Behind the Union Symbol - Fall 2014

BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL 1

behind theUnion Symbol

FALL 2014


The North American Kosher Cheese Market’s Coming of Age PG. 1PRIZEWINNING OU KOSHER CHEESES ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE MOST DISCERNING PALATE.

Kosher and Non-Kosher in the Same Plant? Could Be. PG. 4OUR AUTHORITY SAYS, “SOMETIMES YES, SOMETIMES NO…” FIND OUT HOW IT CAN HAPPEN.

OU Kosher’s Man in the Control Tower: Meet Rabbi Michael Morris PG. 7THIS EXPATRIATE FROM SOUTH AFRICA KNOWS EVERY ROAD TO EVERY OU CERTIFIED PLANT. HE ALSO KNOWS WHICH RFR’S SHOULD TRAVEL THOSE ROADS.

Additives, Components, Ingredients, Processing Aids: Kosher Definitions PG. 13 A RABBINIC COORDINATOR CONSULTS WEBSTER TO DETERMINE WHAT AN INGREDIENT IS AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR KOSHER CERTIFICATION.

In Their Own Words: Allie’s GF Goodies Homemade Gluten Free Goodness Are Now OU Kosher PG. 14TO PLEASE HER CHILD, A JEWISH MOM CREATES OU KOSHER GLUTEN FREE GOODIES.

On Track with OU Kosher: Keeping Railcars Clean PG. 20IT’S NOT NECESSARY ON AMTRAK, BUT RAILCARS THAT CARRY KOSHER PRODUCTS MUST BE KOSHER THEMSELVES. HERE’S HOW IT’S DONE.

HIGHLIGHTS



The North American Kosher Cheese Market’s Coming of AgeBY RABBI AVROHOM GORDIMER

Those who follow kosher market trends are vividly aware of the maturation of the North American kosher wine industry, in which prize-winning wines that “just happen to be kosher” now pack the shelves of fine grocery and liquor shops. In fact, there are currently so many top-tier kosher wine manufacturers and brands that one literally cannot keep track.

And now, wine’s partner is finally catching up – the North American kosher cheese market is at last coming of age, offering prize-winning cheeses of innumerable varieties, all manufactured by the most respected names in the cheese industry.

Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Bothwell Cheese of New Bothwell, Manitoba, is a crown jewel in the Canadian cheese industry. Famous for its award-winning Cheddar and Gouda, and its incredible Madagascar Green Peppercorn – all of which are OU certified – Bothwell Cheese is quickly carving out an important niche in the kosher cheese market. Offering over 30 exciting varieties of gourmet kosher cheeses, including exotic extra-aged, spiced and smoked cheeses, Bothwell Cheese has gone all-out to meet the highest of kosher standards in every conceivable manner, earning OU certification and the ability to bring dozens of cheeses that previously were not available to the North American kosher table.

The mastermind behind the Bothwell Cheese OU program is Rob Hiebert, Manager of Operations, who carefully and caringly assures that Bothwell Cheese’s OU offerings continue to meet the highest kosher standards. Rachelle Lichtman, one of the most professional kosher supervisors to be found anywhere, provides on-site OU supervision, with the expert and hands-

on guidance of Rabbi Gabe Brojges of Winnipeg and Rabbi Dovid Jenkins from OU’s New York headquarters. This fantastic team is the engine behind the Bothwell Cheese kosher success story.

Lake Country Dairy of Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, brings an incredible offering of Italian cheeses to the kosher table, most of which are very seriously aged; two years is not at all unusual here. Artisanal wheels of Parmesan, Asiago and Romano, as well as special Copper Kettle Parmesan and Mascarpone, have earned Lake Country Dairy CELLO RISERVA TRADITIONAL ROMANO, ARTISAN

PARMESAN, AND HAND CRAFTED ASIAGO CHEESE



renown in the super-competitive Wisconsin cheese industry and well beyond. Jesse Norton, Quality Assurance Director, and Gary Gosda, Production Manager, work carefully with OU rabbinic field representatives Rabbi Shimon Perez and Rabbi Shimon Afenzer to assure stellar kosher compliance and the maintenance of a superlative kosher program, masterfully developed with Rabbi Perez’ close involvement at every step.

Lake Country Dairy is a subsidiary of Arthur Schuman, Inc. Arthur Shuman likewise maintains its own magnificent OU program, offering Diced Dry Jack, Fresh Shredded Asiago and Asiago/Romano Blend, and two-year aged wheels of Parmesan, Asiago and Romano. OU veteran rabbinic field representative Rabbi Avrohom Chesny carefully coordinates and directs all kosher supervision of Arthur Schuman’s OU-certified cheeses.

Bluegrass Dairy & Food, LLC was introduced to readers of Behind the Union Symbol several years ago, as this Kentucky-based, multifaceted company took a deep and highly successful plunge into the kosher cheese market. Bluegrass’ OU-certified Monterey Jack and Cheddar, produced under the direction of master cheese-maker Ricky Gulley, have won an impressive array of cheese awards throughout the country. Bluegrass manufactures three dozen different OU-certified premium natural cheeses, including Asiago, Bakers, White Cheddar, Organic Cheddar, and a large number of Jack cheeses, both regular and spiced.

Bluegrass also offers more than 150 specialty kosher cheese powders, earning a unique and critical place in the cheese powder and seasoning industries. OU rabbinic field representatives Rabbi Yosef Capland and Rabbi Yosef Levy provide expert on-site supervision for every kosher cheese produc-tion, working literally around the clock with unparalleled dedication to the highest level top-notch kosher certification of Bluegrass’ quality products.

Old World Marketplace is the kosher prince of gourmet retail cheeses. Offering The Cheese Guy and Vermont Bloom brand gourmet cheeses, no other company in American kosher history has offered such an outstanding and exotic range of artisanal and specialty kosher cheeses: Reggianito Parmesan, Aged Havarti, Aged Vermont Cheddar, Pecorino Romano, Brie, Bleu Cheese, Goat Cheese, Grated Parmesan, Organic New Zealand Cheddar, Smoked Scamorza, Brie and Zesty Marinated Braids constitute a small sampling of the 100 varieties of specialty gourmet OU-certified cheeses available from Old World Marketplace.

Brent Delman, company owner, travels the world on a regular basis to produce Old World Marketplace’s delectable offerings. In an effort to cater to the entire spectrum and calendar of the kosher market, Brent assures that a great many of his cheeses are Kosher for Passover and are Chalav Yisrael, thereby delivering desired product to even the Chassidic consumer base.



Kosher certification of cheese is not for every company. It entails full-time, on-site rabbinic supervision for every step of production, cutting and packaging, and special labeling regulations also pertain. Those companies that have undertaken the program, with a serious commitment to its specialized protocol and the ability to provide unique, top-notch product have seen great success with their OU certified cheese offerings.

North America’s kosher cheese has finally come of age, and the companies and people we’ve high-lighted here are among its superstars, with whom the OU is immensely proud and honored to partner.

RABBI AVROHOM GORDIMER IS A RABBINIC COORDINATOR AT OU KOSHER, WHERE HE SPECIALIZES IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. RABBI GORDIMER IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE OU DAIRY COMMITTEE, AND HE MANAGES THE OU PROGRAMS OF OVER 90 CERTIFIED DAIRY COMPANIES.

CELLO MASCARPONE

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PASSOVER 5774 79

PRODUCTS BEARING AN OR AN KOSHER FOR PASSOVER

In Tomato Sauce, In Water, In Water No Salt

Kipper Snacks, Mackerel Fillets, Mackerel Fillets No Salt, Moroccan Fish Bites Original, Moroccan Fish Bites Spicy, No Salt Kipper Snacks, Peppered Kipper Snacks, Salmon Blueback Red, Salmon Pink, Sprats

SHINDLERGefilte Fish Rolls, Long Rolls

SHOPRITEAlbacore Tuna in Water

STARKISTTUNA: in Olive Oil, in Water

STRUB'SGefilte Fish Jarred, Herring Tidbits in Wine, Lunch Cut Herring

SUPERIORGefilte Fish

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UNGER'SHerring Tidbits, Old Fashioned Pickled Herring, Pickled Schmaltz

VITASALMON: Nova, Sliced

HERRING: in Cream, in Wine

YEHUDAGEFILTE FISH: Regular, Sweet

FROZEN FOODS

BERNIE'SBLINTZES: Apple, Cheese, Cherry, Potato, Sugar Free Cheese

DAYEINUCheese Ravioli, Pizza, Pizzarogies, Potato Pierogies

DR. PRAEGER'SPANCAKES: Broccoli, Potato, Spinach, Sweet Potato

FRANKEL'SBLINTZES: Apple, Cheese, Cherry, Potato

Cheesecake, Cheesecake Marble, Egg Noodles, Matzo-Free Balls, Pizza, Potato Knishes, Waffles

GABILAKUGELS: Apple, Broccoli, Potato

Broccoli Knish, Matzo Balls

HOO LACHMUPizza Wheels

KOSHERIFICCheesy Pie

MANISCHEWITZPANCAKES: Potato, Sweet Potato

BLINTZES: Blueberry, Cheese, Potato

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Chicken Broth

MELROSE MADE GOURMETSOUFFLE: Broccoli, Potato, Spinach, Vegetable, Zucchini

MON CUISINEDINNERS: Beef Goulash, Chicken, Rib Eye Roast, Salisbury Steak, Salmon, Turkey, Veal

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110353 Ba-Tampte Ad.indd 1 1/27/11 2:47 PM

PASSOVER 5774 39

PASSOVER KITCHEN TIPS

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syrup

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1 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 tsp. sweet condensed milk

1 cup milk

1 tbs. lemon juice

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup fruit juice

1 cup honey

1 egg 1 egg

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup corn syrup

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup corn starch

1 cup grahamcracker crumbs

1 cup matzacake meal

1/4 cup water 1/3 cup water

7/8 cup potato starch

1/2 tsp. potato starch

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup ground cookies

1/4 cup applesauce

1 cup + 1 tbs. matza meal finely ground

1 cup non-dairy creamer

1 cup instant 0% dry milk

1/3 cup boiling water

3 tbs. margarine

Blend until smooth and set for 24 hrs.

starch

cookies

sauce

juice

juice

BOIL INTO A SYRUP BOIL INTO A SYRUP

ONLY REPLACES SOME EGGREPLACES UP TO 2 EGGS

STIR AND STEEP FOR FIVE MINUTES

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1 1/2 tbs. water1 1/2 tbs. oil

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1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

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1 1/2 tsp. vinegar

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Kosher and Non-Kosher in the Same Plant? Could Be.BY RABBI CHAIM GOLDBERG

“But Rabbi, before we start I want you to know…we also do non-kosher!!!” Those words, often uttered during an initial conversation about potential kosher certification of a new plant, often sound like a confession.

Is all really lost? Is the fact that your plant handles non-kosher and OU Kosher a deal breaker? The answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no, and often it depends on several other factors. Are you thinking about getting one of your plants OU Kosher-certified but have hitherto refrained for fear it would be an impossibility? Maybe you are doing so unnecessarily! There are several factors which might ameliorate the concerns of non-kosher being handled in the plant. If any of these apply, the handling of non-kosher might not need to be changed at all in the process of kosher certification.

• OU kosher might consider the nature of the non-kosher product. Sometimes, the item being handled is merely non-certified, not “non-kosher.” Or in other words, it might be an item OU Kosher is not comfortable allowing in use in OU products, but we don’t deem it non-kosher enough to affect the kosher status of the equipment. This would depend heavily on what OU Kosher considers the concern on the item to be, and whether we believe the item in question might be used in kosher production. For example, a plant repacking a citric acid which doesn’t have kosher supervision wouldn’t automatically lose consideration for kosher because of it. We might not accept every citric acid as intrinsically kosher, but it won’t necessarily effect kosher production.

• How the kosher product is handled versus the non-kosher is another situation in which OU Kosher might allow certification. Sometimes the method of handling the non-kosher is so completely different from the kosher, that we have no concern of cross-over. A plant might have a non-certified oil roaster for nuts, and look to have their sunflower seed repacking operation become kosher approved. Since the oil-roasting process would be completely separate from the kosher (cold repacking) production, we would likely have no concern about crossover or contamination.

• Sometimes the actual method of handling both kosher and non-kosher are too similar to designate a kosher versus non-kosher area, but the actual non-kosher item is so different from the kosher one that the concern of mix-up is deemed minimal. For example, a cold, liquid-blending flavor house blending various chocolate flavors might also need to handle a sensitive grape item which OU Kosher would not allow into OU products. Since grape notes (like a symphony, flavors are composed of notes) are rarely used in chocolate flavors, we might be able to allow the plant to handle that grape item. The plant’s cleaning and handling procedures would need to be reviewed, as well



as guarantees set up to make sure the non-kosher item is not handled together with the kosher, but the use of the grape item does not automatically prevent the ability to grant kosher supervision.

• Another factor which might allow non-kosher and kosher on the same premises is the level of physical separation between the kosher and non-kosher areas, and the differences in production between them. A plant which produces non-kosher shelf-stable airline meals might hang a floor to ceiling curtain to separate its kosher line making cookies.

Since the equipment is totally different and the concern of non-kosher equipment being used in kosher is very small, the distance placed between kosher and non-kosher would be a mitigating factor. Lines would likely need to be traced to confirm there is no cross-over of piping, steam systems or various hand tools. If the plant is able to demonstrate the level of separation is sufficient, the non-kosher might be viewed as being in a different facility altogether.

What if after reading the above considerations, you believe the non-kosher in your plant is a more serious concern than these examples? Does that mean your plant’s kosher plans have been dashed? Not by any means. You may need to make some changes to accommodate kosher, or otherwise incur some increased cost and limitations to produce a kosher product, but it is not altogether out of the question.

• Depending on what the non-kosher item is, many times a kosher substitute ingredient can be found. Many times the OU experts can assist your company in finding alternate suppliers for ingredients that are already kosher-certified, or manufacturers which can customize a specific blend to meet your needs. Sometimes a formula needs to be reworked to avoid using a kosher-sensitive ingredient. Having the option on the table gives your marketing department something to consider when examining the potential benefit in sales by adding OU Kosher supervision to your product.

• Some manufacturers have found ways of outsourcing their non-kosher production. One smoked salmon facility was denied OU certification for many years due to its handling of shellfish. The demand for its product to become OU Kosher-certified became so great that the management team began investigating ways of outsourcing the shellfish production. The day before my initial inspection, the plant was visited by a neighboring plant that was looking to increase its work volume. This neighbor had both trained



workers and space to offer, and asked if this smoked salmon plant might have an idea of how to fill that space. In the end, the offer was a perfect fit for them. Though this smoked salmon producer needed to kosherize its equipment prior to becoming OU- certified, the product was able to be granted OU supervision because the non-kosher previously there was completely removed and no longer presented an issue to the kosher program.

• Sometimes non-kosher production can be limited to a small date range, in which case the plant can work with the OU to be allowed a period of “non-certification” when its kosher products and labels will be segregated and sealed, and the equipment allowed to be used for non-kosher production. Sometimes the non-kosher is of such great concern that OU Kosher may require a field supervisor to be present during the handling of non-kosher. Following the non-kosher production, the rabbi would kosherize the equipment to return it to kosher status, and allow OU production to resume.

While handling non-kosher in an OU kosher-certified facility is always a potential concern, the kosher experts at the Orthodox Union have, in the past, come up with some creative and valuable ways to allow a facility committed to making kosher products to do so despite also handling non-kosher. With a spirit of professionalism and cooperation, the team at OU Kosher looks forward to working with your company to find mutually acceptable ways of handling all of your plant’s production needs while maintaining the highest standards of kosher processing – OU Kosher-certification.

RABBI CHAIM GOLDBERG BEGINS HIS 13TH YEAR OF SERVICE AT OU KOSHER. HIS TALENTS CAST A WIDE NET ACROSS MANY AREAS OF KOSHER CERTIFICATION, WITH A SPECIALTY IN THE OCEAN’S KOSHER BOUNTY. IN ADDITION TO SUPERVISING MANY OU-CERTIFIED FISH MANUFACTURING ACCOUNTS, RABBI GOLDBERG HAS COMPLETED HUNDREDS OF INSPECTIONS AT MANUFACTURING PLANTS ON FIVE CONTINENTS. HE STORES HIS PASSPORT IN BROOKLYN, NY.



OU Kosher’s Man in the Control Tower:Meet Rabbi Michael MorrisBY BAYLA SHEVA BRENNER

If you want to know where any of the 500 OU Kosher RFRs (rabbinic field representatives) are at any given time on any given day and how they got there, just ask Rabbi Michael Morris. It’s his job -- and his passion.

When Rabbi Morris, OU Kosher’s RFR traffic controller, joined the RC staff 25 years ago, he soon realized the routing system needed revamping and promptly took on the task. “For some odd reason I understand the American map,” says the native South African. “If an RFR lives in Memphis, and across the Mississippi river from Memphis is a state called Arkansas, why are we sending someone from Chicago there? The guy in Memphis could just drive over a bridge and save the OU a lot of expense.”

And that he has – for over two decades, and running. Or flying. Or driving.

As the busy liaison between the RFRs and OU Kosher’s corporate travel agency, this soft-spoken logistical whiz reviews hundreds of routes per week. Thoroughly conversant with the locations of RFRs and the manufacturing plants, he serves as OU Kosher’s “matchmaker,” deciding which RFR will make the regular visits to a particular plant when new accounts come in. He also crunches numbers, factoring in plane tickets, rental cars, hotel stays, and food needs, to make sure the arrangement is cost effective.

Similar to highly skilled air traffic controllers, he’s impeccably organized, has an excellent memory, is quick with numeric computations, assertive and firm in decision-making, and maintains his composure under pressure. And he cares.

“If someone is down and out, or lonely, or going through serious health issues, he will tell me, ‘A phone call from you would mean a great deal,’” says Rabbi Benzion Twerski, Rav of Congregation Beth Yehuda, in Milwaukee and RFR of the Wisconsin region. “If someone has a sick relative, he’ll quickly get the word out that people should pray for him/her.”

Evidently, his big heart also affects his professional decisions. He’s not only mindful that the routes make financial sense, but human sense as well. “You find people, when they need to get a job done, they do it and the people involved fall by the wayside; not Rabbi Morris,” says Rabbi Twerski. “He understands the needs of the RFRs. Wisconsin is a large state; he’s sensitive to the fact that if I covered the southwest corner, it would place hardship on me, so he saw to it that the RFRs from Illinois would cover that area. He makes sure that the RFRs are not away from home more than they need to be, while at the same time the routes are being covered.”



Born in South Africa, he attended Yeshiva College in Johannesburg, Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavne in Israel, and received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Gedola of Johannesburg. His entry to the world of kosher supervision began in his twenties, while serving as chaplain in the South African Defense Force. While travelling from military camp to camp, offering words of encouragement, he would check with the kosher kitchen to see everything was in order. One day, the chief rabbi of South Africa called to offer Rabbi Morris the job of administrator of the Kashrut Department of the Beth Din in South Africa. He agreed to “try it for three months.” He stayed six years.

In search of new opportunities, Rabbi Morris decided to travel to America; he committed himself to one year. He sent a fax to Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher and landed a job as an RC (rabbinic coordinator). After three years as deputy director of the West Coast Region at the OU Kosher satellite office in Los Angeles, he began his longtime position at OU Kosher headquarters in New York, where he oversees scores of plants, became the “how do I get to” and the “go-to man” for the OU Kosher men in the field, and met his wife (and former colleague) Chanie. Apparently, he’s extended his one-year plan indefinitely. He enjoys his job, a job that demands nonstop, painstaking attention to detail.

He welcomes the challenge.

Rabbi Morris not only devises and reviews hundreds of RFRs’ travel routes and expenses; he also oversees data entry of new companies, and arranges for the annual two-day RC/RFR conference each year. “I’ve always had pretty good organizational skills,” he says. To illustrate, he tells of an incident that took place during his stint as chaplain. “I needed a particular book. I called my mother and asked that she go to my bedroom, turn left, and on the third shelf, the fourth book from the right – that’s the book I need.”

Colleagues view him as an indispensible part of the OU Kosher operation. “He’s an expert at coming up with solutions,” says Rabbi Alan Kalinsky, OU West Coast Director and part-time RFR. “RFRs constantly count on him for advice and assistance. He engenders the confidence of the people around him. And he’s very straightforward; if he likes you, he tells you. His job fits his personality.”

Marika Levine, OU Kosher’s RFR liaison, agrees. “He knows how to deal with any problematic situation with the utmost diplomacy. He’s a warm, caring, consummate professional, and his accent is adorable.”

After a quarter of a century, Rabbi Morris still loves his work. “I get satisfaction knowing that I’m part of certifying new products and that kosher consumers have more choices.” Clearly, Rabbi Genack’s choice 25 years ago continues to benefit OU Kosher companies, colleagues and kosher consumers.

BAYLA SHEVA BRENNER IS SENIOR STAFF WRITER IN THE ORTHODOX UNION’S DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING AND A FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO BTUS.



From the Heart of Veneto, The Poli Distillery Introduces EVE, the First Kosher for Passover Grappa

BY LORNA GEREMIA, POLI DISTILLERY The Poli Distillery is a historic artisanal distillery, solely owned by the Poli family, and founded in 1898 in Schiavon, near Bassano del Grappa, in the heart of Veneto, the most renowned Italian region for grappa production. (Grappa is a grape-based brandy.) For four generations we have been distilling it with an old baine-marie still, following the traditional discontinuous method of distillation.

Our production philosophy is based on five solid principles: Choose only the freshest and soundest raw material; immediately distill the raw material; skillfully use a historic artisanal-method still; work with perseverance and passion; respect the distillate and the consumer.

When our importer in Israel expressed the wish and the request of many Jewish communities around the world to have a quality distillate produced according to the laws of kashrut, we began to conceive EVE, the first kosher grappa for Passover.

We did not yet know the standards of kashrut and the even stricter laws regarding Passover, but we wanted to obtain a distillate that embodied both the rigor of the tradition and the typical sumptuousness of the Holy Days, such as Passover. It took years to learn more about the fascinating Jewish food culture and laws, and then to transfer the information to the family and to the company, but then, as for any grappa, “alchemy” was part of the process. Thus was born EVE, named in honor of the first woman, and according to Genesis, the symbol of temptation.

A grappa made of Moscato Fior d’Arancio and Euganean Hills White Moscato pomace (the solid remains of grapes, olives and other fruit after pressing for juice or oil) with its elegant scent of orange blossoms, is a symbol of marriage, but is at the same time a temptress with her soft and round taste. The uniqueness of EVE lies in its method of production, following strict observance of kashrut standards, making it the first kosher grappa, which can also be enjoyed during Passover. All production has taken place under the supervision of the Orthodox Union and the rabbinate of Padua and meets the highest standards of Kosher for Passover and year-round use.

To get to EVE we have followed a long and expensive path in terms of time and effort, but of which we are very proud and grateful. Today we can present EVE, a sleek very fragrant grappa, which needs to be sniffed for a long time before being tasted, to keep those fresh scents etched

NEW TO THE OU



in your memory during tasting.

“Like all kosher-sensitive, grape-based wines and liquors, the manufacture of grappa involved significant efforts and dedication,” explained Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, senior rabbinic coordinator of OU Kosher and group leader for Europe and Israel. “Poli performed admirably to help the OU ensure the highest standards of kosher. Poli has the distinction of being the first OUP certified grappa. As with other new categories of kosher products, the kosher market, when targeted appropriately, will respond with interest and enthusiasm.”

When attending industry conferences or exhibiting at shows, be sure to display signs that say:

“WE ARE PROUD TO BE AN OU KOSHER-CERTIFIED COMPANY”

Marketers and show organizers should always have the signs in their show kits.

They are sure to attract kosher buyers to your booth.

If you need more copies of the sign, we will be glad to supply them.

Just email [email protected].



Ask the Rabbi BY RABBI ELI GERSTEN

Q: Our tunnel oven is currently dedicated to run only kosher pareve products. Would it be permissible to run a dairy cookie on this line as a test run? The dairy product will contain about one percent whey powder. The whey powder is certified kosher OU-D.

A: Because this line is dedicated pareve, any change of status, such as running a dairy product, will have to be arranged in conjunction with the rabbinic coordinator (RC) who oversees the kosher program, and the rabbinic field representative (RFR) who monitors its implementation. The exact recipe would have to be reviewed to see how the whey is added in the cookie. For example, is the whey a component of the actual batter, or is it a component in a chip or a coating? If indeed the whey is a minimal component of the actual cookie, then the oven would not require a full kosherization, but would rather only require a full cleaning. Make sure to plan the date for this trial run, when the RFR will be available to approve the change back to pareve status.

Q: We are purchasing some reconditioned used tanks. They are not jacketed and have no heating capability. They are all spotlessly clean. We would like them to be used for kosher dairy. Is there anything we need to do?

A: Although the tanks themselves are not heated, there are still two other concerns. In the past, a hot non-kosher product might have been pumped into these tanks, or cold non-kosher products might have been stored in the tanks for 24 hours or more. Either of the possibilities would require that the tanks be kosherized. The easiest way to kosherize would be to utilize a sprayball hooked up to the CIP system. The tank should be sprayed with near boiling water (200° - 210° F) for 20 minutes. Another method would be to fill the tank with water and insert a steam hose that can bring the tank to a boil. If it would be possible to trace the history of these tanks, so that we can document that they came from a kosher facility, there would be no need to kosherize the tanks.

Q: Can you please explain why our request to have our butter bread added to our Schedule B (list of products to be certified kosher) was declined. All the ingredients on the list were already approved as kosher for use in other products? Why was this product not authorized?

A: In order for bread to be kosher, the ingredients must be pareve. In other words, dairy bread is intrinsically non-kosher. One of the basic kosher laws is that milk and meat may not be eaten together. Since bread is considered the staple of the meal, the rabbis of the Talmud enacted that bread must always be pareve to avoid the potential that one might serve dairy bread with meat.

RABBI ELI GERSTEN SERVES AS OU RABBINIC COORDINATOR AND RECORDER OF OU POLICY. A FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO BTUS, HIS “SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND; HOW INFORMATION MAKES OU KOSHER’S JOB EASIER,” APPEARED IN THE SPRING 2014 ISSUE.



Reed’s Brews the Best with OU Kosher Certification BY CHRIS REED, FOUNDER AND CEO OF REED’S, INC.

As the producer of the top selling sodas in the natural food industry, we’re very proud to be newly kosher-certified by the OU. This was a major undertaking, as our team went through a thorough seven-step process to obtain OU certification, including a comprehensive ingredient review and equipment kosherization. As leaders in the natural soda world, we take our commitment to the quality and purity of our brewed beverages very seriously; this certification by the OU reinforces that commitment.

It’s especially apparent this year, as we celebrate our milestone 25th year in business. Typically, people who start a business in their kitchen don’t make it past the five-year mark. I started Reed’s with my Original Ginger Brew, as I believed so strongly in the healing power of ginger and its wonderful culinary flavor. It took dozens of recipes – and different combinations of herbs, spices and fruits – before I felt it was just right.

Our line-up grew from there – including seven different variations of Reed’s Ginger Brews. Over the years we acquired a few of our competitors, including Virgil’s Natural Sodas, China Cola and Sonoma Sparklers. In 2006, Reed’s became a publicly traded company (NYSE MKT: REED). In 2012, we entered into the probiotic fermented tea category with our eight flavors

of Culture Club Kombucha. Along the way, and through all the changes, so many things stayed the same. We never compromised on the quality of the ingredients or the non-alcoholic brewing process for any of our beverages. We didn’t become an industry leader by cutting corners or costs, or sacrificing the promise to our fans to make quality drinks.

We’re sold in 15,000 natural and mainstream supermarkets along with many delis, restaurants and convenience stores nationwide. With our new kosher certification, our drinks can reach an even wider audience. We are proud to have partnered with the prestigious OU for our kosher certification. It is only fitting that if we make the best, we should work with the best.

Follow Reed’s on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

CHRIS REED, FOUNDER AND CEO OF REED’S

BOTTLE OF ORIGINAL

GINGER BREW GINGER ALE

NEW TO THE OU



Additives, Components, Ingredients, Processing Aids: Kosher DefinitionsBY RABBI AKIVA TENDLER

The OU symbol represents strict oversight of ingredient usage and production processes for OU- certified products. Of the many critical control points in kosher production, ingredient control cannot be over-emphasized. All ingredients, no matter how insignificant or their quantity, must be declared and documented as approved by the OU by being listed on the Schedule A (kosher-approved supplier list), before being used in kosher production.

However, there is still room for confusion. What is the definition of an “ingredient”? Merriam Webster’s Dictionary website offers several definitions.

1. One of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.

2. A quality or characteristic that makes something possible.

Just below that, a full definition is offered:

1. Something that enters into a compound or is a component part of any combination or mixture.

The first two definitions would include processing aids, whereas the third definition does not. In order for a product to be certified kosher by the OU, all processing aids which have intentional contact with product must also be kosher-approved.

As an example, a canned sliced mushroom label may declare the ingredients to be mushrooms, sodium and water. However, there may be processing aids such as rice starch in which the mushrooms are hydrated. The rice starch is not listed on the ingredient label since it is a processing agent. Its purpose is to keep the mushroom firm so that it maintains its form during the cutting process. This processing agent must be kosher-approved as well, despite its not being an ingredient.

Another example may include lubricants for equipment that make direct food contact. Upon inspecting a water bottling facility, it was noticed that the micron filter was lubricated with glycerin to enable the tubular fibrous filters to be inserted in the metal casing. Although the company will tend to flush the filter and drop the initial water to flush the glycerin, preferably only kosher glycerin should be used.

In summation, any agent which has intentional food contact should be kosher-certified. However, cleaning aids used to clean the production equipment, which only have incidental food contact, do not need to be kosher-certified.

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS DEAN OF STUDENTS AT A PRIVATE COLLEGE, RABBI TENDLER JOINED THE KOSHER DIVISION OF THE ORTHODOX UNION. HIS AREAS OF EXPERTISE INCLUDE OIL REFINING AND OIL SEED BY-PRODUCTS, AS WELL AS TEA AND OTHER BEVERAGES. RABBI TENDLER LECTURES FOR OU COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS ON A WIDE VARIETY OF KOSHER TOPICS.



Allie’s GF Goodies Homemade Gluten Free Goodness® Are Now OU KosherBY ELIZABETH LUCKMAN

If something needs to be done correctly and with passion, ask a Jewish mother to do something for her child. When

Allison Luckman was 47 years old, after years of ulcerative colitis and more than 14 surgeries, her 19-year-old daughter, who also had ulcerative colitis, was diagnosed as gluten intolerant. She complained to her mother, Allie, that she did not like the available gluten free food the way it was, and implored her mother to try to make it taste better. Allison always had to be creative in the kitchen due to her own dietary restrictions, and she had become increasingly more so when her son (now almost 19), was allergic to eggs as a toddler.

Determined, as always, to satisfy all food requests, Allison set out figure a way to “make it taste wonderful.” Building a food establishment on Long Island, NY has been, in Allie’s words, “more difficult than brain surgery.” Her philosophy has always been that a “treat” should taste like a “treat.” Therefore, she intentionally does not use any bean or legume flours. Nor does she use any nut flours, including coconut flour, as Allie’s GF Goodies is a ‘Dedicated Nut Free” and “Tree Nut Free” company.

When building her brand new state-of-the art facility on Long Island, Allie realized that being certified kosher would both increase her marketability and assure customers from all over the New York Tri-State area that there was indeed a product geared towards them. Nowhere else is there a kosher-certified gluten free, dedicated nut free, peanut free bakery. Allie has found the process of working with the Orthodox Union to be a very pleasant experience.

“From the moment I first spoke with Rabbi Daniel Nosenchuk, I sensed an immediate source of support,” she says. “He seemed genuinely interested in not just my project, which is unique in and of itself, but also of the process that brought me to this industry. Though others have alerted me to the difficult process kosher certification can be, I feel gratified at how the OU process has developed. I feel that Rabbi Nosenchuk and the OU staff genuinely want me to succeed.”

Allie intentionally does not use soy flour because aside from being a legume, soy is often viewed as an allergy sensitive and estrogen boosting protein that is dangerous for the legions of breast cancer survivors. None of these restrictions, however, have prevented Allie’s GF Goodies Homemade Gluten Free Goodness® from making wishes come true. Both in her retail shop and

IN THEIR WORDS



her wholesale line as well, Allie’s GF Goodies Homemade Gluten Free Goodness® treats have been causing smiles up and down the east coast, in and out of sleep away and day camp settings, and have made their way from the tip of Montauk on the extreme east end of Long Island to Los Angeles. Allie has made herself into a bit of a Pied Piper, having a social media relationship with several of her younger clients, allowing them to text and Instagram their own personal requests.

Allie’s has quite a fan base with every one having their favorites. There are her Short and Sweets with their melt in your mouth buttery taste; her butterscotch-infused Blondies; her Challah; Vegan Oatie Bars; and of course her signature item, the one that started the whole operation, Allie’s Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake Brownies. Almost everything made by Allie and her company can be done in the standard gluten free nut free kosher manner, or they can be done as “non-dairy,” and/or “low glycemic,” and/or “egg-free.”

When questioned about her professional training, Allie is quick to volunteer that she is Allergy-Certified by AllerTrain, has a Nassau County Food Managers License, but that other than one or two classes at Sur La Table, she has not had any formal culinary training. Instead, she states, she comes from the “baking school of Mom,” which as we know is judged by some of the toughest critics!

Allie’s can be purchased by calling 516-216-1719 or www.alliesgfg.com.

WWW.OUKOSHER.ORG, the world’s most frequented kosher website, features OU certified companies and their products on its OU Featured Companies section. Close to 1,000 companies are already posted.

In order to be posted at no cost, please submit the following information to [email protected]:

• Name of company or brand to be featured• Jpg image in 75x120 px• Website link• 25-75 word description of your products/company

You can apply to be featured at oukosher.org/featured-company-application/



The Cheese GuyBY BRENT DELMAN

I have been in the gourmet food business for nearly 20 years, and have always had a passion for fine cheeses. Having grown up in the Midwest, I also gained an appreciation for small, family-owned dairy farms. Raised in a non-kosher home, I knew what the kosher consumer was

missing, and I firmly believe that food should not be an obstacle in anyone’s spiritual path.

Therefore, I founded “The Cheese Guy” – dedicated to the production and distribution of high-end, artisanal, natural, kosher cheeses, primarily from small U.S. creameries.

Our Gouda, Parmesan Reggianito (from Argentina), reduced-fat Swiss, Blue, Italian specialties including Bastardo del Grappa and Pecorino Romano, and Vermont Bloom™, are hard-to-come-by cheeses that have exceeded the expectations of our fans. Indeed, providing kosher consumers with a wide variety of cheeses not typically available is incredibly rewarding, yet it is not without its challenges.

I have personally visited each farm across the U.S. and abroad from which we source our products. The cheeses are usually hand-made in small batches, and I sample each one to ensure they will meet the needs of the refined kosher palate.

In the case of a Chalav Yisrael product, the milk must be supervised from the time the animal is milked until the time of production. Interestingly enough, the concept of this age-old custom is becoming universalized in a movement called Traceability, which has already been made a legal requirement in some parts of the world, such as the European Union. My Pecorino Romano is made on the island of Sardinia and is a certified DOP cheese – meaning the origin and production methods of this particular cheese are authentic and are produced with milk from the specific animal breed and region. This cheese offers the ultimate in traceability as someone is constantly watching and knowing where the milk and then the cheese is – “From Farm to Fork.”

The production of kosher cheese, in accordance with Jewish law, requires extensive cleaning, boiling, and sanitization of the cheese-making equipment, vats, and utensils. We submit detailed specifications on all of our cheeses from our dairy farms to the OU for review. Our primary cutting facility, which is not OU-certified, must comply with OU standards, and so on-site inspection and supervision is required for every production run. There is also the cost of

IN THEIR WORDS

BRENT DELMAN, FOUNDER OF “THE CHEESE GUY”



holograms and maintaining kosher certification.

Partnering with the OU has been a very fruitful experience. I am fortunate to have worked closely with Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer, who has served as a referral to new suppliers and production facilities, has assisted in finding local rabbis, and from whom I have deepened my knowledge of Kashrut (Jewish law as it pertains to food).

My thousands of loyal customers in the New York metropolitan area and beyond are pleased to have access to high-quality, unique cheeses, that they can buy with confidence given the OU symbol of approval.

AN INTRODUCTION TOOU Certification and the Kosher Marketplace:

A PowerPoint Presentation Dear Friend, Thousands of companies choose OU Kosher certification. OU Kosher is recognized as the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency and symbol. OU Kosher certification is a clear mark of superior quality, and OU certified companies know that having the OU Kosher symbol enhances the marketability of their products worldwide. The OU Kosher symbol opens untapped channels of distribution in new markets for OU companies, thereby increasing their revenues.

The PowerPoint presentation, for which you have the attached link, can be used to educate and enlighten your colleagues about why OU certification is so important to your company. Please share it as well with your suppliers, your customers, and others with whom you do business. It will give them a better understanding of the scope and reach of OU certification, the ever growing kosher marketplace, and the OU advantage for your company’s growth and development. They will agree that OU certification is a major contributor to your company’s success.

Sincerely, Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Safran Editor-in-Chief, BTUS

http://www.oukosher.org/marketing-presentation



Li-Lac Gourmet Chocolates Is Now OU KosherLi-Lac Chocolates is Manhattan’s oldest chocolate house -- a New York tradition since 1923. They make old-world artisan chocolate in small batches

using their founder’s original recipes and production methods from the 1920s. With more than 140 items, Li-Lac has one of the largest selections of fresh gourmet chocolate in America. Every item is made by hand, locally in New York City, and guaranteed for freshness.

The history of Li-Lac Chocolates dates back to 1923 when George Demetrious, a native of Greece, immigrated to New York and opened his shop at 120 Christopher Street in the heart of Greenwich Village. During the 1920s, Greenwich Village was a destination for artists, intellectuals and innovators. It was in this context that Mr. Demetrious applied his chocolate-making expertise, creating and perfecting his recipes, and steadily building a customer following among his quirky and demanding neighbors. Mr. Demetrious used large marble-top tables and copper kettles to perfect his signature recipes

for items such as Hazelnut Truffle Squares, Marzipan Rolls, Fudge, Caramel Squares, and more. He employed a staff of dippers and packers who contributed their own specialized care and attention to detail still found in every Li-Lac Chocolate made today.

Over the ensuing nine decades, Li-Lac Chocolates became a cherished New York tradition. When trendy ingredients and mass production emerged as the model for the modern chocolatier, Li-Lac remained true to its history and tradition, eschewing automation and trendiness. Deemed “stubbornly old fashioned” by The Wall Street Journal, Li-Lac Chocolates is one of the few old-school chocolate companies to survive into the modern era.

“The best way to tell our story is when people see how we make our chocolate,” said Anthony Cirone, Li-Lac’s

NEW TO THE OU

FRENCH ASSORTMENT GIFT BOX

COPPER KETTLES



President. Li-Lac Chocolates is known for keeping its small-batch production methods mostly unchanged for over nine decades. This summer the company is opening its new factory with glass walls that allow customers to peek into the kitchen. “Making fresh chocolate by hand in New York City can be rather inefficient, but when people see what we do and how we do it, they instantly grasp the benefit,” said Mr. Cirone.

“We are incredibly excited to be able to showcase our chocolate production to the public.” The factory’s kitchen is complete with copper kettles, marble tables and weight scales that date back to the turn of the century. Many of the chocolate molds are antiques, cast of steel during the early 1900s. Indeed, the large marble table they still use to make chocolate is marked on the bottom with the date the marble was cut: June 20, 1923.

Along with the move to the new factory, Li-Lac took steps to become kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union. Kosher certification, especially from that well-known and trusted kosher agency, opens new markets and creates growth potential that otherwise wouldn’t exist. In addition, “Being Kosher certified is a sign of quality and provides customers with reassurance that the company maintains certain high standards,” declared Anwar Khoder, Li-Lac’s Master Chocolatier. Li-Lac Chocolates received its certification on August 1st, just in time for the holiday gifting season.

Online orders are available at www.Li-LacChocolates.com.

ENROBER - HAND DECORATED

HAZELNUT TRUFFLE SQUARES

BUTTER CRUNCH



On Track with OU Kosher: Keeping Railcars Clean BY RABBI GAVRIEL PRICE

One of the latest projects at the OU has been developing guidelines for the kosherization of general purpose railcars. Dozens of OU-certified companies regularly supply or receive liquid commodities, including vegetable oil, corn syrup, and ethanol, using railcars, which is often a cost-

effective alternative to using tanker trailers.

Here’s a typical scenario that would mandate a kosherization: A supplier of vegetable oil gets a new customer – a margarine manufacturer. The vegetable oil supplier needs to lease additional railcars in order to get the vegetable oil to the customer. The lessor can provide the railcars, but the railcars have been transporting chicken fat for the last five years. The vegetable oil company needs to get these railcars kosherized before getting them on their list of certified railcars – a condition stipulated by the customer. The leaser – the vegetable oil company – contacts a railcar

repair and cleaning shop not only to clean the railcars, but to kosherize them as well. The railcar shop turns to the OU for guidelines on how to properly do this.

When, several years ago, this scenario first began playing itself out, the staff at the OU knew as much about railcars as the railcar repair operators knew about kosher law. And, without a proper understanding of a railcar, any guidelines that would be provided could be ineffective, excessive, or both.

Education in such matters is the key, and railcar shops from Muscatine IA, Kansas City, MO, Waycross, GA and Altoona, PA opened their doors to explain to OU personnel how railcars work. Included in these discussions were:

Q. Is re-lining a railcar acceptable, de facto, as a kosherization?

A. First, let’s explain the question: Railcars are constructed of carbon steel, but they can be lined: the interior will be treated with a polymer, a procedure that protects both the railcar and the materials being shipped in it. In order to line a railcar, whatever substance is caked on to the interior will be baked off and physically removed before the railcar is treated with the polymer. Now, for the answer: lining a railcar in some cases will provide a kosherization, but not always. It depends on a number of factors, including the degree of heat used to bake off the residue and the length of time of the heat treatment. In sum, each case needs to be treated differently.



Q. If a railcar is clean, but has transported non-kosher or uncertified material in the past, does the railcar need to be kosherized?

A. Yes. However, because of the sheer bulk of a railcar, it is not feasible to fill up a railcar with boiling water (not by a longshot!). Kosher law provides an alternative, which involves introducing steam into a railcar long enough that the condensate, measured from the point of egress, approaches boiling (greater than 205° F).

Q. Do gaskets and other accoutrements need to be kosherized or replaced?

A. There are a number of valves and pipes in the interior of a railcar that are exposed to product. A number of them cannot be replaced, but they can be kosherized by cleaning them and keeping them inside the railcar during the kosherization process. Gaskets cannot be adequately cleaned and therefore must be replaced by new ones.

Q. Does an OU representative need to be present during a kosherization?

A. This depends on a number of factors. Occasionally, if a procedure for lining (as described above) is well-established and meets OU specifications for a kosherization, a representative may not be required for supervision of the kosherization. Occasionally, the history of the railcar is well-documented and demonstrates clearly that the railcar has been dedicated to kosher product. In most other circumstances an OU representative would need to be present. New railcars do not require kosherization.

Q. Can a railcar be kosherized using a mobile cleaning unit? (A mobile cleaning unit means the unit goes to where the railcar is, rather than the railcar coming to the railcar shop.)

A. In some instances, yes.

Finally, there are written guidelines for the kosherization of railcars. They can be obtained through your RC.

RABBI GAVRIEL PRICE IS AN OU KOSHER RC SERVICING THE TRANSPORTATION, FLAVOR, AND VINEGAR INDUSTRIES. HE LIVES IN PASSAIC, NJ AND HAS BEEN WITH THE OU SINCE 2000.



Insight into Ask OU: The World’s Premier Kosher Training Initiative BY RABBI AVROHOM GORDIMER

As part of its ongoing professional enrichment initiatives, OU Kosher hosts two programs every other summer that are geared to enhance kosher certification worldwide and to cultivate the next generation of kosher professionals. These two acclaimed programs, the Ask OU Summer Seminar and Summer Internship, are the premier professional training events in the kosher certification industry.

Under the direction of Rabbi Joseph Grossman, Senior Educational Rabbinic Coordinator of OU Kosher, Ask OU, now in its 12th year, receives applications from rabbinical students and kosher professionals around the world, seeking close proximity to the OU’s expertise and educational offerings. Rabbi Grossman selects both those kosher professionals whom he feels would most benefit from the program’s mentoring, as well as a select group of post-graduate rabbinical students who show a genuine interest in kosher supervision and certification as a career.

As part of Ask OU’s global network, many participants hail from outside of the United States. Young rabbis and communal leaders from Mexico, Germany, Hungary, South America – and even Australia – have been welcomed as participants for recent sessions. They remain in touch with the OU well after the program concludes, as they bring their newly-acquired knowledge to their communities and beyond.

This year’s Ask OU Summer Seminar, ran for one week, had a record enrollment of 70; the Ask OU Summer Internship, which runs for three weeks, had a record enrollment of 25. As usual, the participants were extremely diverse geographically, ethnically, and experientially. The three-week group joined with the one-week students to learn together.

The participants enthusiastically attended detailed lectures from an array of senior OU professionals specializing in virtually every industry out there: emulsifiers, flavors, meat, dairy, produce, chemicals, snacks, bakeries, fish, seasonings, oils, vitamins, pasta, eggs, wines, food services, liquid beverages, stabilizers and powder blends, sweeteners, grains, bulk transport, and more. The students attended explanatory kosher audits of several OU-certified facilities, including major poultry and oil plants as well as a host of renowned OU-certified food service establishments in Manhattan.

The OU is proud to be able to play the leading role in enhancing kosher certification throughout the globe and mentoring and cultivating the next generation of kosher certification professionals. Actively pursuing its commitment to quality, diversity and enriching local and global communities, elevates the mission of the OU and brings greater strength to its esteemed brand.


OU KOSHER RABBI MENACHEM GENACK RABBINIC ADMINISTRATOR / CEO RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT EXECUTIVE RABBINIC COORDINATOR / COO DIRECTOR, NEW COMPANY DEPARTMENT

RABBI YAAKOV LUBAN EXECUTIVE RABBINIC COORDINATOR

RABBI MOSHE ZYWICA EXECUTIVE RABBINIC COORDINATOR,

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

RABBI NACHUM RABINOWITZ SENIOR RABBINIC COORDINATOR

RABBI YOSEF GROSSMAN SENIOR EDUCATIONAL RABBINIC COORDINATOR

RABBI YERACHMIEL MORRISON INGREDIENT APPROVAL REGISTRY

RABBI ABRAHAM JURAVEL INGREDIENT APPROVAL REGISTRY

RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEIN DIRECTOR, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

HARVEY BLITZ CHAIRMAN, JOINT KASHRUT COMMISSION

RABBI KENNETH AUMAN CHAIRMAN, RABBINIC KASHRUT COMMISSION

RABBI EMANUEL HOLZER CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

ORTHODOX UNION MARTIN NACHIMSON PRESIDENT

ALLEN I. FAGIN EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT

RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH EXECUTIVE VICE

WEINREB PRESIDENT, EMERITUS

MAYER FERTIG CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL

RABBI DR. ELIYAHU SAFRAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

STEPHEN STEINER EDITOR

ATARA ARBESFELD ASSISTANT EDITOR

CARRIE BEYLUS COPY EDITOR

ESTHER BERGER LAYOUT

GET YOUR PRODUCTS FEATURED on OU Kosher’s facebook page, www.facebook.com/oukosher,

and twitter page, www.twitter.com/OUKosher

Email [email protected] a short blurb of text and an image of the product you wish to feature

on our OU Kosher social media accounts.

Behind the Union Symbol - Fall 2014

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Transcript of Behind the Union Symbol - Fall 2014