About half a year ago the Rabbanut started discussions regarding the possibility of implementing a set of standards for the shapes of burekas - all dairy burekas would have to be baked in shapes of triangles, and pareve burekas in rectangles. The problem was discovered that while the classic burekas had standardized shapes - rectangle for potato and triangle for cheese - but in recent years so many new types of burekas fillings have been created and they have no set standard. This causes people to err and have dairy burekas accidentally while being fleishig from eating a meat meal (for example).
The Raabbanut has finally finished the process and has finalized the implementation of new standards for all pastries. Dairy burekas will be baked in the shape of a triangle, while nondairy, or parve, puff pastries will have to be baked in the shape of squares or rectangles. And it is not just burekas - there are new rules for pastries made of filo dough, with triangular and spiral shapes being parve, while hoop and long finger shapes will be dairy.. Croissants and rugelach pastries that are dairy will have to be made into a crescent shape, while parve ones must be kept straight.Its a lot to keep track of, but it will be much easier to keep track of it knowing there is a standard set of shapes and what they mean rather than not knowing each pastry you buy whether it is dairy or pareve.
Burekas and rugelach-type pastries have been a unique problem, because they are commonly sold open - without packaging. most cakes and pastries you buy have a label that tells you whether the pastry is pareve or dairy. Burekas are more commonly sold open, as well as commonly being served open, and each different type is not necessarily labeled.
According to Srugim, the final standards that have been set were based on the most appropriate for the technological conditions of the bakeries and in discussions with the various bakeries these have been found to be acceptable standards by the large bakers.
The new standards will go into effect on Rosh Chodesh Elul, August 7 2013. After that date, any baker who bakes their burekas and pastries not according to these standards will have their kashrut certificate revoked.
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