Consumer Kosher Articles
Summary of OU Insect Checking Policies
Fruits, vegetables or berries that are expected to possibly contain insects must be checked prior to use. The minimum rate of infestation that requires checking is 10%. Magnification is not required when checking, although it may be used as an aid for training purposes or to help check faster. Insects that cannot be properly identified […]
The Many Varieties of Kosher Olive Oil
As Chanukah approaches, oil takes on even greater significance as it commemorates the miracle of how such little oil burned for eight nights. In this spirit, it is the practice to use extra amounts of oil for cooking. It’s worthy to know the different kinds of kosher oils that exist in the market and why […]
Thanksgiving and Cranberries
If I were to ask you what connection exists between the end of a famous song, a president, a general, a bouncing ball and a well-known British-American journalist, what would you answer? Interestingly, the answer comes by way of a superfood known as cranberries. In the fadeout to the song, “Strawberry Fields Forever,” John Lennon […]
Shemitah – Glossary of Terms
Heter Mechirah A legal instrument to sell Jewish-owned land in Israel to non-Jews and thereby circumvent the shemittah status of produce grown on those lands. Otzar Beis Din A harvest and distribution system of produce run by rabbinical court in accordance with shemittah restrictions. Proceeds of the sale of produce (at a pre-set price) goes […]
Shemitah Produce in Chutz Laaretz: Its Laws and Applications
Introduction Our Sages teach us that all cycles of seven have special meaning (Yalkut Shemot 276). Every seven days is shabbos, purification is a seven-day process, and every seven years is shemitah. The Sifra in Bechukosai (26:31) explains that the lesson of shemitah is to internalize that even though we work the land, it belongs […]
Pas Yisroel List For 5782 – 2021
Updated August 30, 2021 – Elul 5781 The Tur (Orach Chaim, Siman 603), based upon the Talmud Yerushalmi, cites the custom for Jews to be stringent during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva to eat exclusively ‘Pas Yisroel’ bread. Even those Jews who generally do not exclusively eat ‘Pas Yisroel’ are encouraged to accept this practice during […]
Why Kosher Apple Cider Vinegar?
When you talk fermentation, you’re discussing nature at its best, and apple cider vinegar is a product formed through the fermentation process. Of course, to satisfy kashrut standards, a symbol is needed to certify yeast additives that initiate the fermentation process as well as ensuring there are no shared equipment issues. To make apple cider […]
English Pruzbul Form for Shemittah
Pruzbul Form In the presence of the undersigned three judges (dayanim), duly constituting a Bet Din, there appeared before us who declared before us as follows: “I hereby turn over to you judges [insert names] , and , in this place [insert place name] all of the debts owed to me, whether […]
Probing the Flexitarian Diet: Innovations in Kosher Plant-Based Protein Foods
The flexitarian diet has gained in popularity and with many studies saying it’s the healthiest. It’s grounded in the Mediterranean diet, and is the best of meat and plant based worlds. When discussing any kind of diet, the fundamental issue is usually protein. Proteins are the building blocks of life and are needed for many […]
A Flexible Diet the Kosher Way
If you were to attend a wedding with a standout kosher spread including meat and other items, would you feel guilty of partaking of the food due to dietary concerns? I think the answer would often be yes, but it doesn’t have to be. After analyzing where modern research has come in terms of how […]