Beginning Tuesday, August 27 at 11 am, Kof-K Kosher Supervision will assume oversight of the “16 Handles” franchise at 219 Bedford Street in Stamford,

it was announced recently by the Vaad Hakashrus of Fairfield County (VKFC).

In a statement released by VKFC, in which it states it welcomed the Kof-K into Fairfield County, the Vaad noted that the corporate offices of 16 Handles approached the Kof-K to certify all of their locations.  Kof-K, in turn, contacted VKFC and asked if the Vaad would invite them in to Fairfield County, stating that if VKFC were not eager for them to supervise the 16 Handles in the county, they would not do so. The Vaad deliberated and ultimately decided that VKFC would accept such an arrangement if it included a provision that the Jewish person who owned the store was not in the store on Shabbat.

“We are proud to be working with the Kof-K and we ask the community to support the franchise,” the VKFC statement read.  Noting that Eric Mallon, the owner, has agreed not to come to work at his store on Shabbat, the statement said, “As a community supporting the observance of the Sabbath, we should reward Eric for his sacrifice and affirmative statement of the Day of Rest.”

According to the Vaad, Kof-K hopes to offer supervision to the 16 Handles in Fairfield in the coming months.

The Vaad HaKashrus of Fairfield County is made up of Rabbi Fred Hyman, president (New Haven); Rabbi Yaakov Mendelson, vice president and Av Beit Din (Bridgeport); Rabbi Elly Krimsky, vice president (Stamford); and Rabbi Daniel Cohen, treasurer (Stamford).