Yesterday’s incident involving a local family who mistakenly placed an order with the wrong restaurant has generated significant discussion throughout the TLS community, where the matter has been widely debated since yesterday – when the father shared the receipts and incident exclusively with TLS.
The family believed they were ordering from a kosher establishment, only to later discover that the order had been placed with a non-kosher restaurant bearing a similar-sounding name. As a result, the situation has sparked a much broader conversation about the standards and judgment exercised by kosher certification agencies.
At the heart of the discussion is whether hechsherim should be granting certification to establishments whose names closely resemble those of non-kosher businesses, creating the possibility for confusion among consumers. Community members have also questioned whether certification should be extended to restaurants that intentionally market products designed to imitate clearly non-kosher or treif-style foods.
Those calling for stricter oversight argue that while such practices may meet the technical requirements of kashrus, they can still undermine the spirit of what kosher certification is meant to represent. In their view, a hechsher should reflect not only halachic compliance, but also a responsibility toward community sensitivities.
Others maintain that the role of a certifying agency is limited to ensuring that food preparation and ingredients meet kosher standards. They argue that branding decisions and menu concepts should not fall under the scope of kashrus supervision, and that consumers bear the responsibility of carefully confirming where they are ordering from.
The incident has now evolved into a wider discussion about modern restaurant culture, consumer awareness, and whether current certification practices should be reevaluated in light of changing trends.
What are your thoughts? Should hechsherim consider factors such as business naming and treif-style marketing before granting a hecsher, or should their role remain strictly focused on the actual kashrus of the items? Let us know where you stand.
Ppl need to be more careful where there ordering from thts all. Hope what happened here will be a learning experience to be more careful next time
I Would be way too scared to order a cheeseburger without triple checking that the menu describes it as vegan cheese!! In fact I would still be scared to eat such a thing!! Unbelievable how the yiraas cheit of todays day and age has shrunk to almost completely gone!! Shame on us V’oy lanu l’yom Hadin!!
Isn’t a “kosher” cheeseburger a way of undermining the Torha?! Menuval bereshus Hatorah!
How is that true?! Please dont make up halachos.
yep, last weeks parsha, kedoshim teyu-read the ramban
While of course a reliable hechsher is essential, I also think the general impression you get from the store owner matters. You can usually get a sense of whether someone is an ehrliche yid. Of course appearances are not everything, but if something about the place does not sit right, even if there is a hechsher, personally I would be hesitant to eat there.
Are you serious? Now we’re judging owners as well?
It’s not about judging anyone. Rather, a good guideline is that if you would feel comfortable eating in the person’s home, then you can feel comfortable eating in their restaurant. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable eating in their home, then it makes sense to be cautious about eating in their restaurant.
Not really. In ones home, theydon’t look at profits. in business, bottom dollar is what matters. Yashrus, comes after the fact.
It’s not about judging anyone. Rather, a good guideline is that if you would feel comfortable eating in the person’s home, then you can feel comfortable eating in their restaurant. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable eating in their home, then it makes sense to be cautious about eating in their restaurant. Of course, I’m not implying that this is the case has an issue whatsoever, just sharing it as a general rule of thumb.
I remember a time that judging the owner was how you knew if the place was kosher. Before hashsherim became big money making organizations
100% agree. Just because you may not be oiver a lav by eating there, doesn’t mean you are being mekayem tamim tihyeh.
Maybe the store can change it’s name just on Uber eats to kosher smash house!
Unless they going to lose out with the name kosher!
Yes, I definitely agree to this. Although, many stores nowadays specifically try to have a ‘Non Jewish vibe’ in their name, the ambiance, the looks etc. so that they can cater to not only Jews but also Non Jews as well. This is a marketing tactic that many stores have started to use if you look around. I don’t know that Smash House had those intentions, but if so, adding the word “Kosher” defeats that purpose.
This is the typical attitude of this generation.
It’s to hard for me to actually be mechanech my kids ( if I don’t like the idea of fake cheeseburgers or the like) so let me get the kashrus organization to do my chinuch for me.
Its to hard for me to make sure that my kids are old enough and responsible enough to use a smartphone to order food – let me get the restaurant change its name.
How about we let a yid have parnassa and those ( like myself) who are uncomfortable with the vibe or the food can teach that to our kids?
I disagree
this is HOW I’m mechanch my kids. We don’t eat food the even imitates non-kosher
Ok great
Dont eat it, and teach that to your kids.
Unless your chinuch is that I force everyone to have my standards even if they have nothing to do with Halacha, and there are people who do not have my sensitivity.
Because Chas veshalom should my children be exposed to a frum person doing something slightly differently.
The point is different hashkachos can enforce hashkafos as well
its not just about kosher food
Did you hear the mashal the Chofetz Chaim once gave, asking if a person would ring the church bells because it was a “parnasah”?
did you read the Sefer Chofetz Chaim regarding Motzei Sheim Ra? Do teshuva, it’s halfway through the Sefirah!
Someone told me about the bogo at (moderated) in Lakewood. My kids were just finishing their third slice of pepperoni pizza when I realized it was missing the Z. Such irresponsible people.
Let’s be real here if you’re using uberEats that’s completely on you
kids in yeshiva ordered from Dunkin using uber eats and ordered eggs and “fake bacon”. they didnt realize that they ordered from the wrong DD just a few miles down the road on the same street….it was very bad
Having “cheeseburgers” on the menu doesn’t help differentiate either…
Let’s organize an asifa about this newest “crisis” in klal Yisroel 🙄.
The kids made a mistake and by some zechus they were spared from eating traif. Stop with the hysteria over everything.
I think there are three distinct issues here
1. The naming of this one place that closely resembles a nonkosher place.
2. The kashrus of fake cheeseburgers and issues of maras ayin and potential confusion.
3. Should kashrus agencies in general be policing anything beyond straight kashrus?
Kashrus agencies MUST policy EVERYTHING that is related to the establishment – including that it not be a hangout, AS IT IS VERY HARD FOR ANYONE ELSE TO CONTROL, and the place will not necessarily do what’s right UNELSS THEIR CERTIFICATION (READ: PARNASSA) depends on it.
For this reason, none of the big kashrus agencies certify hotels, as certifying the food automatically implies in people’s minds that the entertainment and everything all around and around is A+, which is not necessarily so.
Not correct. The major national kashrus agencies refrain from certifying hotels, especially for Pesach, because they feel it’s almost impossible to maintain reliable control of the kashrus and not because of other activities.
Personally, I believe the issue is more of the serious lack of education in this town Kosher cheeseburgers have been around forever. The debate is new because there’s a store whose name shares a word with that of a non-kosher food establishment.
So too many stores around the kosher world of food. I don’t know if the moderator will allow this in but kosher castle is supposed to be a play on words from White Castle, or Maybe Mendy’s in New York City Shouldn’t be allowed a hechsher because it sounds similar to Wendy’s.
But most importantly Smash house has been dotting the Jewish food landscape for a really long while now, Almost 3 years. Somehow, when it lands in Lakewood, people are confusing it with non-Jewish restaurants, and somehow ordering it.
your answer litteraly lies in ur comment the reason why lakewood is somehow ordering it now is because bh in lakewood we never had such musagim of cheeseburgers and if we dont solve this now who knows what will be in a couple of years down the road. its not a new phenomenon downfalls start from something small
and besides just to let u know the difference mendy is a jewish name and kosher castle literally says kosher
Since a community like Lakewood was created as a makom Torah, the culture should reflect these values. Its doubtful that Rav Aharon zz”l would have countenanced the current proliferation of luxury and conspicuous consumption. In the Lakewood of 40 years ago, sit down pizza wasn’t allowed! Maybe its time for the kashrus agencies to stop giving hechsherim strictly based on food ingredients. There is a greater picture involved, and if kosher food is the vehicle for spiritual downfall, this is Achashveirosh’s seuda, circa 2026.
Couldnt agree more
I’m sorry, but the Lakewood of 40 years ago is gone, and it can’t be mandated back by a kashrus agency. The K”BH wants us to influence the newcomers and inspire them, not judge their hashkafa. Perhaps this will be a zechus and a shmira to keep our community safe and free from harm if we resist the temptation to be motzei sheim ra and endanger the parnassa of a well meaning Yid from another community. Why doesn’t a good Yid take the opportunity to sit in the restaurant late on Thursday night and talk to the at risk bochurim who are coming from another popular hangout about inspiring words of Torah?
Agreed
A few years ago a store from NY called Holly Schnitzel opened in Lakewood. The Hechsher they used made them change the name to Wholly Schnitzel.
If you’re not comfortable when the owner is Mechalel Shabbos Befarhesya, make sure that there is a Mashgiach Temidi. Before allowing your children to enter a food establishment, make sure the vibe is kosher too.
It’s not just the name. It’s the kosher bacon, Philly cheesesteaks, and cheeseburgers. It the logo with the hairy giant gorilla (orangutan?) stuffing a burger while into his mouth. It’s the non kosher vibe and look. Lakewood was always better than that. To go to an outside hechsher and open up an establishment that is far from the ruach of Lakewood is its own issue, aside from the fact that frum children were nichshal in treif.
They didn’t eat it…… and it’s not an outside hashgacha..
Not an outsider hechsher has other establishments. Rabbi Babad is his hashacha in the catskills and flatbush stores. In Manhattan he has a national hasgacha. He didn’t change agencies. Rather he brought in his existing hasgacha on frum areas as he knows its excepted. ever heard of the loft in lakewood. Same thing. His brooklyn store has that hasgacha. Same with another pizza store that has a brooklyn store and catskill store under Rabbi Babad and opened in lakewood. Get your facts straight. Kcl is not the only hechsher in town. Hisachdus,Tarnopol are here too. Get your facts please
Its not in Lakewood, LOL
This is a massive tragedy not sure why its being dismissed by so many this was Triefe chazir meat plus milk and meat mixed 2 deoraiysas for a whole family Readup alittle of what treif does to the jewish heart and mind Hashem Yerachem this is no joke the TR attitude must stop
Possibly Treif, Not Chazir though. I would assume it was not shechted so Thats one deoraysa. Basar V’chalav may not apply cuz ain issur chal al issur… But yes your point still stands!
Cheeseburger???? Go explain that to little ones who just had American cheese sandwich for breakfast…
sad what Lakewood is becoming…
Kind of interesting how the minute someone has a near miss of eating treif, the oilam learns about it and it becomes a big deal but nobody would blink if someone said lashon hora let alone say something close to it like avak lashon hora. Obviously I’m not minimizing the impact of eating treif. I just think that if ppl have so many things to say about keeping with the SENSITIVITIES of making mock cheeseburgers ect. maybe they should also think about the impact of speaking negatively about another person which can be significantly more consequential. just food for thought (no pun intended)
If it looks like treif it shouldn’t be considered kosher. Setting a stumbling block for those that make mistakes.
the name of the store is not the issue. Calling the item a cheeseburger is. Don’t set people up for mistakes.
when they opened their restaurant in Monsey many such stories happened, verified that people ordered and ate from the traif place with almost the same name.
A group of friends of mine went to the owner and he did nothing. We went to the hechsher and he was supposed to put kosher in his uber listing name. He didn’t. Honestly he should do his own deliveries and not be on uber at all. Anyways maybe hopefully the Lakewood oilam hatorah will drive a better resolution.
always check for hechsher on website or in the store before buying
This is silly. Kosher food should be eligible for a hechsher. You can shop elsewhere if you’re uncomfortable with products and/or environment. Jews come in all flavors and eating options should be diverse and reflect that reality.
I saw last week someone asks what issur is being added to Kmasay eretz mitzrayim loi sassu. If its assur its already said. He answers that you should not eat the way a goy eats even if its muttar ……. he has other examples not with eating but that is what pertains here…..
It would be prudent to get cheeseburgers off the menu even if it is parve cheese
Yes, I think Chillul Hashem.
Chinuch says reason milk and meat assur is because tastes very good, and Yid doesn’t need the best of gashmiyus.
The Gemara in Sanhedrin discusses how one can only pasken if he gets reshus from his rebbi, after a talmid paskened and was misunderstood because the words ביצים and בצעים was similar.
Paskening (and hechsherim) need to take into account consumer mistakes and other ramifications of their validation.
Today the Kosher certifying agency has taken over the job of the rov as well, as many people look at the hechsher (if they look) as a blanket okay to partake.
In Lakewood especially, the community was founded on high standards. Although those standards have eroded over the years, and are not practical to renew, we still have an obligation to stop or slow the speed of the deterioration of the standards.
Those who came to join the town in the past decades should be respectful of what it stands for, and if you don’t like it you are welcome to start your own community where you can establish different standards.
And, yes, Jackson, Toms River, Howell and Brick are just extensions of the Lakewood community.
Lawmaker Introduces Legislation That Would Ban Use of the Word “Pork” to Describe Excessive Government Spending
“Congressman Pete Kasherwitz introduced legislation on Sunday that would prohibit lawmakers from using the word “Pork” to describe wasteful government spending.
“Spending taxpayer dollars to study the effects of cocaine on puppies is clearly ridiculous,” Rep. Kasherwitz told reporters on Monday, “but let’s not classify it as ‘Pork’ or as ‘Unkosher’ because cocaine is produced primarily from the Coca plant, which is a kosher plant.”
“We need to draw a distinction between wasteful spending and Pork,” the congressman asserted, “otherwise the kashrus observing community will stop eating coca altogether! What’s more, they’ll stop eating any kind of snack they deem to be a byproduct of wasteful and ‘pork’ expenditures.”
The new legislation that Rep. Kasherwitz is introducing would require lawmakers to refer to wasteful government spending as ‘Nosh’, ‘Nosherye’, ‘Shmutzerye’ or ‘Narishkyten’.
“Spending beyond the taxpayers’ means is definitely narish and incredibly shmutzik,” Rep. Kasherwitz said, “and, it’s probably not the most kosher activity out there, but calling it ‘treife pork’ is a bit of a stretch.”
Why is this an issue in Lakewood and not in one of the many communities that had a Smash House before this month? Does anyone personally know anyone who made such a mistake? This “problem” applies in other places and they’re doing just fine without any issues. What happened here that makes the restaurant itself wrong?
(And yes, there have been PSAs when a kosher restaurant stops being kosher in other communities. It’s a very different circumstance that warrants concern; we care about kashrus in NY but somehow don’t have this problem!)
One of the comments above tells of a similar story occurring in Monsey. And who knows if others such incidents occurred, but were not made known.
My heart goes out to the family. It’s interesting to note that this franchise is around in other places with no reported this problem. Yes there are a number of locations prior to Tom’s River. Suddenly its a crisis. Benjy the owner did nothing wrong to deserve this. As for kosher cheese burgers they around quite a while on lakewood. You must be sleeping. The lesson we need to learn is to look not blame the establishment.
Everyone has a different opinion and different views about everything of Jewish life..
and most people feel that only their opinion and their way of life is the correct one,
sometimes it’s food
sometimes it’s the school system
or the shaitels, luxury homes
types of music the list goes on and on.
עשה לך רב
people should follow a Daas Torah whatever style they belong to,
ask your Ruv or your Moreh Derech and hashem will give you the
Siyata Dishmaya to do the right thing..
Obviously a very disturbing story , however unless I am not understanding how this store operates , what is with the Issur of Maris H’ayin , which is stated very clearly in YD siman 84 in Hilchos Bossur Vcholov that you cant eat almond milk with meat unless you put a recognizable sign , so why would serving a cheese burger even bee allowed ? even if its fake cheese ? .
This is a terrible smearing of another Yids business. Shame on anyone who is apart of this. Everyone be careful what u order and what u eat. Don’t make it everyone else’s problem.
That’s life buddy
cheese berger? FEH!!
The lashon harah on here is incredible. The one and only issue here is with the consumer – that he did not ensure the kashrus of the place he was ordering from. When you walk into a restaurant, check that there is a hechsher. When you order online, check that you are ordering from the right place and that the place has a hechsher. Everything else – the name of the establishment, the items on the menu – is plain lashon harah and diverts from the issue at hand. Frankly, this whole conversation is lashon harah and should be taken down.
If you don’t like or approve of an establishment, then don’t eat there. This isn’t an excuse to be motzei sheim ra. There are people inside and outside Lakewood who have different views and hashkafah. We have unfortunately seen how people’s business have been harmed and even ruined my malicious speech. Let’s take this opportunity to bring the geula closer and Dan L’Kaf Zechus. This entire stream of content is a direct violation of Hilchos Shmiras Ha Lashon. Don’t give the Satan a reason to be Mekatreg the Lakewood Kehilah.
I think it’s more important to watch what comes out of our mouths than what goes into them! What’s more important- Bein Adam L’Makom or Bein Adam L’Chaveiroi?? Yidden! Stop the slander before it’s too late!!!!
This is ridiculous!!! Doesn’t anyone realise that this is not about kushrus or maris ayin at all? It is clearly a mafia/mossad/erev rov trying to destroy this business. This has happened several times before in and around lakewood. If the restaurant does not take a certain hechsher together with food supplier ect. they try to take them down, with threats first, then rumours like the place isn’t kosher. And btw the kids didn’t eat the trief …if there were any kids at all (looks like the whole thing was made up when you see the discrepancy in new site reporting) Are we really to believe that yidden in lakewood are really that ill educated? Why didn’t this happen in brooklyn or any of the other restaurants in this chain?
What sensitivities exactly? Kosher is kosher. Achila Gasa? You can eat Achila gasa out of small portions also.
Firstly the family should have been more careful. To put blame on the hashgacha is not really the hashgachas fault. They did not put a hechsher on that restaurant. Let take responsibility for our actions.