Kosher authority weighs-in on Ben & Jerry's Israel controversy
Ben & Jerry's situation 'is highly volatile," KOF-K Kosher Supervision said
Jewish religious groups are hoping to use their muscle, mainly through buying power, to change Ben & Jerry's corporate mind after the company's announcement that it will end its franchise agreement with a factory and distributor in both East Jerusalem and in the West Bank.
The company stated on its website that selling its product in those territories is "inconsistent with our values."
Jewish communities in Israel and beyond are inquiring if the product will still be considered kosher, or ritually appropriate for consumption, following that announcement. The religious authority that certifies Ben & Jerry's as kosher is now weighing in.
In a letter dated July 26, the Teaneck, N.J.-based KOF-K Kosher Supervision said the Ben & Jerry's matter, "is a highly volatile situation."
KOF-K provides kosher certification for many different food brands worldwide. Certification signifies a religious authority's supervision of a food product's sourcing, manufacturing and distribution methods. KOF-K's certification can be observed on a product's packaging with a stamp, or "hechshire" of the Hebrew letter "Kof" encircling an English letter "K."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UL | UNILEVER PLC | 55.74 | -1.26 | -2.21% |
KOF-K certifies Ben & Jerry's ice cream as kosher outside of the state of Israel, including within the United States. Its administrative director, Rabbi Yehuda Rosenbaum, wrote that they have been in close contact with Israel's government and the Yesha Council, a body overseeing Jewish settlements, about what the next steps should be.
"KOF-K will continue to fulfill its contractual obligations to Ben & Jerry's while using its influence to make sure that this anti-Israel policy never becomes implemented," Rosenbaum wrote.
The ice cream edict from Ben & Jerry's affects a distributor that sells only to East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which is inclusive of Israeli Jewish settlements. A separate franchisee sells the product within the rest of Israel. According to Unilever, that relationship remains, although an autonomous board at the ice cream subsidiary had pushed to end sales to all of Israel.
KOF-K isn't the only group examining its relationship with Ben & Jerry's after the controversial announcement. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have all directed agencies within their states to see if Ben & Jerry's, a division and brand of U.K.-based Unilever, violated their laws criminalizing boycotts of Israel. Some U.S. stores have either pulled Ben & Jerry's from their shelves or reduced its visibility.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/kosher-authority-ben-jerrys-israel-controversy
Texas considers banning Ben & Jerry's over Israel boycott
Top financial officer encourages Texans to eat local ice cream instead
A top Texas official said Thursday he is considering banning Ben & Jerry’s statewide after the Vermont-based company announced it will no longer sell ice cream in "Occupied Palestinian Territory."
Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar said he has directed his staff to review whether Ben & Jerry’s or its parent company Unilever have violated the state’s "boycott Israel" laws.
Texas law under Chapter 808 bars companies from refusing, terminating business or taking "any action that is intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on or limit commercial relations" with Israel.
"Texans have made it very clear that they stand with Israel and its people," Hegar said in a statement Thursday. "We oppose actions that could undermine Israel's economy and its people."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEN | FRANKLIN RESOURCES, INC. | 29.86 | +0.56 | +1.91% |
| UL | UNILEVER PLC | 55.74 | -1.26 | -2.21% |
The announcement by Ben & Jerry’s this week is part of a larger Palestinian-led campaign to protest Israeli involvement in the West Bank and Gaza strip. | ||||
The move has been met with pushback from both Democrats and Republicans, despite the company's decision to continue to sell ice cream in Israel "through a different arrangement."
New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis urged people to "take a stand" against one of the most popular U.S. ice cream companies, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, said he would be forgoing "Cherry Garcia for a while."
The Biden administration condemned the boycott as "unfairly" targeting the Jewish nation and the Israeli Prime Minister threatened that there could be "severe consequences."
Hegar warned his office will take "all appropriate and required actions" and encouraged Texans to get their ice cream fix locally.
"Texans have better options for a sweet treat this summer," the top financial officer for Texas said. "Blue Bell was founded in Brenham, Texas, and, for my money, tastes much better than the stuck-up stuff made by a foreign-owned company started in Vermont."
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/texas-considers-banning-ben-jerrys-saying-they-stand-with-israel
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