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2005 Kosher Supervision Guide 731 Kosher Symbols and Agencies |
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| Plus: Shaitels, New Kosher Law, Tnuva, Shaimos, Wines, Guide to Kosher Fish, New York City's Water! | |||
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Inside this issue - At 140 pages, this is our largest magazine ever. It is packed with some powerful issues and a good look at some of the kosher companies. We have the latest on water in New York City and how the “OU” and other organizations are “coping with the copepods”. There is a great article about sheitels and how our shatnez professionals helped many women feel secure about their synthetic sheitlach. There is an engaging piece, based on interviews with wine merchants across the US, as to which wines are popular today. It’s a great place to browse for new ideas on yom tov wines. The brainchild of Benny Goldstein, the (“OU”-certified) Shaimos Box will prove invaluable in every Jewish household. Buy several. Give them to your shul, yeshiva, your children and position a few in different locations at home. It will keep your shaimos pile down and teach the importance of dealing with shaimos all 100% “OU” kosher-certified. See the report on a new Israel-based anti-smoking organization and the gedolim that are behind it. Then there are the pieces on kosher companies. Kosher travelers will be happy to see what El Al is doing for them in terms of food, scheduling, special offers and new sensitivities to the observant traveler. As the saying goes, “El Al Is Israel”. It’s nice to know that they are trying to keep us loyal passengers. TNUVA is big news and our interview with their people is a beautiful piece to read. We talk about the business aspect, the kashrus, the whys and the wherefores. Readers will appreciate that TNUVA is building their own US distribution companies to handle their products. Supporting TNUVA will bring more of their product lines and other Israeli companies to these shores. We welcome back Empire as an advertiser in KASHRUS. Exciting things are happening at Empire and we hope to bring you complete details in an upcoming issue. The center of this issue carries a brochure and envelope for Rabbi Nathan Spector’s dynamic organization, Hamaayan Ba’negev. For as long as this magazine has been printing, I have closely followed the work of Hamaayan. Hamaayan is really a combination of nearly two dozen separate programs that Rabbi Spector has initiated and continues to maintain. And now he needs our help. Please use the envelope in the center of this magazine to keep this essential organization doing what it does best — meeting the Torah and social service needs of Jews in the Negev. If you drink wine, and who doesn’t, clip and use the $4.00 rebate coupon which Royal/Kedem has provided (on the inside front cover) for their wines A great opportunity to try new wines at Kedem’s expense. |
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Filters Filters Everywhere - In the last issue of KASHRUS we featured a piece on Jewish “Watergate.” I was amazed at the response. We got more reader reaction to that issue than we have had in a long time.<br /> <br /> But what reaction! Some disliked the name, Jewish Watergate, saying that it gave an intimation of a cover-up, which certainly was not intended. Longtime readers will note that we have coined several such phrases, as long ago as the 1980’s. The meaning was of a major problem confronting us all, not of a cover-up.<br /> <br /> Other readers were completely confused thinking that we had vindicated them whether they decided to use a filter or decided not to. And, I’m certain that some readers outside the five Boros of New York City felt relieved to see that only in NYC was the copepod problem reported. That article was meant as a first take on the problem with, as promised, more to follow. We did not make a stand either for requiring the use of filters or otherwise. We attempted to present an evenhanded representation of both sides, as indeed two opinions do exist.<br /> <br /> But now the dust is settling and it is time to look at the matter again. A great deal has transpired since June. Please note the following:<br /> <br /> The insects now have names. Not only do we know that they belong to the family of copepods, but the specific names of the insects found so far include: Diacyclops thomasi, Mesocyclops edax and Skistodiaptomus pygmaeus.<br /> <br /> So far no other city has reported to us as having found copepods in their water. Chicago, IL and Lakewood, NJ report definitively not finding any copepods. We believe that there may well be places that do have and we advise readers to check their local water system as per the methods mentioned in our last article. <br /> <br /> The rabbonim of Boro Park, in a trend-setting advertisement, printed a psak din, a legal decision, that a filter is necessary for Brooklyn Jews. This was signed by forty major rabbonim in Boro Park and issued as a legal halachic decision.<br /> <br /> Those rabbonim who said that filtering is unnecessary have not changed their position. At the same time all Brooklyn kashrus agencies and the “OU” announced that they are addressing the filter situation at all their establishments. <br /> <br /> The “OU,” to properly install equipment at all facilities in the five boros of New York City, has undergone a thorough research and development operation. The first issue for the “OU” was to determine the right kind of filter to be used. What many do not realize when they install a filter is that filters are successful and that means big-time problems for the owner of the building. Filters do filter out particles but that plugs up the filter, slowing down the water flow and requiring replacement of the filter. At a commercial facility, even a restaurant, that can mean big money and a big nuisance. When the “OU” decided to require across- the-board installation of filters at certified locations, they had to help the businesses by making filtering both doable and affordable. Only then could compliance be expected. <br /> <br /> Experts advised the “OU” to work a pre-filter system, one that takes out big particles using a sieve-like piece that is able to be easily cleaned. This saves on replacement filters and helps a company to do regular maintenance and keep water pressure up.<br /> <br /> Incidentally, on the home scene, one young man was amazed when he saw his filter fill up in just a week’s use, the filter became black with foreign matter. It taught him that his filtering is keeping more than just copepods out of his water. For the first time now he and his family are protected from many dangerous things found in the water.<br /> |
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