A group of young, Orthodox Jews from New York wants to change Chicago’s Kosher eating scene. Since January, they’ve been trying to get eating establishments here to go beyond the dietary rules proscribed in the Torah. They want restaurants, bakeries, and the like to guarantee they are treating workers fairly. They say that, too, is ethically mandated by their religion. But they’re encountering a good deal of skepticism.

Last week, rabbinical student Dani Passow burned 25 miles on his bike riding from restaurant to restaurant.

PASSOW: A large part of this is trying to keep after the owners. Even places that I’ve signed, I go back to three or four times.

Passow is a young, bearded fellow who goes everywhere with a satchel filled with informational flyers about the budding program that’s taking root in several states across the country.  It’s called Tav HaYosher.

PASSOW: Tav means seal. Yosher means righteous, or straight.  So we translate that in English as “Ethical Seal.”

Restaurants that want the Tav HaYosher seal have to prove to Passow’s group that they are treating workers fairly: paying minimum wage, overtime, and providing a safe work place. So far, about 40 restaurants have the seal, in five states.  Six of those restaurants are in Chicago.   One day last week, Passow was heading out to sign up another restaurant.