Supermarket shoppers are seeing the cost of food and non-food products rise week after week. One of the contributing factors is the "Kosher Food Tax." Many will ask "What is that?" Thousands of products marked with the kosher labels "U" "K" "P" and a version thereof are certified kosher by Jewish rabbis as products "fit to eat" or fit for Jews to purchase. Companies pay fees to rabbis for such certification and the cost is passed on to the American consumer. Among the thousands of food products imprinted with the kosher codes are Coca Cola, Kelloggs Corn Flakes, Ronzoni products, Pepperidge Farm, Quaker Oats, Tropicana Orange Juice, Cheerios, Aunt Jemima, etc. Reynolds Aluminum and Saran Wrap and many other non-food items are marked with the "U" kosher label.

Is this a racket or what? A religiously-sanctioned labeling practice deprives millions of Americans of the freedom of choice for non-kosher labeled products. In addition, kosher labeling signifying "fit to eat" is competing and superseding the authority of United States Departments of Health and Inspection.

We have witnessed corporations intimidated by the threat of boycotts by self-interest groups if their demands are not met. The Jewish rabbis who extract monies for kosher labeling are companion extortionists and before the food shopper keeps paying through the nose for kosher labeled products he does not choose, remedies need to be put into effect to put a stop to this unconstitutional religious practice. A kosher forced identity on food and non-food products is not what America is all about.

Katherine Aliferis