I am surprised that there hasn't much discussion of the shemitta year coming up<br>soon. In Israel the various pages distributed on shabbat had a detailed discussion of the<br>issue.<br>Basically there are 3 approaches to the issue
<br><br>1. Eda Hacharedit - use exclusively nonJewish produce. They have signed an<br>agreement to import a large amount of vegetables from palestinians in Gaza!<br><br>2. At the other side is the "heter mechira" which allows most Israeli farms to
<br>proceed almost as usual.<br><br>3. CI - Otzar Bet Din - vegetables are used from Jewish farmers that abide by the<br>Shemitta rules and sell their produce that grows by itself to a bet din who then<br>sell it to the consumer. Fruit can go directly to the consumer. In all cases the
<br>vegetables & fruit have "kedushat sheviit".<br><br>Interestingly many charedim in Bnei Brak have given up on the "kulah" of the<br>Chazon Ish and gone over to the Edah Hacharedit. One reason is not to have to
<br>"bother" with the rules of shemitta produce.<br>Interestingly a new DL group has been formed to push the position of the CI.<br>They (like the CI himself) are interested in supporting Jewish farmers rather<br>
than buying from Palestinians. Furthermore, since shemitta is a mitzvah one<br>should be interested in performing the mitzvah and complying with kedushat<br>sheviit rather than trying to avoid it.<br clear="all"><br>-- <br>
Eli Turkel