BeFresh radishes from the Arava
Question
I picked up baby radishes at Super Hatzlacha (in Beit Shemesh) of BeFresh. A Russian-speaking friend told me it says "Product of Israel" on it. Are these baby radishes heter mechirah? There is no hechsher on the package.
Answer
We called the company and spoke with a fellow named Alon Kimhi. He told us that BeFresh markets produce from Tal-El Agriculture, situated near Kibbutz Yahel. Yahel is south of Nahal Paran, in the Southern Aravah. Many opinions (followed by Badatz agencies) hold that it is outside the borders of Eretz Yisrael. They work with Rav Efrati.
Torah VeHa'aretz Institute, following the ruling of the Chief Rabbinate, views this area and all the way down to Eilat as included in the borders of olei Mitzrayim. To account for this opinion, they also signed heter mechirah lechumrah with Milgam (they are listed on the site: https://shmita-info.milgam.co.il/permits under טלאל חקלאות).
They grow baby radish, peppers, and eggplant.
Alon also told us that they have an option to order directly from the farm. This is another excellent way of supporting Jewish, Israeli farmers, while observing the laws of shemitah in a mehudar fashion. You can contact Alon Kimhi for orders: 052-3391362