The Tav HaYosher is a
certification mark offered, free of charge, to
Kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
food establishments that meet a series of ethical criteria developed by the organization,
Uri L'Tzedek. Particularly, the Tav HaYosher confirms that an eating establishment with its seal pays minimum wage to all employees and overtime to those employees working more than 40 hours a week. It also ensures the establishment offers employees appropriate breaks as required by law, and provides a safe and abuse-free working environment.
Traditional
kosher certification agencies such as the
Orthodox Union
The Orthodox Union (abbreviated OU) is one of the largest Orthodox Jewish organizations in the United States. Founded in 1898, the OU supports a network of synagogues, youth programs, Jewish and Religious Zionist advocacy programs, programs for ...
and
Star-K offer kosher certification (known in
Hebrew as a
Hechsher), which confirms that the food meets the standards of kosher dietary law and can be eaten by those Jews who observe the laws of
Kashrut
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
. Many non-Jews purchase kosher food, believing that the kosher certification implies that the food was produced to meet a higher ethical standard all around, not just in terms of Jewish law (
Halacha) and
Kashrut
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
. Many kosher consumers were shocked to discover that
Agriprocessors, a kosher slaughterhouse and meat processor in
Postville, Iowa, had been
raided by Federal authorities on May 12, 2009, where
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had discovered breaches ranging from fraud to defiance of child labor laws to immigration violations.
In 2009, the Tav HaYosher was announced by Uri L'Tzedek as the
Orthodox Jewish community's response to these legal and ethical offenses. Each restaurant applying for the certificate is reviewed by one of 60 volunteers, who audit the company's ledgers and speak with workers to ensure that they are being treated fairly. The Tav HaYosher ensures that workers receive their rights according to federal and state law as well as ethical standards. After the free initial certification, inspectors visit each establishment unannounced every two to three months to verify continuing compliance.
[Lipowsky, Josh]
"Kosher restaurants put ethical standards on the menu"
'' Jewish Standard''/'' The Times of Israel'', June 18, 2010. Accessed April 27, 2018.
In May 2009 five
New York City restaurants carried Tav HaYosher seal and by January 2010, Tav HaYosher certification had been granted to over 70 dining establishments in
Illinois,
Maryland,
New Jersey,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
,
Pennsylvania,
California,
Ohio,
Missouri,
Texas, and
Montreal. However, certification was sometimes met with controversy, as occurred on June 15, 2009, at Mike's Italian Kitchen and Mike’s Bistro.
[Rebecca Honig Friedman]
The Scoop on Mike’s Bistro and the Tav Hayosher
TJC The Jewish Channel, June 18, 2009. Accessed April 27, 2018. Businesses such as Noah's Ark, with locations in
Manhattan and
Teaneck, New Jersey, were covered by the Tav HaYosher, with owner Noam Sokolow remarking that he wanted his "restaurants to be on a level where everyone feels comfortable" and that Tav HaYosher offered a means "to have an additional agency supervising an aspect we feel is important." Sokolow stated that he had to make no changes in his business practices to meet the certification standards in any of his restaurants.
[
]
References
External links
Tav HaYosher WebsiteTav HaYosher BlogChanel 12 New York News Clip About Tav HaYosherNoah's Ark Deli WebSite
{{Kashrut
Religious consumer symbols
Kosher food