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From: ariels@orca.UUCP (Ariel Shattan)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: milk & meat - (nf)
Message-ID: <361@orca.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Dec-83 19:39:34 EST
Article-I.D.: orca.361
Posted: Fri Dec  2 19:39:34 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Dec-83 09:01:10 EST
References: <2622@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR.
Lines: 40

They should grow like onions, with their heads in the ground! 

Fortunately, most people who care about kashrut know that the K is
no sign of a kosher product.  Circle-U, Circle-K, Star-K are all
registered trademarks; registered by groups who oversee kashrut in
products.  No-one can register a letter of the alphabet.  Manufacturers 
have taken it upon themselves to put the K on te lable when a
product is not directly non-kosher (no animal shortening, gelatin,
or other animal products usually makes them feel a K is called for).

Yoplait has taken it upon themselves to declare their product kosher.  with
this product, they are lying!  I suspect that some of their products
meet the K standard, and they figured, therefore, that they could
put the K on all their goods.  

Those who care about a "hechshur" (certification) know what to look
for.  Those who care about marginal kashrut (don't need a hechshur,
but don't want to eat non-kosher directly) should read the
ingredients lable. Never trust a K, because it doesn't mean a thing
legally, so a manufacturer could lie, and never be liable.

Some of the more popular hechshurs:

Circle-U: Union of Orthodox Rabbis
CRC: Chicago Rabinical Council (not related to the CRC handbooks!)
Circle-K: some conservative rabinic group hechshur (not to be
          confused with the Kraft logo; hexagon-K)

Then there's always a personal hechshur from a rabbi you know and
trust.  most of the Israeli products have these, as do many of the
"traditional Jewish" products like Manashevitz, Goodman's, Mother's,
Streit's, and so on. 

Kashrut for passover is another matter entirely.  See your local
rabbi for an interpretation.  I'm getting tired of typing!

Chanukah Sameach (that's Happy Chanukah), folks

Ariel Shattan
decvax!tektronix!tekecs!ariels