Columbus, OH — The tension between the Chabad Torah Center and the Columbus Public Health Department began when inspectors showed up in December and jammed a nonkosher thermometer into a chicken, Steven Keller said.
Chabad Kosher Catering Service Shut Down
Columbus, OH — The tension between the Chabad Torah Center and the Columbus Public Health Department began when inspectors showed up in December and jammed a nonkosher thermometer into a chicken, Steven Keller said.
Keller, who is a lawyer, also is a customer at the 2942 E. Broad St. center.
Chani Capland, who has run the center for 17 years and operates a catering business from it, had to throw away the bird, he said.
Keller gave an impassioned speech today to the city Board of Health, appealing to members to understand the implications of shutting down the center for six days, including the days leading up to the Sabbath.
Many people in the central Ohio Jewish community, including the indigent and out-of-towners visiting hospitalized relatives, depend on Capland’s meats, salads and breads to keep kosher. Capland prepares about 150 to 250 kosher meals a week.
And many significant changes, costing tens of thousands of dollars, have been made since food inspectors paid their last visit last Wednesday, Keller said.
However, the board followed the recommendations of the health department staff and shut down food operations at the religious center for six days. The center also will operate on probation for six months.
“We have a very high obligation here,” board member Jacqueline Williams said. The board must protect the safety of consumers until an inspection shows that problems have been resolved, she said.
Williams also said the Torah center should have paid more attention to violations months ago, not just in the past several weeks.
Board member Mary Ellen Wewers pointed out that Capland took a food-safety class in April, and subsequent inspections still revealed problems.
Inspectors visited Chabad Torah Center seven times and repeatedly found violations, including a lack of food-safety knowledge, improper cleaning of food and preparation surfaces, improper cooling, and foods potentially contaminated by coming in contact with one another.
Keller said he had wanted health inspectors to visit last Friday, after many changes were made. After the meeting, he told Health Commissioner Teresa C. Long that the Wednesday inspection was a “sneak attack.”
Keith Krinn, environmental-health administrator, said his office has researched the thermometer issue, spoken to two rabbis and come up with a policy that will prevent such problems in the future. Inspectors will either use a new thermometer when kosher food is checked or use a sleeve on the thermometer, as hospitals do.
health first
better safe than sorry
let them live for 6 days w/o it!
Queezy Kosher
Its easy to shift blame on Health Department for using unkosher utensils, for your problems. Bottom line is … if you kept your place clean .. you wouldn’t be closed. Why is it that Kosher places … feel .. that they can look like dumps when they have zero competition?
Learn from places like Miami and Los Angeles, they have very clean places, and do a booming Bizness even with non Jews!
a faithful shopper
All Public Health officials should stop ‘looking’ for problems in food establishments. They have to write a certain amount of violations a month, so they come up with the craziest violations! I shop at the Torah Center, and it is very clean. I have never bought anything that was “potentially contaminated”, as the inspectors say.
Good luck Chani. Hope to see you open again soon!
Longtime taster
Dear Queezy Kosher:
Have you been to the establishment? I personally have been. It’s not the fanciest place mind you. Have you tasted the food? I personally have and it’s b/c of the high quality of the food they prepare that they are open, not because there is no competition. There has been plenty of competition over the years but frankly they never lasted long b/c the food was horrible. Don’t jump to conclusions.
Torah Center, keep pumping out those amazing Challahs (Matt’s has nothing on you) and scrumptious corned beef!
We love you!
buckeye fan
This is for “Health First” and “Queezy Kosher” – I don’t know if you were ever in Columbus, or at the Torah Center, but it is very clean there. This is NOT NEW YORK! The Health Dept. here will give you a summons for stupidities – like not using the correct soap for washing floors; and silly things like that. I have to agree with “Faithful Shopper”. She/he is 100% correct! The Health Dept. looks for problems. The Torah Center is always clean! They did not get ticketed G-d forbid for rodents! They were ticketed for stupidities!
When a whole pan of chicken was thrown out (not 1 chicken as in the article), and the inspectors were reprimanded for going into the refrigerator when the boss was not there, they decided to look for more problems! C’mon! Give Chani a break. She did nothing wrong.
Good luck Chani! Don’t be intimidated by the Health Dept. or these commentators who don’t know you.
Moshiach Now! Tisha B’av should be a Yom Tov! Not a fast day!
Sweet tooth
I definitely cannot live without Chani’s cookies, brownies, and biscottis. My family depends on these for shabhbos treats. Chani we ALL support you. Hope the place is up and running soon.
chouchounette
MOM your popular
Impressed
Im not sure who has been to Columbus and who has personally met with Rebbetzin Chani Capland. My family and I were driving through the city and were in need of Kosher food. Someone suggested we call Chani. We were a little nervous to call being that it was 9pm. Without any hesitation Chani said no problem give me twenty minutes. She then left her home went to the Torah Center and prepared us a whole gourmet meal for our family. Now this is a rare find! It is clear that this is not just work for her and the Torah Center is not just a catering facility it is a Chabad House. I was truly impressed.
Thanks again Chani!
Love your food
When I think of the Torah Center and Chani the first thing that comes to mind is delicious. She puts her heart and soul into each and every morsel of food that comes out of her kitchen. This business is a labor of love. Her care is evident at every event she caters. We are anxiously awaiting your challah next Shabbos!
SK
I eat in levi Caplands house!!!
BrookAve
It was a paltry (read poultry) price to pay. That bird was sacrificed for only the health of us humans. It’s all chicken feed to me.
knows about the food business
Long time taster/Love ur food and all the others, sweet, delicious or high quality absolutely doesn’t tell ANYTHING about whether it will give a pregnant vulnerable women or a toddler astomach ache chas veshalom, or worse, poisoning lo aleinu, handeling food needs knowlege, and Public Health officials do not look for issues, they just look and find them!
SK, cooking at home is much easier than cooking in an establishment, so don’t worry
o.t. bahchur who cant spell
DO WE REALY HAVE @ LOOK AT THAT CHICK NOW IN THE 9 DAYS ?
hey the Caplands r the greatest!!!!
Flatbush Yente
Moshiach is coming before we eat any chicken, so don’t worry!
hungry
Well, if I’m ever in Columbus I know where to eat!! All these nice comments must mean something.
Hatzlacha! Hope your business booms.
Larry S. Pollak
The Columbus Health bureaucrats made a mountain out of a molehill. Here’s the bottom line: Not a single customer here in central Ohio would be reluctant to serve any of Chani Capland’s delicious food to their family now or ever.She is a community treasure. She is a woman of valor. The Caplands are one of the most heimishe families in Columbus and they don’t deserve the aggravation this petty incident has generated! Everyone here in Columbus loves the Caplands and Chani’s Catering.
Kohen-LOndon
Chanis food and warm hospitality is unique in the Torah world
May she be blessed to serve us for many years
MoveOn
It’s one thing if there were complaints of people getting sick, mouse droppings, and or any other health hazardous complaints. The whole thing seems like much ado about nothing (much to do about nothing for those who dont know shakespeare). Either way I think its great press. All press is good press as long as they spell your name right.
Steven, Columbus Kohen
Chabad Torah Center gave away almost 200 challahs to their loyal customers as a thank you for their support. The shabbos service can not be complete without Chani’s challahs. She baked them in the kitchen at another Orthodox Shul. The support for the Torah Center is great. The issue is not whether a traf thermometer was used on kosher food,but the lack of knowledge and respect for us as Jews. This is the 21st century and we should not be treated like this again.
May Hashem bless Chani for her continued demonstration of love for the Jewish community.
Grateful
Dear Chani,
I am so sad to hear the news. I cant imagine the Shabbat without you. I really dont know how to thank you enough for all you have done. Thanks for the gratis Challah, it means a lot to me. Cant wait to see you back in business next week.