Message from Guide to Chodosh

[Y. Herman]

s"xc
Preseason Chodosh Bulletin 5760
c/o Y. Herman, 20 Sylvan Road, Monsey, NY 10952
Hot Line: (845) 356-5743, Fax: (845) 356-5999
(Aug ‘00) x"a, ct


CHODOSH SEASON TO START EARLY THIS YEAR
There has been a common misconception that Chodosh is not a problem in America
until Rosh Hashanah. This year that is very much incorrect for two reasons: (1)
The harvest of the Chodosh crops has begun about 1-2 weeks earlier than usual
and (2) Rosh Hashanah is much later than usual on the secular calendar. Our
preliminary estimates are given below. For freshly baked goods the estimates
are different for the Midwest USA (such as Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland)
than for the rest of the USA. For other products only one common date estimate
is provided
>Freshly baked bakery goods such as breads, chalehs, bagels and rolls will
possibly be Chodosh starting with a purchase date of Aug 15 in the Midwest USA
and Sept 1 along the East and West coast.
.>Packaged foods containing spring wheat, other than pasta possibly Chodosh
starting with a packing date of Aug 21, purchase date of  Sept 1.
>Pasta possibly Chodosh starting with a packing date of  Sept 15, purchase date
of Oct. 1. 
>Oats possibly Chodosh starting with a packing date of Oct 1. This late date is
based on the fact that many companies have been using Canadian oats that are
harvested later. However, it is possible that products using American oats may
be Chodosh as early as a packing date of Aug 7. We have no specific brand
information at this time. The best advice is to start buying your favorite oats
foods now.
>Barley possibly Chodosh starting with a packing date of Oct 1, purchase date
Oct 15. 
These are all early estimates. As more specific information becomes available,
it will be recorded on the Chodosh News section of the Hot Line and will be
sent out to the E mail distribution list.

TIME TO RENEW SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE GUIDE TO CHODOSH
As last year, the Guide to Chodosh can be mailed to your home for those who
subscribe in advance, or be purchased as individual copies at local
distributors. We recommend that you subscribe, since that saves you money ($12
instead of $15 for the 3 Guides) and allows us to mail you urgent bulletins
should unforeseen problems arise. To subscribe to the initial issue of the
Guide, the 2 subsequent updated and revised issues, plus next year’s preseason
Bulletin and any urgent mid season bulletins that may arise, send a check for
$12 made out to “Chodosh Project”. (If you have sent us the $12 since pesach,
then there is no need to send an other check.) The literature will be sent to
you with the postage paid by us. Mail your check to Y. Herman at the address
given above.
The Guide is continuing its policy of not accepting any donations. In the past,
whenever a person would send excessive amounts of money, we tried to send back
an appropriate refund. This practice has become too time-consuming and
difficult to maintain. Therefore, we ask that you please try to send us not
more than the $12 per subscription. We also ask that you be mochel us if we do
not send refunds to those few who have sent us a few dollars extra.

THE GUIDE PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
The exact date of publication of the Guide depends on when reliable company
Chodosh dates become available.  At this time, we are estimating that the Guide
should be mailed out to the subscribers and local distributors approximately
the first week of Sept. By that time, it is certain that some items available
in the stores will be Chodosh. Due to this reason, we are suggesting that you
use the advanced estimates for Chodosh dates that were given above for your
guidance. As always, we will try to provide up-to-date information about the
Chodosh situation in general and the Guide publication in particular, via
recorded News messages on the Hot Line and by computer E mail to the E mail
list.

MESSAGE TO YOSHON BAKERIES
As has been noted above, the Chodosh season is expected to start earlier than
last year. Please be sure that you reserve the Yoshon flour that you plan to
use at this time if you have not yet done so. Also keep in touch with your
Yoshon flour distributor to find out when you must start using Yoshon flour
only. If you wish to have your bakery listed in the Guide in the section of
stores under hashgocho for Yoshon, then I must have a new letter from the
mashgiach of your choice stating that he certifies the fact that you produce
Yoshon. This letter should be faxed to 845-356-5999 not later than Aug. 21 in
order to make the first edition of the Guide.

THE AGRICULTURAL SITUATION
As mentioned above, the progress of the Chodosh crops has been about 1-2 weeks
earlier than usual.  In addition, for all of the crops of interest, the
majority is Chodosh again this year, despite the fact that pesach was early.
Specifically, we estimate that the percent Chodosh of each crop is as follows:
Spring wheat=67%, durum spring wheat (pasta)=86%, barley=73%, oats=54%.

HOW TO CONTACT THE GUIDE
The best source for recording any questions, hearing the latest Chodosh news
and other related information is the Chodosh Hot Line: 845-356-5743. To send a
fax, use the dedicated fax line: 845-356-5999. (However, note that we can
generally not respond to questions sent to us by fax. Please record you
question as a voice message and call back after 11 PM for possible recorded
answer.)
Those who have access to E-mail can send messages to yherman at earthlink.net.  We
will try to respond to questions E-mailed to us within a few days. For more
urgent matters, please record a voice message on the Hot Line. We urge all
those who have access to E-mail to add their address to the (free) E mail list.
This way they will get quick notification of news items and important changes.
They are also able to request copies of reports of interest. To add your name
to this mailing list, send an E-mail message to chodosh-subscribe at jif.org.il. 
To receive the latest Chodosh update bulletin that was send out previously by
E-mail, send a message to: chodosh-request at jif.org.il. In the body of the
message type: get News.txt.

ABOUT HASHGOCHOS FOR YOSHON
As last year, the Guide will have two sections. However, this year, the front
section will be all products, stores and other establishments who have a
hashgocho for Yoshon. The back of the Guide will have an entire separate
section of similar items without hashgocho. The anticipation is that most
Yoshon consumers will prefer products under hashgocho for Yoshon if they have
the choice. We thank the many establishments that have had their mashgichim
send us letters of certification for Yoshon last year. However, these letters
must be renewed for this year.
As always, the Guide does not provide any hashgochos or endorsements of its
own. Nor does it accept any donations or charge any fees to any establishment
listed in the Guide. All costs of the project are supported by the sale of the
copies of the Guide by subscription or individually by the distributors. The
hashgochos we have referred to here are by the mashgichim of the choice of each
establishment.
NOTE AREA CODE CHANGE 
Please note that our area code had heretofore been 914. This has now been
changed to 845.