By COLlive reporter
7-Eleven convenient stores around the country are giving out free small Slurpee drinks on Monday as part of its annual July 11 giveaway of the slushy “brain freeze” drink.
But Rabbi Yosef Wikler, Editor of the KASHRUS Magazine and host of “Kashrus On The Air” on Brooklyn’s JRoot radio station, recommend not taking advantage.
“I do not advise buying Slurpees in 7-Eleven stores,” he writes in a new email about the matter, citing kashrus issues in the stores that should keep away kosher observant Jews.
7-Eleven is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Slurpee, first introduced into the chain’s stores in 1966. For a limited time, they are offering a “Birthday Cake Slurpee” flavor described as a “combination of traditional birthday cake and vanilla ice cream.”
“Every year, 7‑Eleven Day gives us an opportunity to have some fun, say thank-you to our customers and celebrate our birthday Slurpee style,” Laura Gordon, the chain’s vice president of marketing, was quoted on NJ.com.
Rabbi Wikler points to the non-kosher flavors and the dairy flavors in the Slurpee machines that are not kosher certified as a core problem. The Birthday Slurpee would be just one example.
“Slurpees are a brand name of the product sold at 7-Eleven stores, but no one kashrus agency certifies the Slurpees. “They are produced by various companies and have various hashgachos,” he says.
Wikler said that products, including Slurpees at 7-Eleven have often found to be mislabeled. “We have found that some flavors which are dairy were not labeled as such,” he said. “There have been mislabeling of flavors.”
In addition, “Every flavor Slurpee syrup eventually runs out. The machine automatically switches to draw from another flavor until such time as the attendant realizes it and replaces the flavor, if it is in stock.”
He added that “soda fountain sodas and coffees have their own problems,” but did not elaborate what they were. He stress that “no 7-Eleven store is kosher-certified in New York City and no kashrus agency here locally has offered any advice on how to handle them.”
Beis Rivkah. To the girls out to slurppe and we’re allowed only coca cola flavor
in melbourne the kashrus authority says not to drink them, but in Sydney they permit it
It is not much fun living a life without purpose even if people say they are having fun, it is empty and temporary fun. Being frum points you to what is important and it is much more fun to live working hard to live a life that will bring Moshiach and realize the ultimate purpose of the creation of the whole world. If that entails denying oneself a bit of bodily pleasure, it is in order to focus on the more spiritual side of ourselves.
Why must you take the fun out of everything?!?!?
well explained and totally agree with u. it’s not in the “spirit” of the law. chasisidim of the Rebbe should not be taking a chance like this and should definitely not feel comfortable with doing it. and especially now that Moshiach hasn’t come after so long we should all try to be more careful with everything that we do. never stay in the gray/ doubtful area. remember , u r making a difference in the coming of Moshiach! Moshiach Now!!!!!!!!!
Thank you 16.
I haven’t touched them in years, because it’s obviously not a mehuder veg of keeping kashrus.
At the end of the day, this like a lot of things, now days reduces to the question of whether serving Hashem is your life or whether it’s simply the price you pay to live your life in good conscience.
People say thing like well this rabbi this and that rabbi that .. it’s on him, it’s on them… well maybe so, so you don’t get punished but mitzva loi avdis.
wow…..if you choose not to be careful with keeping kosher- be embarassed and dont anounce it…why drag others down with you?
yes, the flavors may be kosher but all of these listed issues can render it unkosher. one with yiras shamayim will refrain from taking a chance.
Thank you COL for sharing both sides of the coin. On the one hand, there are Kashrus organisations which release lists which detail the Kosher Slurpee flavours. You are free to purchase Slurpees and assume they are Kosher based on the list.
Or you could choose to not consume the slurpees based on the issues mentioned in this article.
Can the Rabbi please clarify & answer the q being posed?
Can another kashrut knowledgable rabbi please also back this up.
Wanting to do the right thing!!
I used to tell my children, “Do you know why Lubavitch children love 7-11 Slurpees?” Because IF we would count from Tishrai – in a regular year- 7-11 would be Yud Aleph Nissan! Well, we count from Nisan anyway and are way too busy on the 11th of Tishrai with Succah preparations to even think about slurpees!
Perhaps there could be a regular kashrus column on COLlive.
Nobody could imagine the Rebbe going to such a goyish place, why should the Chassidm
I’m not a kashrus mumcha but slurpees are cold. You also may not have kovush . Because even if it gets left overnight, the agitator spinning inside may prevent the kavuah.
Speak to your LOR.
Why did Bais Rivka take the kids to 7-11 today???
Did they ask any rabbi???
Only carries kosher flavors in their store. There can be no mixup. And none of them are dairy, either.
Do not listen to this guy’s rhetoric. there is a list of flavors that are kosher, and when a flavor runs out, the machine does not pull another flavor. Everyone needs their fifteen minutes, I guess
doesnt it say on the side of the machine that its OU certified?
Those who use slurpee have whom to rely on. After all, there are good reliable kosher lists. But i will tell you, that I used to use slurpee all the time. Then a few years ago I looked into this. The main issue I found was that the fountain where the slurpee is stored and mixed, is shared between pareve, dairy and non kosher (like grape). They don’t usually clean in between properly. So they flush it with the next flavor, and spill out the first batch. If the previous batch was dairy or non kosher, it may be mixed… Read more »
There is a list of flavors/ syrups which originate from a kosher source. But no one is certifying the store itself. That is were rabbi Wikler and others are pointing to problems.
thnx
Thank u so much for truly telling it as is!!! Why should we cv’s do an aveirah even over a sip of something – there’s no mashgiach temidi, the workers have absolutely no idea if kashrus, so many oversights and mistakes go on and we shouldn’t put on a blind eye. Oh thank heaven for this Rabbi who is honest and upfront. But, while ur at it please do tell us the problems with fountain drinks and coffee. Had no idea. Please enlighten us! Moshiach is appearing any minute and we wouldn’t want to be with a bidi-eved drink in… Read more »
What if there is a list hanging, saying which flavours are kosher with a rabbi’s certification and signature???
Yes you’re right crc has a wonderful app for this BUT!!!! This article is referring to the mixed flavors that you don’t know about.
The COR put out a notice that they supervise some of the stores here: Lincoln & Greenfield – all machines; 13 & Greenfield, 11 & Lahser, 11 & Coolidge – only the left machine.
That’s one mistake.
However his other points are true. I’ve experienced mislabeling and a mixture of a dairy and regular flavor (piña colada and Xtreme airheads). The store admitted to the mixture and said their sorry.
Already went.
Some flavors are CA. So what happens when they run out of that flavor or change it to a regular flavor. Are the machines thoroughly cleaned? 212°?
What about all the kashrus agencies who put out kosher slurpee list?
And i Don’t know which stores this Rav saw but all the stores iv been to if a flavor runs out it does not draw in another flavor?
But what he says about mislabeled slurpee that is something I’ve seen
Thank you for educating us of behind the scenes 🙂
Slurpees are amazing though. Is it really that bad if you look up each flavor online for kosher status right before getting it?
So if I see that it is coca cola, than I still can’t buy it even if I am sure that it is coca cola? Even if I see that it is coca cola and that’s what it is labeled?
how about cocoa cola flavor?
CRC website posts an annual list of which flavored are kosher and which are not.