Passover Articles

Why Do Decaffeinated Coffee and Tea Need Passover Certification?

Regular, unflavored coffee or black tea are considered kosher for Passover without a special certification, but the same is not true for decaffeinated teas and coffees. Rabbi Elefant explains the decaffeination process and what makes it problematic for Passover.

What Foods Don’t Require Certification?

While it’s recommended you use food on Passover that has a specific kosher for Passover certification, what, if any, foods don’t need it?

Do Non-Edible Items Require Kosher Certification?

Do paper plates and napkin need a special Passover certification? How about tin foil or plastic wrap? Rabbi Elefant explore non-edibles and whether they need a special Pesach heksher.

4 Questions on Kashering

Wondering about the ins and outs of kashering your kitchen for Pesach? The OU’s Rabbi Dov Schreier and his son Eliyahu discuss a different 4 questions for Passover!

Rabbi Chaim Goldzweig, zt’l: Master Mashgiach, Master Mentsch

Over the past fifty years, OU Kosher and the world of kashrut have undergone a veritable explosion in size and scope — both quantitatively and qualitatively. That kashrut was assisted during that period by the universally beloved Rabbi Chaim Goldzweig zt”l is in no way coincidental. Rabbi Goldzweig served the OU as a senior rabbinic […]

Inedibles on Pesach

Unlike other year-round forbidden foods, chametz (leavened grain and its by-products) has unique restrictions on Pesach: not only are we forbidden from consuming it, (issur achila), we are also prohibited from deriving any benefit from it (issur hanaah). Each year the OU publishes a list of non-food items that are acceptable to use on Pesach […]

Pesach Food Round Up

Common Passover Queries: Almond Meal  It is preferable to purchase almond meal with Pesach certification. If this is not possible, certain brands are approved when bearing a regular OU symbol. Please consult the OU Guide to Consumer Products (page 63) or check the OU Passover product search for a complete list. Coconut Oil  All virgin […]

On A Mission To Educate

OU Kosher Shares its Riches Now the world’s leading kashrut agency is the leading kashrut college… and even Prompted a summer camp! For over two decades and running, OU Kosher’s ASK OU kashrut educational projects have reached tens of thousands of rabbanim, mashgichim and kosher consumers, and continue to raise kashrut standards in restaurants, factories […]

Women and the Exodus

While Moshe is the central figure in the story of Yetziat Mitzrayim as Hashem’s emissary to deliver the Jewish people from their centuries-long bondage, it’s important to understand and recognize the outsized roles played by the myriad women in his life — women who nurtured, supported, sustained, and ultimately enabled his success in redeeming klal […]

Passover Recipe Substitution Chart

I learned to cook from three wonderful women; each had a different approach to the kitchen and the delicacies they created: