VAADS JOB
"particularly the Rabbis of the Vaad, who's job it is to protect the kashrus and integrity of stam."
WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO HELP THE VAAD HELP US?
if the vaad charges a few cents more for computer check we run to the cheap computer,then we expect the vaad to have money to run an office send out flyers investigate etc
THE VAADS ONLY INCOME IS FROM COMPUTER CHECK.
WE ARE KILLING THE VAAD WITH OUR OWN ACTIONS
Maskim.
ReplyDelete"THE VAADS ONLY INCOME IS FROM COMPUTER CHECK"
ReplyDeleteAnd why is that? because that's pretty much all they can offer me or any one in the industry at this stage. And even then, there are so many others who do a good job on the computer today (for less money) I don't really think this service makes them unique any more.
True, I have consulted their rabannim many times and I work with them and their policies and I received kaballah from Rav Freidlander etc, but again, this is not something unique to the Vaad. There are many, many rabbanim outside the Vaad who carry the same if not even greater weight.
I think it's time the Vaad flexed their muscles and started doing more than computer scanning and fahering sofrim. I can't speak about the rest of the world, but here in Melboune (which is a microcosm of the rest of the world) the situation is abysmal. Anyone can sell whatever they want, there is no accountability or transparency in the Stam industry. Even if the vendor tries to do the right thing- which is in itself a chiddush - he is in a veratible JUNGLE with unscrupulous sochrim selling everything and anything, written by who knows who.
Most vendors and shopkeepers are not trained magihim and are at the mercy of the system. They cannot quality control and they have no idea what they are selling.
It's time we had a universal hechsher on Stam. Rav Landau's hechser is good, but it is not mainstream and very expensive.
If the vaad mishmeres stam can't or does not want to do it, another organisation needs to be established that will do the following:
1) Create a universal, mainstream recognized hechsher on stam.
2) Liase with batei dinim around the world who will endorse them and give them authority so that they are internationally recognized and have the authority to take action on uscrupulous dealers.
3) Create public awareness campaigns and seek to educate the public.
Of course this will take effort and cost money. They will need a good PR team and need to fundraise as well. But money can be made from a hechsher and if it is done properly it should pay for itself.
Lets face it, the jewish world needs this desperately.