Statement from OU Kashrut Department
A recent article raised questions about the standards of Israeli food establishments under OU supervision. The article did not claim that kashrus was compromised. Rabbi Yosef Minsky, the OU representative in Israel, has informed us, and our initial review and consultation with other agencies in Israel indicate, that the standards in place are essentially comparable with other reliable mehadrin agencies and Badatzim in Israel.
Rabbi Yaakov Luban, Senior OU Rabbinic Coordinator, who has extensive knowledge of food service establishments, is being dispatched to Israel this week, and will perform a thorough review of the OU operation. For the past 25 years, Rabbi Luban has been involved with food service establishments in various capacities; as a Rabbi in Edison, NJ, OU Rabbinic Coordinator, and auditor of local Vaadim around the country.
How Pas Yisroel is Created
The Mishna in Avoda Zara (35b) tells us that Chazal forbade pas akum. The Gemara (36b) explains that this was done as a geder to avoid intermarriage. However Tosfos1 bring a Yerushalmi that says that a later Bes Din removed this issur. The exact extent of this retraction is a disagreement between the Mechaber and the Rama. While all agree that bread baked by an akum for personal use is still forbidden, there are differing opinions as to how careful one must be to avoid eating pas palter, bread baked by an akum for the purpose of selling.
Drinking Coffee on the Road
Considering the long days that Mashgichim put in and the hundreds of miles that they drive daily, it is no surprise to hear that most mashgichim rely on coffee to keep them going. While caffeine is a plus for those who work in an office, for those out on the roads those 10 minute coffee stops are quite literally life savers. Let us take a moment to understand if there are any kashrus concerns with picking up a coffee while traveling on the road. This question was presented to the OU poskim Rav Schachter and Rav Belsky.
No Surprise at Symrise: OU Certification is an Important Part of Business at one of the Leading Makers of Fragrances and Flavorings
Today’s consumers are increasingly demanding food that, in addition to tasting good, is also healthy and affordable. This poses a tremendous challenge to the food industry – a challenge that becomes still more sophisticated when kosher requirements are introduced into the equation.
In Fine Spirits: Chicago’s First Artisan Distillery is OU Kosher and Organic
Koval is a Yiddish word for ‘blacksmith’ or ‘to forge,” but the term has also been used to refer to someone who does something out of the ordinary, or a “black sheep in the family.” It is thus fitting that Sonat Birnecker Hart and Robert Birnecker chose to name their company Koval, since it is not every day that one hears of a Professor of Jewish Studies and a Foreign Deputy Press Secretary leaving their careers to make spirits. Indeed they named the company after Sonat’s great-grandfather, a renegade in his own right, who left Vienna at the turn of the century for Chicago at the age of 17, in search of a new way of life, much to the dismay of his parents and gratitude of later generations, earning him the soubriquet, Koval.
Announcing the Arrival of Geliko OU Kosher Gelatine Hydrolysate, for Kosher Food and Pharmaceuticals
A basic element missing from the kosher food industry for generations was affordable cattle-derived kosher gelatine. Geliko, a world leader in kosher gelatine production, has recently announced the arrival of Geliko Kosher Gelatine and Gelatine Hydrolysate.
Cheryl&Co., With its OU Certification, Strives to be the Best Gourmet Food and Gift Company, Ever
It was 1981, that our founder, Cheryl Krueger, with the help of her college roommate, Caryl Walker, started Cheryl&Co. It was her desire from the beginning to create the best gourmet food and gift company. We are pleased to say that what began as a single cookie store in Columbus, Ohio, has evolved into a multi-million dollar business. But, as successful as we’ve become, it is still our goal to focus on offering delicious, high-quality baked goods, unique gift ideas and outstanding customer service.
Armed with just $40,000, a business degree and seven years of retail industry experience, Cheryl opened the very first Cheryl’s Cookie store at a time when banks were nervous about lending to women-owned businesses.
At Premier Bakers, They Are Passionate About Their OU-Certified English Muffins
At Premier Bakers Inc., we are passionate about English muffins, and not just your ordinary plain English muffin. At Premier Bakers we make fifteen different types of English muffins (and growing). It all began in February of 2005 when Premier Bakers was acquired by Fresh Start Bakeries, a California company and a global supplier of top quality
baked products.
That David is One Smart Cookie
From the humble beginnings of a lone storefront in Manhattan to the present day of three rapidly growing, bustling plants, David’s Cookies has been a trend-setting icon in the gourmet food industry since its opening in 1979.
There’ll be a Hot Time in the Old Town (Cartagena de Indias) Tonight: Amazon Pepper Sauces
Comexa Foods is the producer of the world-renowned Amazon Peppers brand of sauces, located in the old world city of Cartagena de Indias. Bathed in the sun and by the warm clear waters of the Caribbean Sea, the rich Colombian soil produces a wide range of peppers which our group has been cultivating and processing industrially in large quantities for the world market since 1992.