Whenever our children or grandchildren would visit our home, we always carefully planned the best way to make their stay as comfortable as possible. In the last few years, several of our grandchildren decided to only use cholov Yisroel products. Maintaining our policy of trying to be accomodating, I always make sure to have cholov Yisroel ice cream in my freezer (sorry Ice Cream on Grand, believe me, there is no comparison), as well as milk, various cheeses, yogurt and whatever else I know they would like.

Last week our family gathered at our home following the Hakamat Matzevah of my beloved Mordechai’s stone, and I had, of course, purchased dairy products that I knew everyone would be comfortable using.

One group of family members sitting at our kitchen table suddenly in unison let out a sort of “yuck” as they tried to pour the half-and-half for their coffee drinks and realized that the smell was so intense and chunks of something were coming out of the container. They immediately poured the entire container down the drain. Just a few minutes later exactly the same response happened with the regular milk. Oat milk was immediately substituted for those who needed it, and I once again had a “bad taste” in my mouth from the number of times this has happened when I purchase cholov Yisroel products.

I think that I react so strongly to this occurrence because I realize and think about who many of the users of these products are: young kollelite, yeshivishe families, many with very limited incomes are made prisoners to these purchases which really do have a reputation of not lasting. The half-and-half that I had purchased had an expiration date in the middle of September, and the date that it was opened was August 21. I have no idea whom to blame for this outrageousness, but my concern is specifically for those who require these products and frequently find themselves placing them in the garbage.

I actually did some research into why this happens so frequently and many claim that it is the fault of the stores that do not refrigerate the dairy products quickly enough. In some cases they say that the crates are left on the sidewalk for hours in the heat of the summer. I do not know what the real reason is, especially since this problem does not only occur in the summer.

I laughed at the following quote I saw: “The extra few dollars’ cost of spoiled milk is well worth the tremendous spiritual benefits to one’s neshama of exclusively using cholov Yisroel.”

Sorry, buddy, I certainly do not buy that. I am aware of how many sacrifices are made in some yeshiva communities in order to buy these products, yet I cannot justify why any rabbonim would poskin that cholov Yisroel should be used with the knowledge that it costs almost double and that its shelf life is nebulous.

I often wonder why the State of New York and the State of New Jersey do not have special inspectors checking into these things. It has to be some sort of a health hazard.

My beef is that so many are being taken advantage of. I am not even discussing the prices. Many cheese products suffer from the same plague of spoiling just a few days after the container is opened. I wonder if those who manufacture the cholov Yisroel products are using them in their own homes. I guess that they know enough to open a container of milk a day and throw out the remains at the end of each night. The average person is not able to do that. What amazes me is that the group that is most prone to suffer from buying these spoiled products just continues to do so, realizing that they have little choice. I am sad for them.

Nina Glick can be reached at [email protected].