The Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America presented their annual Pre-Passover Seminar for Rabbis this week, addressing a variety of issues that involve the laws of kashrut and holiday observance. The program was webcast and viewed by rabbis around the country and as far away as Germany. Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld was Program Coordinator.
To answer questions that frequently arise during the Passover season, when the dietary laws are different from the ones that govern the rest of the year, OU Kosher has launched a brand new website, http://www.oupassover.com.
By Rabbi Shmuel Singer
Dating back to the time of Moses, the practice had always been to make matzah by hand. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the first half of the nineteenth century, however, things changed. In France, in 1838, Isaac Singer invented the first machine for baking matzah.
By Rabbi Nachum Katz
The Mitzvah of tevilas keilim is alluded to in Bamidbar 31:23 where Elazar HaKohen instructs the army returning from war with Midyan regarding the booty they have captured “Kol davar asher yavoh ba’aish ta’averu ba’aish v’taher”—All utensils that have been used to cook ma’achalos assuros must be purged of the flavor they have absorbed in the manner that they were used. V’taher—they are then made tahor through an added step of purification.
It was Chanukah, and as the thoughts of Jews everywhere turned to lighting candles and to the long winter ahead, Rabbi Dov Schreier was already immersed in springtime, planning for Passover. The Orthodox Union Kosher Division’s Rabbinic Coordinator for Food Services – which includes restaurants, caterers, hospitals and nursing homes -- Rabbi Schreier was meeting with the management of upscale restaurants, going over the process of converting their establishments from OU Kosher to the even stricter OU Kosher for Passover.
By Rabbi Gordimer
Milk and dairy products are increasingly available with cholov Yisroel certification. This article will explain what cholov Yisroel means and how facilities operate in order to produce cholov Yisroel. Let’s take a look.
By Rabbi Paretzky
The most fundamental aspect of supervision is to ensure that all ingredients meet the kashrus requirements of the kashrus agency. Baking companies use a vast number of ingredients, more than most other industry. In addition to the obvious and somewhat innocuous use of basic flours, the full range of ingredients requiring intense certification is used. For example: oils and shortening, egg products, emulsifiers, flavors and enzymes. Product formulas must be reviewed and monitored to make sure than no pareve products contain dairy ingredients.
Let us take a close look at the trip these baked goods took from the time the flour was milled until it was brought into the Jewish home. Is it as simple process as one is wont to assume? While many of us bake at home, the neighborhood bakery is a very different type of operation. As we will see, the neighborhood bakery is significantly more complex and has its unique kashrus issues.
The Orthodox Union’s Ask OU Community Lecture Series today announced the receipt of a grant from the Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood, NJ, in memory of Mr. Beren z”l.
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