B"HOne of Israel's most famous coffee shop chains is called "Cafe Aroma" but since it was founded in the 90ies, Aroma is having a Kashrut problem. The management asked the Rabbanut (Chief Rabbinate) of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for a kosher certificate (Hechsher) and first the rabbis refused accepting the coffee shop as kosher.
The problem with Aroma is that one of its branches (in Jerusalem's Hillel Street) serves meat and dairy products together. In this respect, all other Aroma branches are kosher because they only keep a dairy kitchen. But, on the other hand, they are treife (not kosher), as some of the branches are open on Shabbat.
As a matter of fact, there are totally kosher branches (dairy and closed on Shabbat), there are very few branches (if not only one) serving meat and milk together and there are those branches open on Shabbat. Aroma is a mixture of kosher and treife and this is the reason why the Rabbanut refused providing them with a kosher certificate. Even for the kosher (dairy and closed on Shabbat) branches because the Rabbanut claims that once they do have a Hechsher, all branches need to be kosher and not only "half".
Sounds too complicated ?
The Kashrut topic and especially Israeli Kashrut matters and policies are never easy to grasp.
Eventually, and I cannot even tell you the reason, the Rabbanut decided giving Hechsherim (certificates) to the kosher branches. In Jerusalem, most Aroma branches are totally kosher and in Tel Aviv, as far as I know, only the branch in Shenkin Street has a certificate. Provided by Tel Aviv's Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Lau.
Only a couple of weeks ago, I found another article on a, Israeli haredi forum site that haredi rabbis are warning their population of going to the Aroma branches. Meat and milk would be served together !
I don't understand the issue and the WHY. Aroma's problem is well - known but doesn't concern all branches, as I just explained. There is no reason for panicking. Usually Haredim know to which branch to go to - the one's with the Hechsher. And those Haredim you see are mainly litvish and not chassidic at all, as Haredim usually have a much higher Kashrut standard.
There actually are quite a few Aroma coffee addicts and I am one of them. For those who are interested, Aroma Jerusalem is still a few Shekels cheaper than the Tel Aviv branches.
i was in Mamila last night, Rimon was busy, Aroma was empty, but after reading this i said to my wife, we cant go in to Aroma!
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteI passed Aroma in Ibn Gvirol (Tel Aviv) yesterday and guess what I found out.
In that branch they sell bread with Bulgarian cheese and chicken breast.
But I have to emphasize that not all branches do that !!!
However, I think the one in Mamilla probably has a Hechsher. Rabbanut Yerushalaim (Mehadrin).
Rabbunut yes, mahadrin NOE
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteWhen you go according to that the you shouldn't go to "Cafe Hillel" either. I hardly eat at AROMA and if I do, it is a one of their baked goods. Hopefully a Jews is turning on the oven.
At HILLEL, however, I have seen Arabs turning on the stove and when I complained I was told by the head of the branch (in Jaffa Road Jerusalem) that they were not aware of that Halacha. In fact they asked their Mashgiach and now claim that everything is fine.
But what about the other branches ?
AROMA and HILLEL employ too many Gentiles and this is even causing more Kashrut problems.