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Dear List Readers:
I was asked to repost this message which I had originally sent privately
because it may be of interest, especially if anyone plans on visiting
Israel or maybe even moving here. Hope it adds to your knoweldge.
=BB Can you tell me about the gluten free labelling
=BB law? I heard the law changed recently to make it easier for celiacs.
In 1994, a motion was put forth in the Knesset (legeslative arm of govn't)
to make labelling laws easier for celiacs. It passed but as with
everything here, it takes forever and then some to be enforced, and then
few actually do it. Companies, if you have the time to call them all and
hunt down the right people, will send you a list or color catalogue for
the asking of the foods they make that are GF but none carry the
international symbol. There are only 2 companies that have a special GF
department and only one of them actually uses the symbol. The vast
majority of GF foods are imported from Europe (Germany, Sweden,
Switzerland) and cost a fortune. They are generally only available in
specialty stores. The medical system here is such that there is as yet no
set policy for subsidy or partial "rebate" on GF foods medically
indicated. The celiac would have to appeal in written form to the head
office of his health fund and request the reimbursement. As you can tell,
the Celiac Support Groups here are brain-dead. That is, they exist on
paper but don't do much at all to further the interests nationally of
celiacs. It's basically each person for himself. This list has given me
some motivation to possibly change this.
I have plans to get together with a celiac deitician here in Haifa and
together we will publish a book of dos and don'ts, recipes with available
ingredients, etc. As long as my son is a minor, I will want to concentrate
my efforts on meeting the needs (emotional support and physical support)
of his age group. The young adult years here are completely different than
anything Americans are likely to relate to for this reason:
When a child (particularly a boy) reaches his final year of high school,
he along with all his classmates is called for a series of physical
examinations, psycological tests, interviews, etc. for placement in the
IDF (Israel army). As things stand now, the army is not interested in
drafting celiacs. They are automatically exempted. Too inconvenient for
the army to plan field rations that are GF. If the celiac really wants to
be in the army (this is also an important rite of passage into manhood),
he can beg and plead to be volunteered. He will get a desk job and will
eat meals at home or bring his own. So the celiac is limited as to where
and in what capacity he can serve. (eg. no elite units for front line duty
for sure). The celiac gets about $75 added to his salary/month to help pay
for the special food. That's at least some compensation. The soldier is
also given what is called a "profile". It is a number up to 97 that is
some calculation of physical health/fitness, mental intelligence, and the
like. Because of the disease, celiacs are given a 24, which happens to be
the same profile as is given someone with mental illness. Objections to
this rating have been made but to my knowledge nothing has changed. Since
profile ratings are often required on job applications, the number
standing alone without definition is pretty unfair to the celiac, wouldn't
you say? I know there is a lobby to change this but since the support
groups are pretty inactive, I don't see much initiative and push. As
people become more aware, hopefully this will change.
As to a visit to Israel, beware of street food - our national foods of
felafel and shwarma. All felafel balls are held together with the flour.
When we go out for "street food" as a family, my son can only have the
shwarma (stacks of lamb meat roasted on an open fire). He has it on a
plate (not in a pita) but can enjoy most of the salads that are free for
the taking. The "chips" or french fries are, unfortunately, fried in the
same oil as the felafel balls. So we avoid them. He doesn't seem to
suffer. Desserts are often ice cream in a cup or even if all they have is
cones, he just doesn't eat the cone. We may not have all the luxuries that
come with celiac awareness as the US, but we can certainly get along fine.
Hope this has been informative.
Sharon Marcus
Haifa, Israel.
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