Dear Reader,
Chanukah is all about the “kosher spirit” of Yiddishkeit. It is well known that the Greeks didn’t object to the Torah or the mitzvos per se; it was the “kosher spirit”, the G-dliness behind the Torah and mitzvos, that they were intent on quashing.
Here at the OK we put special emphasis on the spirit of kosher and its ramifications. Mitzvos should be done with joy and cannot be sustained if there is a constant feeling of hardship. At the OK we are very aware of this and work diligently to set up companies and factories with kosher systems that can be adhered to happily.
This holds true not only for our customers, but for our own wonderful staff as well. We just experienced our annual Mashgiach Conference with rabbis attending from all corners of the globe, gathering to learn, grow and bond together over their common goal of making the world a more kosher place.
A vegetable checking seminar headed by the OK Tolaim Committee followed the conference, with the goal of reviewing and explaining the latest findings in cleaning and checking techniques. This seminar was open to all mashgichim, both those who use these techniques in their work and those who wanted to learn for their own homes and communities.
We all witnessed the horrible devastation of the last few months caused by hurricanes and earthquakes, but we got a chance to see the wonderful spirit of humanity as well. Read about how the Houston kosher community managed to retain their kosher standards even in such difficult situations, while providing physical and spiritual assistance to those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
In this issue, you’ll read about sweet dairy products and sour vinegar, explore all the new companies that have joined the kosher spirit by getting their products certified by OK kosher and catch an inside look at the famed Kosherfest trade show.
Let our spirits soar during the Festival of Light and join me in wishing all a freilichen Chanukah.
Rabbi Chaim Fogelman
Editor in Chief