Orlah Fruits in the Marketplace - Update for the Month of Av

This post is a follow up to the Kashrut for New Olim post. If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out!

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES in Israel

Unlike in other parts of the world, in Israel fruits and vegetables are NOT automatically "kosher" - here we need to make sure that they are not "orlah" fruits (harvested during a tree's first 3 yrs, with other rules applying to year 4) and that trumot and ma'asrot have been taken (from both fruits and vegetables). 

If you shop at a market that doesn't have an ishur kashrut (kosher certification) on their produce, you'll need to investigate these issues further, if you are interested in adhering to the halachot of the Land of Israel OR if you regularly host people who assume the food in your home is kosher! I must say that it's important to familarize yourself with these special halachot, as they are part of keeping kosher in Israel! (If you say you keep Kosher in Israel, everyone assumes that you have taken care of these issues; and if you don't, then you may be unwittingly putting someone in a situation they don't want to be in!) 

It's definitely possible to take trumot and maasrot on your own (I do it often), so vegetables are easiest to buy without a teudah, as that is all you need to do (and very often, it would be without a bracha). Some of the fruits on the market may be ok to purchase even from a non-certified establishment and just take trumot and maasrot, because of the extremely low percentage of orlah fruits being sold, but those lists change frequently, so you'll constantly need to stay up-to-date.

Other fruits can be a problem, because of a high possibility that they are orlah (from the first 3 yrs after the tree was planted). I have recently begun to post a monthly update on my website, with a list of the fruits where the percentage of orlah fruits on the open market is greater than 0.5%, so should only be bought from a reputable source that does not sell orlah fruits (i.e. a place with a teudah):

Update for Av 5777

Fruits to AVOID buying without a teudah:

White Peach
Yellow Nectarine
White Nectarine
Lemon
Papaya
Prickly Pear (Sabra Fruit)
Starfruit
Passionfruit
Seedless Grapes (Round Green)
Blueberries

Please be sure to speak with your personal Halachic Authority about purchasing fruit in Israel without a teudah. Not everyone holds by the 0.5% threshold. This information is just for informational purposes and is not a halachic psak! Even if you follow a psak that relies on the 0.5% threshold, you still must take trumot and maasrot on all produce grown in Israel (or be sure it has been taken), in order to fulfill your halachic obligations.

Also, this list does not apply to fruit grown by an individual. If your friend has a fruit tree, you'll need to find out how old it is! 

I hope you find this helpful! Please follow my Facebook page and don't miss out on updates and other posts!

Helpful Orlah List - Summer Fruits 2014

I love figs

Majestic Pomegranates (not on the list, oddly)

Many people find themselves shopping at a shuk or a store without a teudah. It happens most often outside of the major city centers, like here in the Golan, in our weekly shuk.
However, we have a few things to keep in mind - terumah and maaser (tithing) obligations and the problem of orlah - the fruits of a tree in its first four years.
 
It's very helpful to know which fruits one can buy and not worry about orlah, even without a hechsher. One must still take terumah and maaser from non-certified fruits (without a bracha), even if there is no need to worry about orlah, though.

When I was trying to figure out what I could or could not buy at the shuk, I found this handy-dandy guide. It changes seasonally, and is not completely comprehensive, but is helpful in any case.

Here are the basics to keep in mind if you are buying fruit from a seller without a teudah/ishur kashrut (although many recommend just trying to buy from a certified kosher seller):

Ok to buy:

Pears
Annona
Olives (regular)
Quince (חבוש) Lemons
Lychee Apricots Pitaya (dragonfruit?) Kiwi Plums Loquats
Almonds
Figs
Apples

Not ok without Ishur Kashrut:

Blueberries
Peaches
Guava
Syrian Olives
Papaya
Passionfruit ("shi'unit" or "passiflora")
Eden fruit (really not sure what this is, anyone know?)
Sabra
Starfruit


Unclear, so recommended to only buy with an Ishur:

Nectarines
Grapes

Enjoy your summer fruits!

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Israeli Produce (Important Pesticide Residue Info)

Conventionally grown produce usually has pesticide residue. For the first time, an Israeli organization has ranked local produce. (Thanks to the Israeli Union for Environmental Defense for making this information available to the public!) Below you'll see the list, and my translation! Take them to the store with you so you can be a more informed shopper. You can significantly reduce your exposure to pesticides (and this article explains that so many pesticides (36!) used in Israel are banned in other parts of the world) by focusing on the foods on the "clean" list, and avoiding those on the dirty list. I know this will make a big difference for us!

Here are the "Dirtiest" Fifteen:

Grapes
Celery
Apples
Citrus fruit
Beets

Coriander
Dill
Lettuce
Mint
Baby Lettuce Mix
Pears
Kohlrabi
Peaches
Potatoes
Peppers


The Ten Cleanest:

Passionfruit
Avocado
Sprouts
Sweet Potato
Onion
Dates
Asparagus
Peas
Cauliflower
Artichoke


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