The chareidi community is very pleased with recent halachic
enhancements introduced into the Badatz Machzikei Hadas
(Belz) production line at the Tnuva dairy in Tel Aviv. These
improvements are in accordance with guidelines of the pillar
of halocho, HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv.
Since the initiation of the special production line,
extensive changes have been made in the dairy's kashrus
system, enabling the chareidi community to enjoy a wide
variety of dairy products manufactured under the highest
standards of quality and kashrus.
In recent months the dairy was visited by HaRav Eliashiv's
devoted secretary, HaRav Yosef Efrati, as well as by HaRav
Mordechai Gross, rav and av beis din of the Chanichei
Hayeshivos community in Bnei Brak and former head of the
hashgocho operation of Shearis Yisroel. Both prominent
rabbonim observed the production process firsthand, and
examined various components of the milk as well as those of
the raw materials, in all stages of production, starting from
milking in the dairy farms until marketing to consumers.
A letter issued by HaRav Gross states that, "after consulting
Maran HaRav Eliashiv, shlita, I visited the Tnuva dairy
in Tel Aviv. . . . I checked all aspects of the dairy, and
the composition of all its products. I examined its milk,
whose production does not involve Shabbos desecration -- and
ascertained that no Cesarean sections or stomach operations
are performed -- which would render the cows from which the
milk is derived treif -- and that no stomach injections
are administered. I also saw the effective supervisory system
which guarantees that the milk is cholov Yisroel; it is
not milked by non-Jewish workers or volunteers [as ruled by
HaRav Eliashiv]. I also verified that the cheese is made of
cholov Yisroel and that the vapor systems do not return
vapors or water to the vats, and that all of the raw
ingredients are kosher. [After all this, I am happy to report
that] in the Tel Aviv Tnuva dairy, the highest standards of
kashrus are maintained."
He closes his letter expressing the fact that by consuming
dairy products manufactured in so stringent a manner, one
merits to fulfill the Rambam's words that "one [thereby]
introduces added kedusha and taharo to his soul .
. . and purifies it for the sake of Hakodosh Boruch
Hu, as it is written, `and you shall consecrate yourselves
and be holy, because I am holy.'" Addressing the dairy, he
says, "Fortunate are you for having enabled adas
Yisroel to achieve such a level."
In his letter, HaRav Efrati notes that he has merited to
apprise the Torah-observant community of the daas Torah
of Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, that milking performed
by non-Jews in farms whose owners are not Torah-observant
gives rise to a chashash of cholov akum. But to
our dismay, nearly all of the dairies are not stringent on
this point. It is not uncommon in many kibbutzim that non-
Jewish volunteers work in the dairies.
"Under the guidance of Maran, I tried to insure that
Machzikei Hadas supervision would function according to
Maran's guidelines and rulings, and with the cooperation of
the rav of Tnuva, we managed to institute an arrangement
whereby products under the Machzikei Hadas mehadrin
supervision of Tel Aviv's Tnuva dairy will be manufactured in
line with all halachic rulings issued by Maran HaRav
Eliashiv, shlita, and will only use milk that is free
from this chashash.
HaRav Efrati adds that one mitzvah leads to another, and that
the presence of mashgichim on the farms has markedly
reduced the possibility of Shabbos milk entering the dairy,
and has given rise to a situation in which no milk products
under this supervision contain milk which was milked on
Shabbos. In addition, a supervisory system guaranteeing that
no operations have been performed which might render the
animals treif or sofek treif has been initiated.
Care is taken to insure that no milk from forbidden animals
is used in the mehadrin products. HaRav Efrati notes
that this is a unique hiddur,, not found in any other
department in the world marketing cholov Yisroel.
Arrangements have also been made to insure that all acids
used in the manufacturing of milk products under this
supervision are also derived from cholov Yisroel and
manufactured under constant supervision. A team of expert
mashgichim work in the enterprise, ensuring that all
kashrus guidelines are properly fulfilled. In addition,
there are special Shabbos mashgichim whose job it is to
see that no work is performed on Shabbos.
HaRav Efrati concludes his letter by blessing all those
involved in the kashrus supervision of this enterprise
to see hatzlocho in their work, "so that all Jews who
are meticulous about the kedusha and taharo of
their food, and who are careful to only consume food which is
kosher beyond a doubt, should benefit from these products."
