Communal Disputes
In Glasgow, Rabbi Mendelson defied business interests to bring down communal costs for Passover Matzah and Mikvah use. At one point, to prevent price gouging, he rented the production facilities of Consolidated Biscuit, kashered it, and ran Matzah production, causing the prior bakery cartel to lose all business for the year.
In Newark, he published a controversial ruling regarding the permissibility, under certain conditions, of using a Shochet who is not Sabbath-observant. The opinion is cited and argued against by Rabbi Shimon Shkop.
During his later years, another rabbi, Yoseph Konvitz, took issue with Rabbi Mendelson's leadership, and attempted to take over the position of Rabbi of Newark and head of the Vaad Hakashruth. Allegations against Rabbi Mendelson were made and rebutted, but there resulted a permanent rift in the city over rabbinate, with competing Vaadei Kashruth and cases brought in Beth Din.
Read more about this topic: Yaakov Ben Zion Mendelson
Famous quotes containing the word communal:
“There is nothing in the world that I loathe more than group activity, that communal bath where the hairy and slippery mix in a multiplication of mediocrity.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)