Tishrei 5781

Of course, our offices will never be the same without Rabbi Levy, OB”M; his mere presence, even the way he walked down the hall greeting each staff member with a smile, is sorely missed by all of us. We are comforted by keeping his legacy alive and continuing to uphold his high kashrus standards. We are going to be reprinting some of his past articles on kosher in the pages of the Kosher Spirit. It’s reassuring to see that, slowly but surely, the kosher standards that Rabbi Levy wanted to see become mainstream are becoming part of the standards of many reputable agencies.

As the Vaad Administrator, I am blessed to work alongside my colleagues on the Vaad, and to have the tremendous support of our New York headquarters and regional affiliate offices in Europe and Israel. Our staff’s widespread expertise and collective years of experience will be the foundation for the Vaad’s work now and in the future. Additionally, OK Kosher has amassed a tremendous record of teshuvos from our esteemed Poskim, which are the basis for all OK certification policies and guidelines.

I always sensed that Rav Don Yoel Levy Z”L was different from, and ‘beyond’ others. This edition taught me. It is very rare that I am moved to tears. And grasp a deep if not fully understandable ‘connection’.

As we sit in our sukkahs, warming up with a hot glass of tea after the seudah, we’re doing more than just relaxing – we’re actually improving our health! Brew yourself a glass of your favorite tea and reap the benefits.

It’s a bit of a luxury to be able to daven with a minyan on annual visit trips, since the factories are often located far away from a Jewish community. It is truly amazing how Jews have an inherent bond with each other, regardless of where we are from in the world, and can connect anywhere!

These are just delicious. Fresh, defrosted, with pie dough or puff pastry. It’s like the comfort food of desserts.

We usually use this forum to discuss important issues concerning various types of kosher foods, their production methods, equipment, etc. But another vital issue that must be addressed is transport. How do kosher products get from one factory to the next and, ultimately, to stores and your kosher kitchen?

It’s Erev Rosh Hashanah and the table is set beautifully, with the tray of apples and honey prominently in the center. Of course, everyone has their personal favorite type of apple – the Gala, the Honey Crisp, the famous Red Delicious… But, there is a new variety of apple on the market that has taken the United States by storm with its instant popularity. The Cosmic Crisp (scientific name WA-38) is an apple with dark red skin, like the color of wine, creamy white flesh, a pleasant flavor and an extended shelf life. It is so dense that the apple feels heavy when held.

Savta was a fountain of emunah. As a young girl she understood the importance of growing in Torah and observance and every time Savta spent Yom Tov at my home, I would tell my children how special it was that a large family can descend from one person who sacrificed everything to marry a yeshiva bochur and lead a life of Torah and avodah.

OK Kosher only certifies products that are kosher without relying on nullification. This means that 100% of the ingredients must be approved as kosher in order for the finished product to be OK certified.

R’ Eli is someone who takes the ma’amarei chazal of עשה תורתך קבע. אמור מעט ועשה הרבה. והוי מקבל את כל האדם בסבר פנים יפות …as a mission statement to live by. His dedication to getting things done and in the most pleasant manner possible is remarkable and a great example for others.

Someone taking a fleishig utensil and using it for milchig, or vice versa – sounds familiar? If you have been quarantined for long enough this is bound to happen.
The actual halacha is beyond the scope of this article but this will provide an overview for one to better understand the actual question at hand. Can the frying pan be kashered? Does it make a difference if it’s from treif or from milchig to fleishig? What about from fleishig/milchig to pareve? Can I have my favorite frying pan kashered for Pesach?

There is nothing arbitrary about a name given in the Holy Tongue: the very letters that constitute such a name disclose the intrinsic nature of the entity named. The name of the New Year festival, “Rosh HaShanah,” literally means not “beginning of the year,” but “head of the year.” I.e., the relationship of Rosh HaShanah to the other days of the year parallels the relationship of the head to the other organs of the body.

Sukkos is known as Z’man Simchaseinu (the Festival of Joy) because it shows Hashem’s love for the Jewish people. Sitting in the sukkah is akin to getting a hug from Hashem because one is surrounded from all sides by the sukkah.