Hechsher
A hechsher (Hebrew: הכשר ), plural Hechscharim, from the Hebrew word kasher ( כשר ), ( Yiddish: Kosher, German: suitable pure) derived, colloquially also kosher stamp, is a kosher certificate on foods and other products is in the form of a seal, with meat as a seal, mounted and hung in shops and restaurants. A hechsher certifying that the relevant production is in accordance with the Jewish law, Halacha, prepared and approved for use and consumption according to the dietary laws of kashrut. With a hechsher certified products, under the supervision of a trained supervisor (Hebrew: Mashgiach ) have been prepared for the kashrut is guaranteed by the listed on the hechsher or from the symbol used and distinguishable with the Hashgocha entrusted, is under rabbinical supervision organization. In addition to the hechsher is usually also given in food, if they are milky or meaty or parve.
Worldwide, there are hundreds of organizations and Rabbinate, which awarded more than 1000 different Hechscharim. There are also some years also Hechscharim, consider the ethical and ecological criteria.
- 2.1 European countries
- 2.2 Israel
- 2.3 North America
Liability and acceptance
Basically all processed foods must be checked for their kashrut, so they are suitable for religious, Jewish dietary and purity laws be observed Jews a pleasure. However, the need for stricter and less strict interpretation of religious laws are very different, so that, conditionally have developed through the modern food production and the changes in diet and lifestyle habits of religious Jews, different standards of kashrut among religious Jews. Accordingly, do not apply all Hechscharim as equally authentic, or are accepted to the same extent.
The liability of a Hechschers depends on the trustworthiness of the persons entrusted with the Hashgocha rabbi or organizations of the strictness with which the religious laws are applied and the intensity of supervision from. The trustworthiness depends in turn on the religious orientation of the consumer, possibly also on local conditions, which is why often multiple organizations or rabbi entrusted with the Hashgocha and the products according with multiple Hechscharim provided are brought to the market.
Special
The most famous among Ashkenazi Jews stricter form of kashrut is the Yiddish term glatt kosher ( Yiddish: Chalak ( חלק ): גלאט כשר Hebrew ) refers. "Closing " refers to the lungs of the dead animal, which must be examined according to Sephardic and strict Ashkenazi interpretation to the butchering and must not show any irregularities that indicate a possible disease from which the slaughtered animal may have suffered. The term glatt kosher is only for meat from larger animals, but is often " severely / strictly kosher " is used generally to refer to. The strict requirements of the Sephardic Jews sufficient designation is Chalak Bet Josef (Hebrew: חלק בית יוספּ ), or shortly Bet Joseph, after the work of Joseph Karo, a native of Spain, author of the Shulchan Aruch.
Hechsher with the addition of israel (Hebrew: ישראל ), especially for pastries (Hebrew: פת ישראל ) and dairy products (Hebrew: חלב ישראל ), indicate that during the production Jews were mitbeteiligt what for ultra - religious Jews consider the purity of the products increased. For wine but these stricter provisions apply generally and are not recorded.
In baked goods can be between Jaschan, Ashkenazi pronunciation joschon (Hebrew: ישן, German: old ( in terms of the cereals ) ) and Hadash, Ashkenazi pronunciation chodosch (Hebrew: חדש, German: new ( in terms of the cereals ) ) differed be.
Especially in Israel, but partly also in other countries are Hechscharim based on an interpretation of religious laws, which goes beyond what is strictly necessary, with the addition le'mehadrin ( German: embellished ) as Le Mehadrin (Hebrew: כשר למהדרין ) provided. In addition, there exists a further increase, as le'mehadrin -min ha'mehadrin (Hebrew: למהדרין מן המהדרין ) is called.
The cultivated in Israel agricultural products subject to their own, based on the biblical standards laws, which are considered in the Kosher certification.
Special provisions apply to the time of Passover. Food and other products that may be used during Passover are, with the addition kosher le'pessach: provided, possibly even with the symbol P. In this case, differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic observance can come to fruition (Hebrew כשר לפסח ).
Regional differences
Between countries and regions, there are some significant differences in terms of kosher certification.
European countries
In European countries, the local Orthodox Rabbinate or a rabbinical court, are (Hebrew: Beth Din ( בית דין ) ) is generally responsible for Hashgocha. As in Europe Kosher -certified foods are intended only for observant Jews, awarded by local rabbinical organizations Hechscharim meet mostly very high demands on the strict interpretation of the ritual prescriptions. Foods that are not intended for consumption by religious Jews come in European countries usually without kosher stamp on the market. In most European countries lists with uncertified, available on the local market, approved for observant Jews foods, cleaning products, etc. issued by the local Rabbinates. The local Rabbinate are also responsible for the assessment of imported and provided with a hechsher foods. For the certificates for exports to Israel, however, the Israeli Chief Rabbinate is responsible.
Israel
In Israel, the Most commercial foods, and many restaurants are kosher - certified. Since it is the goal of the Rabbinate to ensure the widest possible range of kosher food and kosher meals, issued by the local Rabbinates certificates can not meet the strictest interpretations of religious laws. This is a double Kosher standard has been established in Israel: Normal kosher for non and moderate religious Jewish population, Le Mehadrin for strictly religious minority. So forgive some Rabbinate, such as that of Jerusalem, both a normal and a le'mehadrin - hechsher.
North America
In North America and especially in the United States kosher food of large parts of the population are considered to be better, healthier and more hygienic. The number of kosher - certified products in the U.S. rose from about 3,000 in 1970 to 10,000 in 1985 and has the 100,000 mark now passed. Kosher products make in the U.S. in 2009, about 40 % of the food sold out. According to a survey from 2008 to buy 13% of respondents specifically kosher products, of which only 14% because they follow the Jewish dietary laws, and another 10 % because they observe other religious dietary laws. According to a market trend study from 2009, the sales of kosher -certified foods in the U.S., with an increase of just over 50 billion U.S. dollars from 150 billion in 2003 to $ 200 billion in 2008, double the growth of such the general food sector. Another growth to $ 260 billion is expected, the proportion of purchased for religious reasons kosher products is estimated to be 14 to 17 billion dollars.
Tzedek hechsher
( Hechsher for justice, correctness Hebrew: הכשר צדק, German ) a certification system, the ethical requirements in the production of kosher food created with the initiative of Morris Allen, a rabbi of the conservative direction, was in the U.S. in 2007, the Heksher Tsedek is considered and supported by the umbrella organizations of the Conservative rabbis and synagogues in the United States. Occasion for the launch of Heksher Tsedek grievances were the largest kosher meat producer in the United States, the now-bankrupt company Agriprocessors, which was led by members of the Lubavitcher Hasidic movement and repeatedly made in the USA for negative headlines. Since 2010, the stomach is awarded Tsedek called hechsher in addition to a traditional, kosher certifying hechsher.
Also in response to the violations of the company Agriprocessors was Tav HaYosher (Hebrew: תו היושר ) created an ethical seal for kosher restaurants in the U.S.. The hechsher is from the moderate Orthodox organization founded in 2007, Uri L' Tzedek (Hebrew: עורי לצדק ) awarded since May 12, 2009. A year earlier, on 12 May 2008, the so-called " Postville Raid" almost 400 mostly from Guatemala originating illegal workers from Agriprocessors in Postville, a 2000 strong town in the American state of Iowa, has been arrested; most of them were sentenced to prison terms in summary proceedings and subsequently deported, which led to numerous protests and demonstrations of solidarity with the arrested workers, not least from the liberal Jewish side. Tav HaYosher leans against the loaned since 2005 Israeli seal of approval Tav Chevrati for " social kashrut " to.