The debate that I have been familiar with has generally been about proper decorum in shul. Should candy be thrown at all? Is it appropriate to throw in front of the Torah scroll on the bimah? Maybe the candy should be thrown at a different point other than at the end of the Torah reading - maybe after the Haftorah, or after Mussaf? It leads to rowdy behavior and frivolous activity and is therefore perhaps completely inappropriate?
Despite my being a yekke, and therefore one would expect I would be opposed to throwing of candy in shul (except some would say perhaps on Tisha b'Av, as the stigma goes yekkes are only happy on days where it is mandated to be sad), I am actually in favor of throwing the candy. I think in general shuls are too stuffy, boring and anti-social. I know it is a place meant for prayer and not for socializing, but I believe a certain amount of socializing helps people with their prayer to. Services are long, and let's be honest - they are mostly fairly dull, repetitive and even tedious at times (depending on the chazzan). The throwing of candy every now and then is something that breaks up the routine a bit, makes something stand out as a point of celebration, let's people celebrate with their friends happiness, and livens up the shul experience a bit.
However, despite my opinion, I am not shocked when I hear from other people that they think it is inappropriate. I know people who have insisted candy not be thrown at their simchas. I have also heard piskei halacha from some rabbonim banning it entirely.
That makes this psak halacha particularly interesting. Rav Efraim Zalmanovitch, rav of Mazkeret Batya, issued a psak that candy, toffees (a.k.a. taffy) in particular should not be thrown in shul. But not for the reason you'd expect, and not as part of the debate discussed above.
Rav Zalmanovitch paskened that the common minhag in shuls of gabbaim giving out candy in shul to kids, as well as the custom of bringing taffies to shul to throw at the bar mitzvah boys, should be stopped. Rav Zalmanovitch's problem with these customs is not the issue of decorum and proper respectful behavior, but issues of health concerns. He says sugar-free candies should be distributed instead.
Rav Zalmanovitch says that these customs are unhealthy and are even the cause of too much sugar intake. Advanced medicine today knows that too much sugar can cause diabetes. Rav Zalmanovitch even points to the Gemara that says the women would throw roasted nuts.
(source: INN)
Changing the name from "the candy man" to something like "the apple man" doesn't seem like it will have quite the same effect. Throwing sugar-free candies or healthy items might have the same effect on the breaking up the routine of the services, but it won't be quite the same draw for the kids...
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