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With an Albertsons Closing, Dallas Jews Make Contingency Plans for Passover and Beyond
Dallas...
In the long run, the rapidly growing Jewish community may be better off
and even have more kosher food, but for this Passover many of the
city's 60,000 Jews may have to scramble for alternate solutions. An Albertsons
which served the growing Jewish community in the North side of Dallas
had announced that it would be closing in the beginning of March, just
when the buying season for Passover foods begins. The Albertsons was
one of several stores that was not part of the SuperValu
acquisition and thus part of the reorganization of the new ownership.
Albertsons said it would close six more stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth
market, for a total of 11 shuttered stores statewide, according to
local reports. These stores were said to be "underperforming." In June,
Albertsons was split into three companies. New York firm Cerberus Capital Management formed a private company with 661 stores, including those in Texas.
Jeffrey Schiller, a former president of both Tiferet Israel
and Dallas Vaad (Dallas Kosher), said that "it was most disturbing that
Albertsons chose to close the store less than one month prior to the
Passover holidays." Schiller also said that Albertsons was always an
important part of the 13-year old annual Tiferet Israel Kosher Chili
Cook-Off on March 13th. Despite its closing, Albertsons was making
arrangements to supply the 1500 pounds of ground meat it makes
available every year, but according to Schiller, this year's supply
will be not be fresh but frozen. The event attracted more than 4000
people at Tiferet Israel in 2006. For the time being Jews who live on
the North side will have to travel cross-town to the South where a Tom Thumb
store (owned by Safeway) has a broad selection of kosher foods,
including dairy and meats, albeit not fresh meats as the Albertsons had
sold . Although Passover may be a problem, the future appears a
bit brighter for Dallas Jews as Tom Thumb has announced that it will be
remodeling a store on the North side and install a full kosher store
within a store. Demographic
studies show that Dallas has been one of the fastest growing Jewish
communities in America. In the past 5 years, say Jewish leaders, the
community may have grown by as much as 20,000 with more than 6,000 Jews
believed to eat kosher year-round. At least another 5,000 - 6,000
observe kashrus around holiday time, particularly on Passover. In
addition to the Tom Thumb stores, there are a number of small
independent convenience stores that cater to the kosher market. One
store, Milk & Honey, carries many pre-packed goods, including
Israeli items. Dallas has 3 kosher restaurants, including 2 meat and
one dairy in addition to several kosher caterers. The Jewish Community
Center also offers kosher salads and sandwiches. Orthodox
Jews from New York and other cities have been visiting the Dallas
Jewish community of late to show their support for the developing
Jewish community. Jewish community leaders speak proudly of their gains
in such a short period of time.
"Tzedek Hechsher" Not a Kosher Issue, Many Rabbis Assert
New York... Reacting to an article in the weekly Forward, "Orthodox Slam Effort To Monitor Conditions at Kosher Factories" (February 9, 2007), many rabbis reached by KosherToday
did not consider the new proposed Conservative "Tzedek Hekhsher" to be
an issue for kashrus. The Forward piece turned the issue of a proposed
new certification on the basis of social issues to be the latest spat
between Conservative and Orthodox rabbis. But even the Conservatives
said that their proposed new hechsher would not deal with kashrus but
rather with working conditions at plants producing kosher. The
Conservative position followed an earlier article in the Forward that
reported on alleged unsafe working conditions at the Agriprocessors
plant in Postville, Iowa, a fact that was later disputed by Rabbi Asher
Zeilingold of Minneapolis who traveled to the plant with a Spanish
speaking congregant of his. Rabbi Zeilingold certifies the non-glatt
kosher meats at the plant. "It's
not that we don't care about those issues, but we rely on the federal
government," said Rabbi Menachem Genack, who heads the kashrus division
at the Orthodox Union
(OU). He noted that agencies such as the Department of Labor and
Occupational Safety & Health Administration already keep watch on
workers' pay and working conditions. "We don't want to impose more on
those companies than is required by law," Genack said. Other rabbis
also saw the new certification as more of an oversight on the already
considerable protection offered to workers by government.
Many
of the kashrus officials felt that a new certification that broadened
the definition of kashrus would only lead to more confusion in the
marketplace. Rabbi Yosef Wikler, publisher of Kashrus Magazine, told KosherToday
that the Tzedek Hekhsher "has nothing to do with kosher certification
and standards," which is why he would not include the certification on
his widely heralded annual list of kosher symbols and certification
that numbered nearly 750 in 2006. Rabbi Wikler, who lists Conservative
and Reform certifications on his list, agreed that the Tzedek Hekhsher
would only lead to more confusion for consumers. One rabbi complimented
the concern of the Conservatives but suggested that they "first should
have visited non-kosher plants "which are basically no different than
kosher ones" and in any event should be issuing their hekhsher for any
Jewish businessman who employs workers, and not just a meat plant in
Iowa."
Demand Grows for Kosher Weight Loss Programs and Products
By
Sarah Cohen... New York, NY... Demand in the Jewish community for kosher
weight loss programs and products follows industry trends, a KosherToday survey found. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention
approximately 65% of US citizens are overweight. Obesity has become a
growing concern amongst many Jews who keep kosher. While there were no
specific sales numbers for kosher weight loss programs and products,
the Atlanta Business Chronicles
put sales of US Weight Loss programs and products at $34.7 billion
annually. The Calorie Control Council's National Consumer Survey found
that 33% of adults, 71 million people, in America are on a diet. While
non kosher consumers have various programs such as Jenny Craig and The Zone,
as well as a multitude of diet products, there is a new breed of kosher
programs that target adherents of the Jewish dietary laws.
Kosher Diet Delivery,
a diet delivery program serving the larger New York Area, offers
consumers a complete meal plan delivered to their front door. "This
program was started in direct response to demand by kosher consumers
for a comprehensive diet program," said Ephraim Zimmerman, General
Manager of Kosher Diet Delivery. Zimmerman estimates that approximately
10% of the Kosher Diet Delivery members are non-kosher consumers who
"equate kosher with healthier and higher quality foods." Dr. B's, a
weight loss product retailer, has been offering kosher consumers a wide
array of diet products, a medically supervised weight loss program, and
a weekly delivery diet program. Dr. B's products, such as desserts,
entrees and side dishes, are low fat, sugar free and generally, low
carb. "The need for weight loss products and programs is very high in
the Jewish community because of the focus on food during Jewish
Holidays," said Heather Bennett Book, Vice President of Dr. B's. Says
Book: "Our Weight Loss products and programs allow consumers to
maintain healthier eating habits." Melanie Cohen, Weight Watchers
Meeting Leader in the New York Area, comments that working in Jewish
areas, she has observed an increase in membership enrollment among
Jewish consumers in October, following the Jewish New Year of Rosh
Hashanah and in January, following the secular New Year. "Although
Weight Watchers offers kosher dairy products, kosher consumers have
increasingly been asking for pareve Weight Watchers products,"
commented Cohen. One kosher distributor who sells many diet items to
the growing program "including home businesses" said his business for
diet products increased by "about 18%. in the past 12 months."
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