Mets in hotdog homerun for halacha
Food vendor strikes out in lawsuit against New York Mets over team's refusal to allow Kosher products to be sold at Citi Field Stadium during the Sabbath because 'it doesn't look kosher'
According to the New York Daily news the odd story began when Kosher Sports signed a 10-year, $725,000 contract to sell glatt kosher hotdogs, sausages, knishes, pretzels and peanuts from four carts at home games and other events at Citi Field.
But the company wanted to sell its smorgasbord of kosher delights on the actual Jewish Sabbath, Friday night and Saturday. According to the Daily News, the Mets thought that wouldn’t appear kosher because observant Jews are not supposed to cook on the holy day.
Kosher Sports filed a breach-of-contract suit against the Mets nearly two years ago over the decision they said was set to cost Kosher Sports hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits.
“It doesn’t look kosher,” said Rabbi Zushe Blech, a lecturer at the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts in Brooklyn, who is not involved with the case.
“There is a way to make it technically kosher . . . precooked food could be warmed up by a non-Jew,” said Blech, who authored a book titled “Kosher Food Production.”
The case was set for trial at the Brooklyn Federal Court but on Tuesday Judge Jack Weinstein tossed out the suit, awarding victory to the Mets. In his ruling Weinstein noted: “The contract does not … give Kosher Sports Inc. the right to sell its products at all events.”
The food vendor had recently hired one of the top law firms in the country, Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP., for the trial.
Losing lawyer Ted Normand said he will appeal. The Mets would not say whether Kosher Sports will be evicted from the stadium. In a statement, the team said it was “pleased.”
