Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - August 22, 2006, Winnipeg, Manitoba a6 Winnipeg free press tuesday August 22, 2006 Manitoba religious ruling challenged Kosher store threatens suit Over licence loss by Jen Skerritt and Sean Moore o owners of a North end Kosher food store Are threatening to take Legal action against the Kosher cops who took away their licence to sell fresh meat to observant jews. In mid july Sam Gekht owner of Monitsky Kosher foods refused to sign a five year contract with the Organiza Tion Vaad hair because of an increase in Cost and new restrictions on his 84-year?old family business. Vaad hair is the International body that can officially dub meat As Kosher which Means the meat is prepared by following jewish dietary rules that include de veining salting and removing As much blood from the meat As possible. Gekht said a rabbi told him Monitsky a could no longer Purchase local meat and do the slaughtering in Winnipeg since it is not up to Par with More stringent Stan Dards in Toronto and new York. Gekht said he was told his butchers Are too old and were not doing the proper without the rabbis approval omit sky a meat would not be certified Kosher. Now the Gekhtm say Vaad hair went behind their backs and scouted a replacement Kosher Butcher during the contract negotiations. But rabbi Mitchell Cohen newly appointed rabbinical administrator of Vaad hair said they screwed them selves Over by not being willing to Lis ten for five years to How things needed to be since 2001, negotiations have been going on with Gekhtm and in that time the Gekhtm refused to Salt and de vein the meat appropriately Cohen said. In May Vaad hair sent Gekht a let Ter saying what he needed to do. His response Cohen said was a letter saying he was suing them. They gave him until july 14 to respond in a professional matter which he did not do and that a when we pulled the the very fact that we continued to negotiate with him after the licence was pulled was simply to Benefit the Community. We Felt that we had Given him ample time and he decided not to follow suit Cohen said noting that Vaad hair then had to give a temporary licence to another Butcher. On aug. 14, normans meats became Winnipeg a latest and Only Kosher Butch or when Vaad hair gave them a 90-Day provisional License. In the real world that a not How you do business when you negotiate con tracts said Inna Gekht Sam a wife. They re basically saying if you re not playing by our rules we re taking your licence Harry Odwak owner of normans meats in Charleswood said Cohen approached him about Selling Kosher meat before the news that Monitsky lost its licence went Public. A rabbi will now be visiting the Butcher twice a week to personally sign vacuum packed Kosher meat from Toronto. In the Days he a been Selling Kosher meat Odwak said business has been overwhelming and he already is think ing about expanding the Kosher Section to a separate facility if Vaad hair extends the licence. My family and i have been so Over whelmed and excited he said. Since his licence was taken away Gekht said he a lost longtime observant customers who need the rabbis Signa Ture on the Kosher meat. Monitsky a is now importing fresh meat from Toronto but it will not have the rabbis stamp. Inna Gekht said she does to under stand Why Vaad hair is taking away business from local producers butchers and Sellers. People Are still coming but the organizations Are not allowed Sam Gekht said noting synagogues can no longer Purchase his meat without the rabbis permission spot. . bad sheep raises ire of pastor Don to criticize City Hall letter writer warned by Melissa Ridgen Brandon ? the author of a letter to the editor to the Brandon Sun has been warned by her Church to keep her criticism of City Hall to herself or find a new place to worship. Deborah Boschman a aug. 9 letter City needs new ideas said Council lacks initiative and acts too often in the inter est of boys with Money and toys and not enough in the interest of the general Public. Her letter said its time for new leaders with vision who can see outside the Box and who have some when Are we going to get a mayor and City councillors who Are going to represent the Best interests of All the people of Brandon her letter asked. Days later on aug. 15, she was sent a letter from pastor Mike Davis of Bethel Christian Assembly an affiliate of the pentecostal assemblies of Canada Call ing her letter an As senior pastor of Bethel i Bear some responsibility for the actions of our congregation before the lord said the letter a copy of which was obtained by the Sun. Boschman a comments according to the pastor dishonoured the mayor and City the pastors letter says Good christians Pray for their leaders and Don to publicly criticize them. Your actions Are not consistent with the values of Bethel Christian Assembly and if you Are not going to do anything about them i am asking you to consider attending another Church that May hold to the same values As you do Davis a letter concludes. Boschman said she was shocked by her pastors reaction. I guess i a a bad sheep. I suppose i a to Clear everything through Church leaders first ? to get permission to speak my personal Opin Ion said Boschman who has attended the Church for five years and said she did to mention her affiliation with Bethel in the letter to the editor. She said after her letter was published two congregation members lambasted her for criticizing the mayor and Council. But it was the written reprimand on Bethel Letterhead that has prompted her to look for another House of worship. Bethel is an integral part of the weekly prayer meetings held each tuesday Over the noon hour at City Hall which has generated criticism from those who believe such meetings blur the line Between Church and state. Davis insists the Church in t campaigning for the current City Council which has allowed the weekly prayer meetings As the fall election nears he just thinks its counter productive for members of his congregation to publicly criticize this or any government or any Community leaders. ;