Kashruth Alert:
Not All Vodkas are Created Equal
The kosher consumer, quite conscien-
tious about kosher supervision, has been drinking
vodka without Rabbinical supervision - unaware of its
non-kosher potential. A "Kosher" product must meet
all the requirements of strict Jewish law; all the
ingredients must be kosher, including flavors, stabi-
lizers, enzymes, etc- and it must be produced on
kosher or "kashered" equipment. Although vodka is
made of natural ingredients such as grains or potatoes,
consumers have no way of knowing if additives are
used to process the vodka's consistency, color or
flavor. Some brands of vodka can be considered non-
kosher.
Many domestic vodka distilleries produce a va-
riety of non-kosher spirits, in addition to vodka, using
the same equipment. Until recently, sophisticated
"kosher" consumers - so careful about everything
they eat or drink - continued to buy vodka that did not
meet recognized and responsible kosher certification.
This issue has recently been addressed by The
Finnish National Distillers, a wholly owned subsid-
iary of ALKO, Ltd., producers of Finlandia Vodka.
Determined to meet the sincere and real needs of
consumers who were interested in the integrity of the
(L-R) Chester Brandes, president of the Finnish National
Distillers and Rabbi Moshe Bernstein, administrative coordina-
tor of the Orthodox Union.
Stock Exchange
Takes Plunge
Liquor store in Israel prominently displaying Finlandia Vodka,
the brand that was chosen number one by 'mavens'
in a vodka taste test.
kashruth of all they pur- ultra modern plants
chased, ALKO garnered where production of
the international resources Finlandia Vodka takes
of the Orthodox Union place. In conversation,
(OU)- the country's most he makes numerous ref-
respected kosher supervis- erences to the sincere re-
ing organization - to assure spect everyone at ALKO
all that Finlandia evinced in meeting his
Vodka has met the Rabbinic requests to-
strictest standards wards kashruth stan-
by acquiring OU dards- from equipment to
certification. enzyme formulations.
Rabbi Chaim Fortunately, kosher
Goldsweig, a Rab- consumer's standards -
binic Coordinator need not be short-
on international call changed. Companies
for the OU, logged such as Finlandia Vodka
considerable fre- have gone to the top of
quent flier miles in the world to obtain the
his multiple trips to highest kosher standards
Helsinki and the - all one has to do is ask...
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Jerusalem (JTA) — The Tel
Aviv Stock Exchange took a
plunge last week, with the
leading share index going
down 4 percent in a day of
hectic trading.
The slump follows a week
of nervous ups and downs,
which traders explained as
being the result of negative
statements by public offi-
cials and reaction to declines
on Wall Street.
Earlier in the week, Jacob
Frenkel, governor of the
Bank of Israel, and Finance
Minister Avraham Shohat
cautioned. Israelis about
overinvesting in the stock
exchange, warning that the
market was liable to- drop.
Mr. Frenkel referred to the
recent stock exchange
buoyancy as "a bubble," and
Mr. • Shohat pointed out that
the exchange was "not an
insurance policy."
The slump was also linked
to initial declines on Wall
Street after U.S. President
Clinton announced his new
economic program.
Although the New York
slippage eventually halted,
Israeli shares traded on Wall
Street fell heavily..
A third cause of the Tel
Aviv slump, according to
brokers and traders, was a
statement made by retired
Supreme Court Justice
Moshe Beisky in which he
accused mutual fund direc-
tors of manipulating share
prices.
Many Israelis who do not
invest directly in the market
put money into mutual
funds, usually via their bank
branch. Each bank naturally
promotes its own funds.
Mr. Beisky headed a com-
mission that examined the
Israeli money markets
following the stock market
crash in 1982. At the time,
bank shares collapsed and
the government was forced,
in effect, to bail out the
banks using taxpayers'
money.
•The former 'Justice 'main-
tained that the central rec-
ommendations of his com-
mission were never
implemented. Most
specifically, Beisky urged
that banks not be permitted
to promote their own 'funds
by offering incentives, such
as giving customers ge-
nerous credit in order to in-
- vest in the funds. Mr. Beisky
claims the banks 'are still far
too closely linked to the
stock market through their
running of mutual funds.