The Chinese government is making it difficult to set up kosher food restaurants at next month's 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
According to Nissan Shtrauchler, writing under the syndicated column of Rabbi Levi Brackman who currently lives in the United States, the strict Chinese regulations on visas and on imports may prevent restaurateurs from making kosher food available at the Games.
Shtrauchler quoted Rabbi David Moskowitz, head of Shatz Kosher Services (SKS), who is in charge of importing kosher food into China, as saying "there is a severe shortage of kosher food" due to new, tight restrictions that are expected to last until the end of the Games.
"Without a special import permit and proper inspections it is impossible to bring liquid foods into China on food supply flights," he said as an example.
Trucks to bring in raw materials and special foods are in limited supply, and those that are available are strictly regulated to reduce air pollution prior to the Games.
Not only the Chinese government, but also the Olympic committee itself is causing problems, said Rabbi Moskowitz. "Even rabbis who handle kosher supervision and can make [existing] foods currently sold in markets kosher cannot get a visa to China due to Olympics-related security reasons, which have made the criteria tougher," he said.
The severe kosher food shortage is not only causing potential problems for those who will be attending next month's games, he added – it's causing problems for those who live in China. Members of the Jewish community, based primarily in Shanghai and Beijing, have been forced to subsist on foods that were imported before the tighter regulations took effect.
At least one and possibly two kosher restaurants are in the process of being prepared for the world event.
Rabbi Moskowitz commented that his attorney, Mordechai Eizenberg, may ask Chinese authorities to relax restrictions on importing kosher food in order to solve the problem.