If the concern is over bugs, then just iradiate them. This will kill the bugs and increase the shelf life of the strawberries.

strawberries were perfectly kosher before microscopes to see these bugs, now with microscopes strawberries are not kosher. maybe microscopes should be banned instead. is it just me, or is this stretching religion beyond the limits of what is reasonable?

To be religious one must be rich.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

Jews can not eat certain animals nor certain insects and the closest one can be to their Kashrut ideals ,the best. I wish I could eat strictly Kosher all the time, and if the country would offer me only that ,things would be greatly facilitated. I wish Israel reaches this ideal very soon. Hopefully agriculturists find quickly the solution.This is good for everybody ,and do not harm anybody who may not follow Kashrut,and is quite easy to accomplish.

the Jewishness of this land and not the opposite. The opposite shows these people want Israel not to be Israel but a goyim country,and thus ,are our enemies. Jews who do not agree with the issue now being presented,should think deeper about their own identity with all that that implies.

And if by fulfilling the mitzvah of Shmita we have to eat polluted food comming from a people that hate us and can not send us something deeply clean,it is better to find another solution or even to conform in not to having some products available in those years. It is a mistake to relate to palis because of Shmita-we fullfill a mitzvah but instead commit a sin while fulfilling that mitzvah .

If the Israeli’s allowed to ground to rest for one year, as the Bible clearly commands, then they would not have the problem of crappy muslim farming. Since they see no problem with disobeying God, then they should take their lumps in silence.

... some of these rabbis are past due for retirement ...

There are probably any number of bugs and micro-organisms in all the foods we eat. So long as they are properly washed, it's generally okay. No need to keep worrying, just be happy and enjoy the life God gave you.

Our rabbis have gone mad here don't lose your faith over them

water? Better yet why buy from the enemy?

according to the talmud whatever cannot be seen through the naked eye is considered to not be there as far as dietary law is concerned. But you know, why not get rid of bugs?

what, you like eating bugs?

The practice of letting a field lie fallow for a year went out in the Middle Ages when the crop rotation was brought in. Once again the Tehran like attitudes of the Rabbinate is assisting our enemies and will bring hardship to those who work in the strawberry business. The world is in recession. Israelis are losing their jobs left right and center and the religious fanatics, who have nothing better to do but bring in petty rulings and don't have to worry about their jobs as the state pays their salaries, can sit and cause hardship to others! Is this a mitzvah too? No, it is a disgrace!

Some suggest washing strawberries in a jacuzzi, others soaking them in water with vinegar and salt. Why not just throw them out right away? Or even better, stop growing strawberries altogether!

Is it just me or are there others out there who think that certain YNet reporters spend their days snooping for any bit of "news" that could possibly make Rabbis look ridiculous? Of course when taken as reported here, to a secular audience, without any background, these things appear mindless, but anyone who cares about kashrut and has learned the laws involved, and gets their information from a RELIABLE source, thinks differently

So the Rabbis won't look bad if what they say isn't known? And people need "background" in order to understand? In other words you are advocating thought control. no thanks.

Try to pull patterns down and everything will go down along. The much one pushes up,in the direction of the good and right ,the best. If one does not know about some matters ,sould shut up . Our food has been cared by certain laws for thousands of years .Why to change that in a downward direction,why? Just for the pleasure of mocking G'od? I repeat,if one does not know about a matter,just shut up and do not show blatantly ignorance nor disrespect to G'od and disrespect toward those who fear and respect G'od,even if you don't believe. Those who follow kashrut,respect G'od and do their best to be and act correctly.

she does, however, know what the rabbis say. enjoy!

To all: Have we all gone nuts!!!, the world economy is falling to pieces,people are out of work, people in many places are starving to death, terrorism, wars, AIDS and other illnesses... and we are worried about some bugs on the strawberries !!!!!!, is this what rabbis and religion have come to represent ??, don't they have anything better and really important to worry about..... you want to eat the strawberries : eat !!!, you d.. on't want to eat, so don't , but we taxpayers are fed up of wasting our hard earned money in these "SHTUYOT !!!!! (bull.....) HAPPY PASSOVER TO ALL WITHOUT BUGS IN THE MATZOT !!

Perfect example of how extremism hurts Israel, its farmers and its economy. Fortunately, the other side has its share of loones as well

palestinian farmers get to grow strawberries, what about the other 6 years? ALL these pesky insects is the result of palestinian farming? wheres the proof that palis irrigate with waste water? if so, why is IL allowing the watering of produce to be done with waste water? Stop being water hogs; is it not enough that dangerous waste water from surrounding settlements gets to be dumped on or close to palestinian villages; or is it not enough that water supplies under certain hill/mountain tops gets to be exclusively for settlement use, cutting off the surrounding pali villages/towns? even if it is "defective" pali farming that is the culprit, it is not entirely their fault.

if the bugs are mashed in a blender....go figure!!!