Zelda Feffenburg

You are wrong in your understanding of Jews. Had I been professional enough and spoken to Basil’s manager – Clara Perez, the Catholic Colombian manager – before posting it, this post would either not have been posted or it would have read very differently. It seems the New York Times article manufactured most of the facts and misrepresented others. For example, when yeshivah students demonstrated against the restaurant Clara did not call the police, nobody was endangered or threatened and it ended as peacefully as it started… in spite of Frank Bruni’s dramatic aspirations in the matter. In any case, the restaurant’s owner is an Orthodox Jew, who is only interested in a kosher restaurant. The restaurant would not exist if it couldn’t be kosher.

If you read our post, we at The Kosher Scene (proud Orthodox Jews that we are), do not believe in imposing any standards on anyone, we do believe however that (like other fine restaurants around town) Basil might think of recommending a dress code. This is not a religious issue, the restaurant management would have no right – for example – in insisting that men wear a kippa, for example (nor should they even bother recommending it!), or that women wear floor length skirts or dresses and tops covering though the neck, with three quarter length sleeves. At the same time, it would be nice, if those who might want to frequent the place would dress modestly BUT that is an individual decision not one that can or should be imposed.

If the certification is pulled, according to Clara, it would not be because of a lack of harmonious relations between the certifying agency and the restaurant’s management, it would only be because of the mistruths and misleading negativity Bruni’s article heaped on the agency (as it might impact on their relationship with other establishments).

I probably misunderstand (I may be oversensitive) and maybe it’s not how you meant to write it but when you say, “when Jews try to impose their lifestyles on the others in the world around them, they cause probems only for themselves.,” it smacks of certain latent feelings about a specific people – my people. Certainly there are zealots who happen to be Jewish, but like almost everyone else – regardless of creed, skin color or ethnicity – these zealots, though vociferous, are a tiny minority and they do not threaten anyone’s life or limb, they do not throw stones, nor do they shout for hours at the top of their lungs.

If the certification is pulled, whose world shrinks? Those who will only go to a kosher place, no longer have that place to go. I would guess the chef will still be able to make money, and bring in many more customers than he would lose, by commercializing it back to louder music, etc.

Having said that HOWEVER, a place of business that IS kosher and DOES want the frum community to frequent it has to adhere to a MINIMUM level of tznius/modesty that SHOULD be observed by all its clientele. There can be a dress code of skirts to the knee, at least short sleeves (no sleeveless or halters) and no frontal exposure [deep V necks, transparent blouses, etc.] Have tasteful lightweight/gauze shawls/tichel-types available for women to easily drape on and cover up, w/a pre-printed tastefully worded explanation of a modicum of Jewish modesty rules for women, and that it is the way to allow the maximum range of clients to all be there and feel comfortable w/ each other… much as Kotel and other NON-Shul Jewish sites have these “rules” too.

NO, we don’t police tattoos, or force men to wear kippot, cuz its NOT about being religious, it’s about not offending the religious or forcing THEM to not come, because others don’t think they need to be respectful of THEIR needs.

Yes, its nice to change music to a more parve alternative, if its not too much bother, but that is a bonus. Kol hakavod to them!

NO, they SHOULD NOT police foul language, etc… just like in ANY restaurant, if clients are LOUD or FIGHTING or too rowdy, they can be asked to quiet down or leave.. but beyond that, if they are withing generally accepted parameters of dining, its no one’s business how they speak, if it is not too loud.

There MUST be a balance of common sense, common decency, and yes, sticking up for at least base minimum of Torah modesty laws, just as they stand up for base minimum [at least] of Kashrut laws and customs.

Irene