Requests have been coming in to Orthodox Union from Israel, Mexico, Australia and around the globe for OU Kosher’s new “HOW TO” audio/video series. Based on the OU’s highly acclaimed ASK OU and ASK OUTREACH programs, the series have gone into wide distribution, with a sixth being added to the first five that were recorded. The series consist of numerous Kashrut Seminars that took place in Lakewood, NJ and OU headquarters and offer a step-by-step explanation of various topics that reflect the intricacies of the laws of kashrut. Both the seminars and audio/video series are sponsored by the Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood.
OU Kosher had previously produced a 54-hour DVD consisting of 91 ASK OU presentations with a distribution of 2,500 copies.
The seminars, which took place in 2008 and early 2009, attracted audiences of up to 500, and one presentation, by Rabbi Yisroel Belsky shlita of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, drew almost 1,000 people. Rabbi Yosef Grossman, OU’s Director of Kashrut Education stated, “The size of the audiences demonstrates the growth of the influence of OU Kosher as the premier spokesman on kashrut issues.”
Previous DVDs in the series include:
- HOW TO Be an Excellent Mashgiach, with Rabbi Yaakov Luban, Executive Rabbinic Coordinator;
- HOW TO Check for Treifus, with OU Posek Rabbi Yisroel Belsky shlita, of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath;
- HOW TO Be Menaker, with Rabbi Yisroel Belsky shlita, Rabbi Shimon Mendlowitz, and others;
- HOW TO Check for Insects, with Rabbi Yosef Eisen, formerly of OU Kosher, now head of the Va’ad of the Five Towns; and
- HOW TO Kasher, with Rabbi Moshe Perlmutter, OU Rabbinic Field Representative.
The newest DVD is entitled, “HOW TO Set up a Vaad HaKashrut,” and is presented by Rabbi Yaakov Luban, Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld and others. Rabbi Grossman plans to release HOW TO Eat Out, with Rabbi Dov Schreier; HOW TO Identify a Kosher Bird, with Rabbi Chaim Loike; and HOW TO Catch a Kosher Fish, with Rabbi Chaim Goldberg. Rabbis Schonfeld, Schreier, Loike, and Goldberg are all OU Rabbinic Coordinators.
Rabbi Grossman declared, “I think this series is important because it breaks down kashrut into different segments and explains for the viewer/listener his specific area of interest while walking the student through in a HOW TO fashion. It is primarily made for semicha students, Chavrei HaKollel, rabbis, mashgichim, and members of a Vaad HaKashrut, but can be enjoyed on a computer by the novice and expert alike.”
Like the 54-hour DVD, the new DVDs will be distributed free of charge at OU Kosher events. For those who wish to have the DVDs sent to them, the charge for each will be $5. The 54-hour DVD is priced at $10. Contact Rabbi Grossman at 212-613-8212.