIL
Beringen, Belgium
Oil & Shortenings
LEGAL SEA FOODS
Boston, MA
Olive Oils
CRISTALIA ACQUISITION
Palmas Catano, Puerto Rico
Water
ANDERSON INTERNATIONAL FOODS
Los Angeles, CA
Cheese
WILTON INDUSTRIES
Woodridge, IL
Baking Supplies
TASTI D-LITE
New York, NY
Ice Cream Mixes
JEEN INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Fairfield, NJ
Emulsifiers & Stabilizers
GRACE BAKING
Richmond, CA
Frozen Foods
THE WESTIN RIOMAR BEACH
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Water
GUS SCLAFARI CORP.
Norwalk, CT
Condiments
MISITANO & STRACUZZI
Messina, Italy
Essential Oils
ZENITH VEGETARIAN
Cedarhurst, NY
Vegetarian Restaurant
PROMISED LAND DAIRY
San Antonio, TX
Dairy Products
GLACIER-CLEAR
Fort Worth, TX
Water
ROSELI PRODUCTS CORPORATION
Columbia, MD
Olive Oils
INTERPROVINCIAL COOPERATIVE
Mississauqa, Canada
Snack Foods
BROOKSIDE PRODUCTS
Maryport, England
Fish Products
RHODA’S BEST
Brooklyn, NY
Baked Goods
GIVERA CHOCOLATIER
Brentwood, TN
Candy & Chocolate
MESADA TRADING
White Lake, NY
Frozen Foods
KOSHER PROVISION INC.
Van Nuys, CA
Dairy Products
KLENE’S
Gross Pointe, MI
Cereal
JT CAFE
New York, NY
Dairy Restaurant
KENNIE’S MARKETS
Gettysburg, PA
Beverages
GRAPPOLINI
Loro Ciuffenna, Italy
Olive Oils
INTERSTATE BAKERIES CORP.
Kansas City, MO
Baked Products
EASTAR CHEMICAL CORPORATION
Newton Square, PA
Propanoic Acid
NATURAL IMPORT COMPANY
Asheville, NC
Organic Foods
CONSORZIO BIOITALIA
Buccino, Italy
Pasta & Grains
CHICAGO SWEETENERS
Des Plaines, IL
Release Agents
AIR STREAM FOODS
Oceanside, NY
Salads
EXTREME FOODS COMPANY
Las Vegas, NV
Syrups
ORDU SOYA SANAYI
Ordu, Turkey
Oils
BLUE RIDGE FARMS
Brooklyn, NY
Condiments
LES VINS MAYER HALPERN
Armentierer, France
Wines
CLARK PRODUCTS
Elk Grove, IL
Lubricating Oils
COOK IN A CROCK
Monsey, NY
Plastic Bags
TAYLOR FARMS
Greencastle, PA
Salad Products
PREMIUM INGREDIENTS LTD.
Carol Stream, IL
Aromatic Chemicals
J&D FINE FOODS
Brooklyn, NY
Dried Fruits & Nuts
DEB-EL FOODS
Elizabeth, NJ
Condiments
ELI’S CHEESECAKE COMPANY
Chicago, IL
Ice Cream Mixes
PACIDA INTERNATIONAL
Brisbane, CA
Frozen Foods
WARRANWOOD WINERY
Victoria, Australia
Wines
MIRSA INC.
Miami, FL
Fish Products
LIN’S KOSHER CHINESE KITCHEN
Mainville, NJ
Meat Restaurant
BAKER’S BRIGHT
Cincinnati, OH
Baking Supplies
THE BOX TREE
New York, NY
Meat Restaurant
UNIVERSAL APEX INC.
Toronto, Canada
Fish Products
RIKEN VITAMIN CO.
Tokyo, Japan
Amino Acids
TROPHY NUT CO.
Tipp City, OH
Candy & Chocolate
CINDARELLA SWEETS
Rockaway Beach, NY
Bakery
PERFORMANCE FOOD
Richmond, VA
Dairy Products
CATERING BY SOLA
Brooklyn, NY
Caterer
GARDEN BY THE COURT
Brooklyn, NY
Dairy Restaurant
LICORERA DE NICARAGUA
Mangua, Nicaragua
Rum
KIKKOMAN CORPORATION
Tokyo, Japan
Flavoring Extracts
CMEC XINJIANG FOODSTUFF CO.
Xinjiang, China
Oils
M&R DISTRIBUTORS
Brooklyn, NY
Fish Products
EUROCOM SRL
Angri, Italy
Canned Fruits & Vegetables
POCAHONTAS FOODS
Richmond, VA
Dairy Products
HOOGWEGT MILK BV
Arnheim, Netherlands
Dairy Products
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