15 Shevat 5771
January 20, 2011

The olive oil industry today enjoys unprecedented growth, and this includes in no small part kosher homes and kosher commercial kitchens around the world. While once a strange sight in a kosher kitchen, today, olive oil is as commonplace in kosher homes as table salt.

Like many food products, there are different standards maintained by different kosher certifying agencies, and while some permit using extra virgin olive oil without a hechsher, others still frown on such a practice.

Some kashrus certifiers are only ‘strict’ when it comes to Pesach, and others year round. (more…)

15 Shevat 5771
January 20, 2011

The Beis Tefillah Yona Avraham’s ‘Shovavim’ lecture series continues, with this upcoming Monday evening’s lecture addressing shatnez issues.

The guest lecturer is prominent shatnez expert Rabbi Yaakov Gurwitz, who promises a most unique event, including his famous presentation of samples, assisting us to learn what to look out for. So please, join us at the shul at 8:15pm (after 8:00pm Maariv) to take part in what is dubbed the ‘Fabulous Fabrications’ event. The shiurim/lectures are open to men and women [with a mechitza]. (more…)

12 Shevat 5771
January 17, 2011

A reminder that the virtual kashrus tour, a PowerPoint presentation in a warm comfortable environment, is being held on January 24th. It is suitable for visitors during winter break as well as most recommended for residents of Jerusalem and other areas of Israel as well.

As is the case with actual shuk tours, participants learn what to look out for, the difference between accepted and unauthorized hechsherim, holograms, labeling and packaging, the different so-called badatzim and much more.

If you are one of the many who;
• Shops but are never really comfortable…
• Avoids places like the shuk because they are too confusing…
• Is naïve enough to believe ‘everything in the supermarket is fine’
• Believes ‘it’s Jerusalem. Everything is definitely kosher and reliable’

Then you too need to sign up and join the growing number of educated and empowered kosher consumers.

The event is set for Monday, 19 Shevat 5711 (January 24, 2011) at 10:30am.

To register, which requires advanced non-refundable payment of NIS 50 per participant, send an email to jerusalemkn@gmail.com and in the subject please write “Jan 24th event’.

12 Shevat 5771
January 17, 2011

It is not too late for you to join in on the weekly Monday evening Shovavim lectures [in English] in Kehillas Beis Tefillah Yona Avraham if you have not done so to date.

Tonight’s guest lecturer is Rabbi Moshe Flumenbaum of ‘HaSofer’, who will address various issues pertaining to STaM and tefillin.

The event begins after the 8:00pm Maariv in the shul, and it is open to men and women [with a mechitza].

6 Shevat 5771
January 11, 2011

A reminder that the virtual kashrus tour, a PowerPoint presentation in a warm comfortable environment, is being held on January 24th. It is suitable for visitors during winter break as well as most recommended for residents of Jerusalem and other areas of Israel as well.

As is the case with actual shuk tours, participants learn what to look out for, the difference between accepted and unauthorized hechsherim, holograms, labeling and packaging, the different so-called badatzim and much more.

If you are one of the many who;
• Shops but are never really comfortable…
• Avoids places like the shuk because they are too confusing…
• Is naïve enough to believe ‘everything in the supermarket is fine’
• Believes ‘it’s Jerusalem. Everything is definitely kosher and reliable’

Then you too need to sign up and join the growing number of educated and empowered kosher consumers.

The event is set for Monday, 19 Shevat 5711 (January 24, 2011) at 10:30am.

To register, which requires advanced non-refundable payment of NIS 50 per participant, send an email to jerusalemkn@gmail.com and in the subject please write “Jan 24th event’.

6 Shevat 5771
January 11, 2011

For those of you unable to attend last night’s 4th ‘Shovavim’ lecture, it is available online on the Beis Tefillah Yonah Avraham shul website. Last night guest speaker was Rabbi Peretz Moncharsh, a Rosh Kollel in Betar Illit.

The shiur addressed halachos pertaining to hagolas keilim, kashering and related topics.

Previous shiurim are also available at the same online location.

This coming Monday night the guest speaker will be Rabbi Moshe Flumenbaum, who will address matters pertaining to STaM (Sifrei Torah and Mezuzos). (more…)

4 Shevat 5771
January 9, 2011

This week’s Shovavim Kashrus lecture hosted by Kehillas Beis Tefillah Yona Avraham in cooperation with Jerusalem Kosher News is on the topic of:

KASHERING KEILIM, by Rabbi Peretz Moncharsh.

You can expect to learn the answers to the following questions, among
others:

. Can plastic china etc be kashered?
. What should I do if my keilim became treif?
. What can (and cannot) be kashered and how to do it?
. Can a countertop be kashered?
. Can you kasher a REALLY big pot?

This Monday, January 19th, at 8:15 PM (after the 8:00 PM ma’ariv)

For additional information, one is invited to visit the shul’s website .

29 Tevet 5771
January 5, 2011
While the following document was not written as an article for JKN, it does provide a wealth of information, an inside look if you will into the obligations and responsibilities of kashrus providers and mashgichim dealing with a catered event.

JKN would like to thank Rabbi Yudel Shain for permission to publicize this document. (more…)

Continuation of a Cautionary Kashrus Chronicle (with full permission of all parties)
 by: Harav Chaim Malinowitz

…And so, we have a take-out food seller who produced the food offsite, with a hechsher whose modus operendi allowed for arranging the hashgacha to “follow the food” to its destination, where it was sold.
Then, one day, Mr. Takeout makes a business decision. He’ll produce the food offsite less expensively, and instead of continuing with this particular hashgacha, he would continue using only ingredients approved by that very agency, and sell the food at the selling site (let’s assume he was trying it out to see what would happen). He conscientiously took down the te’udot of the agency he had been using, and started selling.

(more…)

28 Tevet 5771
January 4, 2011

The Shovavim lecture series is continuing in Ramat Beit Shemesh’s Beis Tefillah Yona Avraham, and last night’s lecturer was Yechiel Spira of Jerusalem Kosher News. The topic was some of the things one should be aware of when looking to go away to a hotel.

One may listen to the audio lecture on the shul’s website along with the two previous weeks, which addressed kashrus in restaurants and chotamot and simanim.

Next Monday’s lecture will host Rabbi Peretz Moncharsch, Rosh Kollel Shaarei Horaah in Betar Illit. The rabbi will discuss ‘hagolas keilim/kashering, industrial and commercial. (more…)