West Orange—Kosher Village has been downgraded by Shoprite, from a full service fresh food counter in the heart of the store to a tiny window buried in the back with the fresh meat kitchens. Shoprite regulars have noticed and plan to address it with a corporation representative at a meeting to be held at Congregation AABJ&D on Wednesday, February 4 at 8pm.

In an open letter to the community on Wednesday, Rabbi Eliezer Zwickler, rabbi of AABJ&D, noted that “our local Shoprite of West Orange in Essex Green has altered the Glatt Kosher offerings and service over the past few months.” He has been “told that further changes are to be expected although [he does] not know the details.” Shoprite patrons are concerned about the decrease in fresh kosher products, which seemingly began when the store eliminated its kosher sushi and has continued through vendor after vendor, with fewer and fewer products available daily. Currently, the fresh kosher selections are slim, and consumers fear that more negative changes are on the way.

In the hopes of halting this slippery slope, Rabbi Zwickler has called upon synagogue and community members to gather in the lobby of AABJ&D on Wednesday evening to meet with a Shoprite representative and air their grievances and desire to have a full service kosher department restored. “Given the amount of business that [our] community gives Shoprite each year,” community members hope that this meeting will be the beginning of improvements in the amount and quality of kosher services in the store.

All are invited to attend this important meeting, and to contact Nicholas Sumas, Vice President of Operations of Village Super Market, Inc, to voice their concerns and suggestions. Sumas can be reached at [email protected] or 973-467-2200.

By Jill Kirsch