Although recommendations for amendment to the sections of the New York State Penal Law concerning kashruth were presented yesterday morning to the office of the President of the Board of Aldermen by William Weiss, chairman of the Mayor’s sub-committee on kashruth regulation, no immediate action will be taken.
This statement was made yesterday to the Jewish Daily Bulletin by Louis Lande, chief examiner for the Board of Aldermen. Mr. Lande explained that no action can be taken within the near future because the State Legislature is expected to adjourn shortly.
SUGGESTS AMENDING LAW
The suggestions made by Mr. Weiss involve amending or adding to Section 435 of the Penal Law. and amending the Sanitary Code of the New York City Department of Health.
An outline of Mr. Weiss’s suggestions follows:
1. The removal of any seal or inscription from meat or food preparation already certified as kosher and the affixing of such seal or inscription on some other product would be deemed evidence of attempt to defraud.
2. The word “possesses” is to be added to the provision concerning those who attempt to defraud in the sale or exposure of kosher products in stores.
MARKING OF POULTRY
3. Poultry slaughtered according to orthodox requirements should be marked or identified with a statement giving the name of the premises on which it was slaughtered, the name of shochet(slaughterer) and the date of slaughter.
4. No raw meat or slaughtered poultry intended for sale as kosher in this city, but which has been prepared outside the city, should be offered for sale here unless it is certified or approved by a Rabbinical Board of duly ordained rabbis, officially recognized by the Health Department or other city kashruth authority.
TO ELIMINATE FRAUD
In a statement yesterday Mr. Weiss, who is president of the Orthodox Jewish Congregation of America, declared that the Mayor’s sub-committee has not as yet taken up the details of any of the plans submitted for consideration last Tuesday. Although a systematic plan of supervision will be of assistance, he declared, “it is important to strike at abuses which might develop at the source of supply and to attempt to eliminate as far as possible the problem of fraud and misrepresentation at the outset.”
He said that his committee was impartial in its viewpoint, but at the same time cautioned the committee against adopting any proposal which would levy excessive license or supervision fees against food dealers, because of the danger that increased prices would be resisted by both dealers and consumers.
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