Wissotzky Tea

Posted: Sat, Oct 17 2009, 11:29 pm Post subject: Wissotzky Tea

I just got back from Israel having bought 3 Wissotzky Tea boxes on order from my mother. I just realized, that there's no real hechsher on the box. It says in Hebrew (Excuse my terrible hebrew and just sound it out ifvyou can) Kosher l'pesach, pareve. Then, b'hashgachat harabanut hazorit hagalil hatachton(?). In the states it's kosher OU-P and I didn't even think to look. And, on the individual packets, there's nothing. I need to find out asap whether it's kosher. I don't even know who to ask. I have their phone number. Maybe I'll call, or ask dh who speaks hebrew to...anyone know anything?

Posted: Sat, Oct 17 2009, 11:31 pm Post subject: re: Wissotzky Tea

Op here - I was just looking at their website and it says that they have one factory...

Posted: Sat, Oct 17 2009, 11:37 pm Post subject:

Are you looking for a little symbol? You won't find one. Only the Badatzim (mehadrin) hechshers have them, for the most part. Otherwise, there is what you saw, a line on the packaging saying which rabbanut certifies the product. In this case, it's the Rabbanut of Ezor haGlilit haTachton (Lower Galilee Region). Which makes sense, based on where the factory is.

If you're very worried about it I would call the OU. I'm guessing that it's all the same stuff but that only the English (export) packaging bothers printing the OU info; it would be meaningless to most Israelis.
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Diamond Member Joined: Oct 29 2006 Posts: 4461

It could be that the tea is left over from Pesach time and doesn't carry the normal hechsher. Most Wissotzky teas carry the best hechsherim but may not have it for Pesach if its a natural tea or flavored.
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Diamond Member Joined: Oct 29 2006 Posts: 4461

Posted: Sun, Oct 18 2009, 1:14 am Post subject: re: Wissotzky Tea

THanks, that's a good idea - I'll call the OU. I hope they say it's ok, as they were a lot of money!

Posted: Sun, Oct 18 2009, 2:14 am Post subject:

BTW...I checked every single package of tea that's in the kitchen at the office while I waited for the kettle to boil. They all carry a "kosher l'mehadrin" stamp from the Rav of the Rabbanut of ezor haGalil haTachton, AND a mehadrin Rav Simcha haCohen Kook/Rubin stamp.

And if you're talking about the Tea Garden boxes, I don't think I've ever seen a hechsher on them (what wooden box needs a hechsher?), but all the tea on the inside is the same as the stuff you can buy in regular boxes on the shelves.