Yoel Gross Responds to Matzav On “Better Than OU” Tumult

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first-choice-baby-foodsBy Yoel Gross, First Choice Baby Foods

I have read Rabbi Adlerstein’s article posted on Matzav on May 4. While I agree with everything he wrote about the OU (we are also OU certified), I do not think he understood the point I was trying to make.

While many people shop at local kosher supermarkets and groceries in their neighborhoods, many shop at national chains such as Target, WalMart, ShopRite, etc. While some of the products of the national baby food brands are certified, the vast majority are not certified at all. The national brands also do not have any poultry products or kosher for Passover products, and many products are not consistently certified – the same product can be certified for some runs and not for others.

Although it is obvious that the OU does not need my approval or accolades, I do want to mention that in all of my dealings with the OU, collectively and individually, they have acted in a manner beyond reproach, regarding both halacha standards and professional standards. However, while the hechsherim agencies do collaborate, as well they should, every hechsher has its own stringencies and chumros that they are specifically makpid on, and there are consumers who look to see certain hechsherim on the products they purchase.

We feel that with our product, you really can get the best of both worlds. Our entire line is certified always. Wherever you pick it up, in a local store or a national chain store (where we will iy”H be starting distribution shortly), you can be assured that the kashrus standards are impeccable. We have the chumros of both the OU and Hisachdus Harabbonim and the freshness that the national brands do not (because of our different manufacturing practices).

In short, I do not believe that Rabbi Adlerstein’s comments of “exchanging basic competence for hiddurm” was at all justified or respectful towards the many, many, serious hechsheirim in the market today.

With thanks for this forum that allows us to exchange our opinions and ideas,

Yoel Gross

{Matzav.com Newscenter}


14 COMMENTS

  1. Whart are the chumros of the Hisachdus?
    Mr. Gross’remark about the OU in the magazine, was flippant… Sounded like bitul, as many people’s remarks come across about others who are not like them.

  2. If you’re not going to accept peoples honest opinions/comments then why bother to even have a comment section? This is not communist Russia. If you publish articles/stories and you want to have an honest dialogue, so leave your viewers comments untouched. You cant keep sanitizing your viewers comments to fit your agenda. If you feel the particular article is too “controversial” so don’t publish it. If you want to be a professional website, you cant have it both ways.

  3. If you’re not going to accept peoples honest opinions/comments then why bother to even have a comment section? This is not communist Russia. If you publish articles/stories and you want to have an honest dialogue, so leave your viewers comments untouched. You cant keep sanitizing your viewers comments to fit your agenda. If you feel the particular article is too “controversial” so don’t publish it. If you want to be a professional website, you cant have it both ways.

  4. Joel you are missing the point. There are many out to bash others. While your wording might sound degradingthe ou to some, and for that you covered, there are too many looking to bash. For them however you will explain yourself, they are looking for a bash. Its always going to boil down to the ou being a superior hechsher than any hasidic one. If they can explain anything to be unalignes with the ou or rather aligned with the chasids they will bash. No point in clarifying. Just touch up your line and done.

  5. i would love to hear from yoel gross of one chumrah of the hisachdus harabbonim for this product, that goes beyond the OU.

    if he cannot name one, i would suggest he desist.

  6. Kosher educated consumers would rather take a product that “only” has the OU on the product without the heimish hashgocha. The reason being, the OU then relies on the heimish hashgocha for the productions and inspections.

    The Educated kosher consumers are well aware that the OU personnel are knowledgeable, trained, qualified, etc.

  7. If the heimishe hechshayrim rely on one another’s knowledge, prowess and professional development in a specific area, that’s magnificent! The OU relies on others and others rely on the OU. They’re in this together and that’s to bring the consumer the bestof both; as was eorded in the article! What’s wrong with cooperation and what’s wrong with checks and balances when it’s not broken like out government!!?
    The point overall is that the OU is looking for certain kulos AS IT SHOULD in order to bring kosher to the broader market. It’s an invaluable service but each company and each yochid has the right to be makpid on additional standard which the OU won’t require with their Gevaldige oversight structure with the primary focus still in scope and again, that’s to enable more products to be kosher for the broader market.
    ??? ???? ???? ????? ????.

  8. #2-3 We (my friends and I) can’t agree with you more. Indeed many of my friends left this site and don’t bother reading any articles because they can’t post their own unedited comments. If not for the interesting videos on the top corner, this site would simply be deleted from bookmarks.

  9. It is tremendous that we are all so very stringent on what enters our mouths by way of which hechsherim we use,but let us not forget that it is just as important that we must be particular as to what exits our mouths too by way of loshon horah,slander and malbin p’nei chaveiroi.

  10. #8, “Just a Someone.” Can you give examples of the “certain kulos” that the OU “is looking for?” That sounds like speculation and nothing more.

  11. In response to comment #7 one wonders how the OU relies on the mashgichim of the heimishe agencies if they are “less knowledgeable and less qualified”?
    Let us rather praise those that seek only the best in kashrus and in all areas of yiddishkeit instead of pointing fingers and let us daven that we have siyata dishmaya in “getting it right”!

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