Spring 2015

Dear Reader,

I recently returned from our Holy Land, Eretz Yisroel, where I visited the headquarters of OK Israel. It was so nice to meet our counterparts, the rabbis and staff, face to face and see their wonderful operation firsthand. I must say, however, that I was a bit surprised by the general public’s intense focus on kashrus.

OK mashgichim do more than inspect and supervise food productions. Sometimes they have the zechus of helping Jews observe other mitzvos! Rabbi Yosef Dovid Chanowitz was inspecting the bakery at a major national store, where one of the employees is a traditional Bucharian woman whose kids are frum. She mentioned to Rabbi Chanowitz that she would very much like to leave earlier on Fridays so that she can get home in time for Shabbos.

What kinds of store bought pie crusts need to be Pas Yisroel? Are there any kinds of pie crusts that will become Pas Yisroel once I bake them at home?

Tea

• Antioxidants in white tea may slow the aging process and help prevent some cancers and heart disease.

Coconut Clusters and Meyer Lemon and Grapefruit Meringue Cups

The art of supervision is to be able to understand the pertinent halachos and the production process in order to figure out a way to make it work when problems arise without compromising the high standards of kashrus or quality.

Citric acid is a white powder used to give a sour taste to beverages and food products. It is also used as a preservative to prevent spoilage because it increases the acidity of products and many bacteria that cause food spoilage are unable to grow in an acidic environment. It is also used in dietary supplements because the body absorbs minerals better when they are attached to citric acid.

Last summer, we received reports that Tropicana orange juice contained insects. We immediately checked containers of orange juice in our office and found nothing. Later, the original person who informed us that he found insects told us that he had used a filter that was not clean in order to filter the orange juice.

Thailand; a country bursting with exotic flavors, spectacular scenery, and jam packed with adventure. From forests and cities, to beaches and resorts, Thailand has everything to offer for the excited, adventurous tourist. But, how does one keep kosher in a country as remote and removed as Thailand? Well, beyond the unique traveling experience, Thailand is one of the premier locations for kosher travel worldwide.

In order to do the top notch kashrus work that we do here at the OK, we make sure to personally visit our facilities on a regular basis, even when located in far flung parts of the world.  I feel very strongly that this personal involvement is what makes the OK such a premiere, top of the line hechsher. 

I am a supervising mashgiach in a facility belonging to one of the OK‘s largest companies. This plant requires frequent visits to kasher from dairy to pareve. The entire production schedule of this facility is largely based around my availability to kasher.

Shortly before last Pesach, as part of my Chabad House shlichus, I was taking a community trip to Eretz Yisroel.

Interview with
Rabbi Kalman Weinfeld

The fourth step of the Pesach seder is “Yachatz”, breaking the middle matzah. When we break the matzah, each piece gets its own, opposing identity. The smaller piece is the “poor man’s bread”, while the larger becomes the Afikoman, a symbol of the Paschal lamb.

There is a long standing custom to give to the less fortunate before Pesach to help them with their Yom Tov expenses. We can see a hint to this in the Torah. Regarding Pesach, the Torah says: “Chag hamatzos”, but the word matzos is spelled without a vov (חג המצת).