Quinoa on Pesach 2.0

By @azigra 

Two years ago I wrote about and predicted the inevitable future of quinoa as a non kosher for Passover food item:

.................Quinoa becomes a popular food in the 1970s as people look for healthy foods -> Jews question the halachic status of Quinoa on Pesach as kitniyos -> R. Moshe Feinstein permits the consumption of Quinoa on Pesach -> The Eida HaCharedis prohibits the consumption of Quinoa on Pesach -> Jews remain divided on Quinoa’s halachic status -> Rabbis place bans on quinoa in Jewish weekly’s stating that quinoa production has changed since the Igros Moshe was published -> Hotels advertise their kitchen as glatt kosher and quinoa free -> Jews choose hotels based on the shechita and quinoa use of the caterer -> Non-Haimish Jews who stay home for Pesach burn their Quinoa -> Shidduchim are broken based on gebrochts and quinoa -> Most Jews do not consume Quinoa on Pesach, it is only the more modern elements that still pretend it’s permissible -> It is assur gamur to consume Quinoa on Pesach -> Jews who eat Quinoa on Pesach are chayiv Kares and are basically seeking to destroy Judaism as it has been know since the times of the Tanaim, Amoraim, and Achronim, who all knew that quinoa was assur and didn’t eat it on Pesach  

see original post here for additional notes.

When I wrote this, only the Eida HaCharedis, a fanatical Hasidic faction,  prohibited this item, however, today the Forward reports that as of this year the Orthodox Union will no longer certify quinoa as kosher for Passover:

The Orthodox Union announced last year that it would not certify quinoa as kosher for Passover out of concern that quinoa falls into the category of kitniyot, a group of legumes forbidden because they look similar to grains proscribed on the holiday.

However: 

Star-K, a rival kosher certification company based in Baltimore, has been certifying quinoa as Passover-friendly for years and dismisses what it sees as an outlandish prohibition.

As of now the reason provided by the OU is that  “[they] can’t certify quinoa because it looks like a grain and people might get confused” otherwise known as Ma'aris Ayin, the same reason why many people dont serve non dairy ice cream at meat centric meals. 

This of course means that any hotel that is under the OU will not be serving quinoa this year. A new generation of Jews will grow up under this prohibition, confusing fact with fiction. As Orthodoxy moves to the right, the Star-K will be forced to prohibit quinoa as well or risk losing their validity as a legitimate kashrut organization in the face of an ever right moving world.  

In several generations there will be no working memory of a time when people did eat quinoa.

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Another RW unicorn spotted!! Evil Barry and his State Department are mean to a Muslim (who totally deserved it)

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We get to tick off lots of boxes with this little story, so pay attention:

Samira Ibrahim was scheduled to receive an award yesterday from First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry honoring her as one of the "International Women of Courage". But that was before the State Department became aware of a number of tweets that Ibrahim had sent out endorsing Hitler quotes and celebrating the deaths of Israeli tourists. Now her award has been "delayed" as State Department officials look into the source of the tweets (which Ibrahim had been claiming weren't hers). 

Ibrahim, an activist on behalf of Palestinians, was to receive the award for her work in Egypt speaking out against gender-based violence. Her State Department biography identifies her as one of the seven women subjected to "virginity tests" during the protests in Tahrir Square that eventually lead to the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. 

Originally Ibrahim said the tweets were not hers and that her twitter had been hacked. After an attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria, Ibrahim tweeted, "Oh Wowwww this eases off the day today very nice very nice news." She also tweeted that the Saudi royal family was "dirtier than the Jews." 

She seems to have backed off her claims that her Twitter account was hacked. In response to the delay of her honor, Ibrahim tweeted, "I refused to apologize to the Zionist lobby in America on the previous statements hostile to Zionism under pressure from the American government, so the prize was withdrawn."

So what do we got here?

• Obama and his state department opposing antisemitism? Check!
• Obama and his state department opposing Arab. Muslim, Palestinian antisemitism? Check!
• The mainstream media reporting on Obama and his state department opposing Arab. Muslim, Palestinian antisemitism? Check!

It's not so often we see so many things the GOP Jews claim "never happen" get crammed into one, single story.

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Burn your challah at the gas station for double extra mitzvah points

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I think I am going to set up a bunch of bird nests in my backyard and charge stupid people for the privilege for chasing away the mother birds "under the supervision" of some big rabbi. Or maybe I will locate an authentic Egyptian or Edomite and let the dummies pay me for the chance to not abhor them. And of course, I'll pass all the profits on to tzedaka, so no one criticizes me (Sending my son to yeshiva is a tzedaka, btw. Look it up)

Two new ads in the local Orthodox birdcage liner suggest there is a real market for this sort of thing:

Let's document the atrocities...  (Vocabulary first: Here challah is the portion of dough that the Torah tells us to give to a priest, not the braided loaf nor the witch with the braids who, likely, gave the braided loaf its name. Nowadays, instead of giving the dough to a priest we dispose of it, usually via burning)

(1) You can burn challah right in your very own oven. Our wives and mothers have been doing this for centuries. It's pretty simple: You just say a blessing and set it on fire. Nothing else.
Pro tip: If you don't want to set it on fire, you can also double wrap the challah, and toss it in the trash. That's perfectly okay.

(2) The ads seem silent on this point, but many home bakers never need to separate challah. The ritual isn't performed at all unless you're using at least 2.6 POUNDS of flour (enough for almost three loafs) No blessing is said unless you are using almost 5 POUNDS of flour (five huge loafs) (Chabadniks say the blessing when they use more than 3.6 POUNDS)

(3) Scare Tactics! If you make any mistakes with challah your kids will "stray from the ways of Torah" The second ad pretty much promises this is true! And what's the source? Check out the cite: "as stated in text". Which text? Never mind! Challah bakers shouldn't be studying Torah anyway! (We're kidding: Obviously, the ads author is referring to the text he reproduced in the ad; however its mistranslated. The text in the ad says your kids will go bad if you fail to correctly burn the challah, and it gets eaten by a non-kosher animal)

Unfortunately if this catches on, we'll have a new way to exclude perfectly pious and God fearing Jews:  "What? You don't burn your challah at the gas station? You do it yourself, in your house? I don't think our kids should be friends, plus I am not no longer confident in your kashrus."

Don't roll your eyes, either. This happens.


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Advisory: Reading this post may cost you some brain cells

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@azigra showed us this fun excerpt on the Twitter. It comes from All I Need to Know I Learned In Yeshiva, by Yaakov Wolfson. According to @azigra the whole book is like this.

But the very fact that the generations before us did a particular thing is sufficient proof that there is a just and valid reason or our doing so. 

[Insert exploding head here]

I will award 1,000 DovBear dollars to the author of the best rebuttal to this bit of idiocy. (And 10,000 DovBear dollars to the one who can successfully defend it.)

Standard boiler plate rebuttal. I do not hate Jews and Judaism. Quite the contrary: I love Jews and Judaism which is why I am so eager to root out the idiocy, superstition, bad arguments, and dumb doctrines. If I hated Judaism I'd ignore or encourage this nonsense instead of dedicating a whole blog post to undermining it.

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Comment of the Day: Marksofla replies to me and to New York Times Op Ed Writer David Brooks

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Marksofla writes:

While I think the article/oped is rather lacking and is way too superficial, I have a few comments (as well as a few criticisms of your criticism).

David Brooks has Published a Terrible and Deceptive Article about Brooklyn Orthodox Jews

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I'm not the brightest guy, so I tend to rely on paid smarties like New York Times Op Ed Columnist David Brooks to explain things. Unfortunately, his new column on the Orthodox Jews of Faltbush has me reconsidering the wisdom of that approach. There are school children better equipted to write for the New York Times about Orthodox Judaism. If Brooks is as much of a lightweight on other subjects as he is on this one, we who read the Times and have trusted his reporting, may have grounds for a malpractice suit.

Fisking after the jump:

George's trip to Israel

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Blast from the past... During his (only) trip to Israel which took place at the tail end of his failed presidency George "Best Friend of Israel" called on Israel to "end the occupation" after making a negative remark about checkpoints during a visit to Rammalah. Remember?

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22587081/#.UTkiVaKPCtM

Bush calls for end of ‘occupation’ of Arab lands

www.nbcnews.com

President Bush called for a halt to Israel's military occupation of land the Palestinians claim for a state and an end to the terrorist threat over the Jewish homeland.

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Great moments in hasbarah

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Let's have a round of diaspora applause for the supporters of  Beitar Jerusalem, the popular Israel soccer team! Their wonderful hasbrah efforts continue to impress! Here's the latest success story:

DeadSpin: Bigoted Israeli Soccer Fans Walk Out After Muslim Player Scores For Their Team

These soccer fans, of course, are the same darlings featured last year on an ESPN report that included footage of Beitar fans screaming racist insults at Arab players and using "Death to Arabs" as a celebration chant.   

On the ESPN report, some of the Beitar fans try to justify their behavior. They say that they have every right to hate Arabs. Arabs are at war with Israel. Arabs blow up buses. They've earned our animosity. (Some of my Facebook frenimies take the same position) 

OK, but pay attention: The guy who scored the goal that sent Beitar fans scurrying from the stadium is not an Arab. Remember? And the Arab players they terrorize with insults and attacks aren't at war with anyone. They are co-citizens, trying to earn a living. In most cases, they have zero in common with the diabolical, war-mongering Arabs. So why should they be subjected to your abuse? Why should they be lumped together with the worst representatives of their community?  And how can anyone claim that abusing innocent people on the basis on their ethnicity isn't racism?

More importantly, why don't the non-crazy Israelis recognize this for what it is, ie, blatant racism. Why don't the non-crazies boycott Beitar and their sponsors? Why haven't the vocal racists (you can see them on ESPN. They aren't hiding.) suffered any social consequences? Why does Israel put up with this crap?

And why do my Israeli frenemies keep acting so hurt and surprised whenever we say that Israel, too often, disappoints us? 

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Thanks, Avi, for the counter-example

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This week's Avi is a warm and tender tribute to Yosef Friedenson, an Agudath Israel employee who, we learn from Avi's article, was responsible for an Aggudah publication called Dos Yiddishe Vort. It's quite a nice piece. When he's not writing about Reform rabbis or pilot heroes, or bloggers,  Avi can be thoughtful, gentle and complimentary.

One of Avi's main beefs about bloggers is that they are often anonymous, and that anonymity breeds discord, nastiness, and opportunities to articulate ideas that haven't been pre-approved by Ingsoc. But guess what? R' Friedenson himself was an anono blogger (sort of/not really but keep reading):

During his final years, Reb Yosef did much of the writing for Dos Yiddishe Vort himself, often under pseudonyms that were transparent to most everyone who read the publication. (No one cared; his own recollections and writings were deeply appreciated by readers.)

First off, thanks, Avi, for the counter-example!! Apparently you can write important things absent your real name without also being a menace to society! Good to know!  But, still, what a strange set of sentences! If the pseudonyms were "transparent" why bother with them. And catch that parenthetical: "No one cared?" (a) how does he know; and (b) why is the baseline assumption that someone would care?  

If I check an author's name, its for one of two reasons and two reasons only: (a) I'm lazy or short on time and I want to see if the article or book is by someone I know before I commit to it; or (b) I like what I've read, and I'd like to know who gets the credit for entertaining or educating me. 

I can think of no other reason to care about a writer's real identity, but then I don't work for Big Brother.

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Update on the non-racist, totally desegregated Arab-only buses

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Though some of you wanted us to believe that the Palestinians were overjoyed at the chance to ride to work on Arab-only buses, some Palestinians apparently saw the matter differently. Yesterday, two of the buses were set on fire during the morning commute. 

Now, I am going to say again that I reject this act of violence and property destruction. The arsonists were wrong. They should be arrested and prosecuted. Please read and re-read and read again.

But here comes the "however." Are you ready?

HOWEVER, the new bus lines are racist. Here's why: (1)  Palestinians are discouraged from riding on the mixed lines with Israelis (see here PP#2); and (2) because they were originally set up after Jewish settlers made a racist complaint, on the order of "riding with Arabs creates a security risk" (see it here PP#5); and (3) because the existence of separate lines encourages intolerance by reinforcing the idea that Arabs are dangerous and/or that Arabs and Israelis can't get along and shouldn't do things together.

The non racist way to address a real or perceived security risk is to put more security personal on buses or to employ metal detectors, dogs, and so on. Solving the problem by imposing rules and restrictions on every single Arab is the very definition of racism, because you're judging an entire community on the basis of its worst members. No two ways about it.

Now, the right way to fight racism is through education and non-violent protest. The bus burners were wrong. They must be arrested and tried. Instead of arson, they should have organized boycotts of the Arab buses or sit-ins on the Israeli buses. But from day one  the Palestinians have always, always, always gotten this wrong. With them, its always been too much Malcolm and not nearly enough Martin.

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The Brochos Dialog

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Do you talk to yourself? I don't, but occasionally the old id and superego will have a little back and forth. For example:

ID: Num num, Hungry. Going to eat bread and cheese

Superego: Don't forget to wash and say "hamotzi"

ID: God no care. God no need hear me chant dumb words. God big. Me small. Him not petty. Him great.

Superego: Yes, of course that true. But we don't say brachot to benefit God. We say them to benefit ourselves. He doesn't need our praise, but we need to be reminded of our dependence on Him. Brachot are a way to remind ourselves of God's presence and to bring Him into our daily routine...

ID: OK, done, thanks to this conversation I have been reminded of God! Eat now!

Superego: Well, its also a good character trait to say Thank You to the one who provides you with things.

ID: Thank you God. Eat now!

For me the problem isn't with the (supposed) idea behind brachot but with the format. Saying thank you and recognizing God are fine, but why can't we do it in our own words? If we don't believe the words have any special, magical, properties why must we use the prescribed formula? Also, my hunch is the explanations for brachot suggested here by the Superego were developed after Jews started saying brachot. See, I think we originally thought God wanted to hear blessings or received some benefit from them just as we originally thought God benefited from sacrifices. [ עֹלָה אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ-נִיחוֹחַ לַיהוָה] As time passed, and doctrines developed, it became untenable to think of God as desiring anything from us or benefiting from anything we say or do. 

But rather than drop brachot, they were reinterpreted.

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What the stork can teach us about the mind and morals of (some) Orthodox Jews

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Here's a classic example of sloppy OJ thinking. It was provided in an earlier comment:

The חסידה bird is traife because it only shows compassion for those residing in her own nest.

So many mistakes, so little time. But lets begin at the beginning.

The bird in question (commonly believed to be the stork) is not treif for the reason provided here, but  because the Bible says so. (Lev 11:19 and Duet 14:8.) It is listed with a score of other birds (20 total in Leviticus, 21 total in Deuteronomy) all of which are identified as unfit for consumption by Jews. No special reasons are given.

Later, the Mishna (Chulin 3:6) explains what the listed and unlisted birds have in common. It says kosher and non-kosher bird can be recognized by four features: "every bird that is 1) dores ("a predator") is not kosher. Every bird that has 2) an extra toe, 3) a zefek (crop)  and 4) a korkuvan (gizzard) that can be peeled, is kosher."

A stork is a predator. It eats frogs, reptiles and other birds. Per the Mishna this qualifies it as non-kosher.

Nonetheless, the stork developed a reputation for kindness, a reputation that is evidenced in both Torah and non-Torah sources. It's Hebrew name, hasida, seems derived from hesed the word for kind or pious. On BT Chulin 63a R' Hisda is quoted, saying:

The hasidah is the white stork. And why is it called hasidah? Because it shows
kindness [hasiduth] to its companions. The anafah is the heron. And why is it called anafah?
Because it quarrels [mean'efeth] with its companions.

Several hundred years later Rashi develops this idea, writing on Lev 11:19:

The stork: Heb. הַחֲסִידָה. This is a white dayah, [called] zigoyne [in Old French, cigogne in modern French]. And why is it called חֲסִידָה ? Because it does kindness (חִסִידוּת) with its fellow birds [by sharing] its food (Chul. 63a)

Concurrently, non-Jews were attributing similar characteristics to the stork. For instance, the ancient Greek law about how children must care for their parents, Pelargonia, is derived from pelargo, their word for stork. R' Hisda's idea (above) seems based on a different interpretation of the same observation, namely the fact that storks continue to feed and care for their offspring for a very long time. The Greeks seem to have noticed that the young birds stay with their parents, and imagined the children were providing their parents with care. Meanwhile R' Hisda seems to have believed the storks were feeding each other, rather than their own, older offspring (as Rashi says outright)

In the 18th century Yitzchak Meir Alter (Chidushei Harim),  the first Ger Rebbe, introduced a new wrinkle. 

Following Rambam, he says all of the non-kosher birds have a cruel nature, and asks: What then is the cruelty of the stork which shares food with its companions? 

The obvious answer, of course, is that the stork's cruelty is identical to the cruelty of every other non-kosher bird. Like the eagle, and the heron, and the falcon, the stork is a predator. Predators (arguably) are cruel to the animals they hunt and eat.

But for reasons unknown (I confess to never having seen this particular teaching inside; maybe its clearer there) R' Alter rejects this obvious answer and suggests the stork is cruel because it only cares about its own kind.* I suspect R' Alter was mussering his people and encouraging them to take more responsibility for the well-being of other Jews, but this is just a guess.

*It would be interesting to see if R' Alter criticizes the stork for carrying only about its own family or only about its own species. 

The sloppy-thinking OJ, on the other hand, sees it differently. Instead of exploring the historical context and seeking to understand R' Alter's message, he makes unfounded claims about the nature of storks and the basis of its kosher status. 

Worse, R' Alter's apparent lesson goes right over his head. Instead of doubling down on chesed or making a point to go out and do something charitable for people who belong to other subsects, sects or (horrors) other religions, the sloppy-thinking OJ goes back to his cholent, congratulating himself on having decoded and explained a mystery of kashrus.

Nearly, every OJ knows R' Alter's teaching, but how many take it to heart and seek opportunities to help people from other Jewish groups? Eg: After Sandy, I noticed that areas like Far Rockaway and Sea Gate received assistance from black hat neighborhoods like Monsey, while modern neighborhoods like Oceanside and Long Beach were helped by modern people from Teaneck. Isn't R' Alter discouraging this sort of behavior? Isn't that his real message? Yet, it seems to fall on deaf ears. 

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Reasons why Israel's new segregated bus lines are the most justified thing ever

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As you may have heard, an Israeli bus line is no longer allowing Palestinians and Jews to travel together.  Effective today, the two groups will ride separate buses. But don't you dare call it apartheid, you anti-Semite! There are all sorts of awesome reasons why this is totally justified.  For instance, Israeli women are already forced to ride in the back of some buses, so where were we supposed to put the Palestinians? On the roof?

OK, just give us a few minutes, and we'll think of some more totally awesome justifications...

Oh right! They all want to kill us! Of course! This is the convenient excuse trotted out by tyrants to justify injustice. Want to get rid of an undesirable? Just label them an enemy of the state, on the basis of their heritage or the behavior of their neighbors and then let the mistreatment commence.

Oh, and here's another justification for Israel's appalling behavior: Saudi Arabia is much worse! See, as civilized people with a two-thousand year tradition of moral exquisiteness we deserve gold stars whenever we outperform tyrannical Wahhabi regimes. Arabs set the moral standard of excellence, see, so as long as we're slightly better behaved then they are, nothing further is required of us. High fives all around!

What else, what else... Oh right: Must mention this:

The new lines are not separate lines for Palestinians but rather two designated lines meant to improve the services offered to Palestinian workers who enter Israel through Eyal Crossing.
"The new lines will replace irregular, pirate lines that charge very high prices from Palestinian passengers. The new lines will reduce congestion and will benefit Israelis and Palestinians alike."
According to the statement, "The Transportation Ministry is forbidden from preventing any passenger from boarding any line of public transportation, nor do we know of a directive to that effect. Instating these lines was done with the knowledge and complete agreement of the Palestinians."

See guys? The segregated bus lines are totally optional, and aside for subjecting Palestinians who choose to ride the Israeli buses to checkpoint humiliations and delays, absolutely nothing will be done to discourage Arabs from riding with the white people.

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The OU's work is not done: Here are some other eateries with names that must be changed!

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The other day we reported on the OU's decision to withhold a kosher certification from a restaurant called "Jezebel" on the grounds that the original Jezebel was an evil queen and:

"The basis in Jewish law is that a name has significant influence on who you are, what you are and who you represent.” 

The owners of Jezebel caved, and now call their place JSoho. With the Jezebel problem solved (Huzzah!) I say let's keep up the momentum. Onward and upward!

Because I like to help, here are some other OU certified restaurants with names that endorse individuals or qualtiies that should not be associated with Torah, mitzot, or self righteous kashrus organizations:

Kosh,  located in CT, and apparently named after Kosh Narenek, the Vorlon Ambassador in the Babylon 5 universe. Is it appropriate for a kosher restaurant to be named after someone like that? I mean look at him. What does that say about the place, who it is, and what it represents?

Cravings. Doesn't a name like that say something about who you are and what you represent? Should a ben Torah crave anything? Very prus.

Pardes.The Talmud says four men entered the Pardes, and only one survived. Clearly a Pardes is not something proper Jews should enter. So doesn't the OU risk confusing the issue and inadvertently misleading people by endorsing a restaurant with that name?

Agas v'Tapuach. An "agas" is a title used for Turkish leaders, most of whom were probably Muslims. Not the influence you want, I am sure.

Papagaio That's Portuguese for parrot, a non-kosher animal. Surely, the OU doesn't want people eating at a place that celebrates such a thing.

Espirit Events. Espirit is the "quality of being lively, vivacious, or witty" all negative characteristics when demonstrated by a Bas Yisroel.

Fisher Brothers and Leslie. Leslie is the title character of the aptly named  Leslie, My Name Is Evil. The character appears on the movie poster wearing nothing but a flag and with a cross blazed into her forhead.  Not the best influence, I am sure.

Olympic Pita. I hear "Olympic" and I think of naked Greek men, sensuality and sports. Also, the mountain was the home of your major Greek Gods. This is not the sort of thing you want associated with a nice kosher restaurant.

Renaissance Hotel That horrible R word connotes nudity, free thinking, and new ideas. Torah Jews should not be caught dead frequenting such a place.

Dougies: Named after Dougie "Dr. Evil" Powers (we think), the archvillian who tried to take over the world in at least two movies starring Mike Myers.

Mendy's: Named after Mendy Weiss, the notorious hit man (we think). Weiss was on the team that killed Dutch Shultz. He was found guilty of several murders and executed at Sing Sing in 1944.

Like you, I expect the OU to act against these places immediately.


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A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words?

by @azigra

This photo was shared around Facebook last week, juxtaposing the first blessing of Grace After Meals with a few starving children somewhere in Africa. This photo could really have been taken anywhere in the world, as poor and hungry children and adults and even animals can be found everywhere. 

Starving children do not have to be an argument against the existence of God for you (thought it is often cited as proof that God is either evil or doesn't exist) but it may be an argument against the claims made in this blessing. The Talmud suggests this blessing was composed by Moshe our Rabbi. Let's assume this is correct, or even argue that it was written in the Talmudic era, it is fair to assume that pre-twitter, internet, newspapers, etc. it was easy to believe that the whole world was similar to how you saw it. 

But can we say this blessing nowadays and mean it? Are the claims made true? Aren't there children in your own neighborhood who go to sleep hungry?  Can you go on saying that God "gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting." when you know it isn't true? Should this blessing me changed or removed from Grace After Meals?

Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who, in His goodness, provides sustenance for the entire world with grace, with kindness, and with mercy. He gives food to all flesh, for His kindness is everlasting. Through His great goodness to us continuously we do not lack [food], and may we never lack food, for the sake of His great Name. For He, benevolent G-d, provides nourishment and sustenance for all, does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures whom He has created, as it is said: You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Blessed are You, L-rd, who provides food for all.

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Great moments in Rabbinic Over Reaching

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Today the Daily News tells us about Jezabel, a kosher Manhattan restaurant, and its encounter with the kashrus police at the Orthodox Union. According to the paper the restaurant changed its name to JSoho at the OU's request/suggestion.

There are two ways to interpret the story:

UNFAVORABLE READING
After the restaurant applied to the OU for kosher certification, the organization bullied the restaurant into changing its name. This is a clear example of rabbinic over reaching and the OU should be condemned for using its power inappropriately.

FAVORABLE READING
After the restaurant applied to the OU for kosher certification, the OU delivered some good advice, saying something like, "Hey, if you want to appeal to kosher consumers perhaps you shouldn't name your joint after an evil non-Jewish Queen who's often associated with promiscuity." This, of course, is excellent advice, and the owners were wise to act on it.

Unfortunately, the  account provided by the Daily News supports UNFAVORABLE READING. See for yourself. The report also includes a quote from R' Moshe Elefant in which the head of the OU's kashrut division clouds the issue even further.

"Jezebel was an evil person,” Rabbi Moshe Elefant, the head of the Orthodox Union’s kashrut division in charge of Jewish dietary laws, told the Daily News. “It is not appropriate to name a kosher restaurant after her. 

I agree but that's the restaurant's call. Not yours. Anyway, we see Tannaim named Ishamael (also an evil person) and modern day Sefardim called Nimrod. So it would seem these things have a statute of limitations. Besides, calling the place Solomon or David is no better. Over the course of history, there have been evil people with both names.

“The Talmud [Bible] [sic] is clear,” he added. “The basis in Jewish law is that a name has significant influence on who you are, what you are and who you represent.” 

This is mysticism masquerading as halacha. Of course, your name is important. But there's nothing magical about it. When I meet someone called Humbert P Horfillnilly I am going to relate to him differently than I would relate to someone called John Kennedy. That's human nature. For the same reason, choosing the right name for a restaurant is an important marketing decision. But like any other marketing decisiosn that's the owner's call. All the OU is asked to do is indicate if the food is kosher. Naming the place isn't their role or responsibility and by connecting it to the kashrus certification, they crossed into bullying.


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Blood Purity... not just for Voldemort and Nazis

The great Tesyaa comments:

(Perhaps there have been isolated incidents, but a Catholic descendent of a Jew is treated as, you know, a Catholic.)

Well, no. It was a big machlokes in the church. See, in Spain (1300s) lots of Jews converted. Over a 100,000 by some estimates. Only, after getting baptised many of them still acted like Jews. This confused the Church as baptism was supposed to be this magic things that made you a new soul, and clearly it wasn't working on Jews. So the doctrine of blood purity arose to explain it. As a result the decendants of converts were banned from church offices and certain orders (the Jesuits officially banned  anyone "descended of Hebrew or Saracen stock". This was their official policy until 19 - not a typo - 1946.

The Vatican was opposed to this... except when someone who believed it sat on the throne of St. Peter. So there was some back and forth.   For a long period this blood purity crap was Vatican Law. Then it wasn't. Then it was again. 

By World War II it was out of favor (except in, you know, Nazi Germany where they coopted this and other lovely Catholic ideas about Jews) which is why that great Jew lover, Pius 12, was able to raise up such a holy storm in the name of protecting CONVERTED Jews while staying completely silent regarding the fate of nonconverted Jews.

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