Welcome to The Kosher Conversation, a podcast with in-depth conversations about all things kashrus-related, and featuring interviews with kashrus professionals discussing their successes, challenges, and what you need to know to be an educated kosher consumer. Send your questions and comments to [email protected].
Winter 2026
The intoxicating smell of raw meat sizzling on a grill, accompanied by the smoky pungency of a well-tended fire, is an intensely appealing sensory experience. From the moment the meat hits the heated surface and begins to sear, natural sugars and amino acids in the meat react with each other to trigger the “Maillard reaction” – more commonly known as caramelization – which releases a heady, irresistible aroma and an explosion of flavor. When done well, the barbecuing process produces involuntary gastronomic reactions in all who experience it.
The sensory reactions described above are actually an integral component of korbanos. The Gemara in Zevachim (46b) learns from the word rei’ach that the korbanos must be cooked on the mizbei’ach because precooked meat does not provide the rei’ach experience. Even the cooking technique prescribed for the edible parts of the korban had to be the very best option. This explains why […]
Winter 2026
The incredible edible egg. Eggs are, indeed, incredible. They can be hard boiled, soft boiled, fried or scrambled and are an essential ingredient in baking. Eggs give challah a shining glow. When my mother a”h was not feeling well – and when all else failed – she drank a gogel mogel, two raw eggs mixed with honey … and it did the trick.
Then there’s the reproductive aspect of eggs: when they hatch into chicks who mature into hens, we are afforded sumptuous varieties of poultry delicacies that are staples of our Shabbos tables. These are all excellent outcomes of Hashem’s incredible creation.
But are all eggs equal? More importantly, are all eggs kosher? As we shall soon explain, the incredible edible egg is, in some cases, incredibly inedible from a kashrus standpoint.
The Kashrus of Eggs
The Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 86:1) teaches that the simanim for a kosher egg are that its […]
Winter 2026
“I would like to purchase a countertop which can be kashered for Pesach. What should I buy?”
“I moved into a house, and the previous owner was not Jewish. Can I kasher the countertop?”
The answer to these questions and variations thereof depends on the material from which the countertop is made. We will begin by addressing which materials can be kashered and which cannot; then describe the kashering process; and finally, conclude with guidelines for countertops that cannot be kashered.
Countertop Materials
Kitchen countertops can be made from a host of different materials. Some materials can be kashered, and some cannot. (See the chart in Fig. 1.)
With regard to stone countertops, there are two basic types:
► A natural stone slab – This is one large piece of natural stone. The slab is mined whole and left intact.
► An engineered stone composite – This consists of stone fragments which have been pressed and […]
Fall 2025
The global spice trade has thrived for millennia. Whether over land or ancient maritime routes, merchants sold their aromatic wares as they competed to expand their markets. The spice traders who kidnapped Yosef HaTzadik on their way to Mitzrayim attest to the long history of this commodity. But the reference to spices in the Torah goes back even further. We find it by briyas haolam: barasi yetzer hara, barasi Torah tavlin vo – I have created the evil inclination, I have created Torah as a “spice” (i.e., an antidote) to counter it.[1]
The word spice originated from the Latin species, meaning sort or kind (interestingly, the same meaning that species has today) and it referred to an item of special value. Ancient Roman merchants deeply prized Indian black pepper which they considered more precious than gold, terming it “black gold.” This pungent and versatile spice has an estimated heat rating […]
Fall 2025
[This is an expanded version of the article that appeared in the Fall 2025 print issue of Kashrus Kurrents.]
Basar b’cholov – the Torah’s prohibition against mixtures of meat and milk and its Rabbinic guardrails – constitutes one of the most fundamental laws of kashrus. Repeated thrice in the Torah, the posuk of lo sevasheil g’di bachaleiv eemo[1] – do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk – proscribes three distinct actions: (1) cooking meat with milk (bishul);[2] (2) eating the mixture (achilah); and (3) deriving benefit from the mixture (hana’ah).
Conventionally, milk is defined as the mammary gland secretion of a lactating mammal. This definition usually aligns with the halachic parameters of what’s considered milchig for purposes of keeping it separate from meat in a kosher kitchen. But is that always so? Can milk sometimes be pareve?[3]
Certainly, the whitish, liquid derivatives of […]
Fall 2025
When Covid-19 turned the world upside down not so long ago, many people sickened with the virus reported a most unusual symptom: they had lost their sense of smell. Suddenly, the world became dull and flat. Food was tasteless. They could not enjoy the aroma of a just-baked challah or the scent of a bouquet of flowers. Upon recovering, survivors gained a newfound appreciation for the blessing of smell and rejoiced in its restoration.
As with all the myriad brachos bequeathed to us by Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the Torah provides us with guidance as to how to properly express our appreciation for each. I thought it would be interesting to investigate the topic of birchas harei’ach, the blessing on scents.
The source of these brachos is a Gemara (Brachos 43b) that asks: what is something that only the neshama derives pleasure from and not the body? The Gemara answers: The sense […]
Summer 2025
Which pilgrimage site is the most visited around the world? While some may guess the Vatican (approximately 7 million visitors a year) or Mecca (10 million), few would fathom that one of the contenders for the title is a remote Indian temple located on one of the Tirumala hills near the town of Tirupati in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
An estimated 25 million Hindu pilgrims visit the temple each year – an average of 68,500 visitors daily. Although this seems like a huge number of pedestrian traffic, it is worth noting that, as a percentage of the Indian population, this would correspond to approximately 16,500 visitors were the site in the U.S.
What do the visitors do in Tirupati? They wait in line all day to get a glimpse of the avodah zara in the temple for a few fleeting seconds. Another popular activity is tonsuring, the act of shaving […]
Summer 2025
From fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt cups to your Bubby’s famous galarita (a.k.a. p’tcha), collagen – and its modified form, gelatin – seems to be everywhere these days. It is no exaggeration to state that the food and health industries are currently undergoing a veritable collagen craze. In 2023, the collagen market had a value of $5.1 billion, with no signs of slowing down; it is projected to top $7.4 billion by 2030.[1] What exactly is collagen and why is it so popular?
Collagen is a fibrous, insoluble protein found in all living beings. The word collagen comes from the Greek word kolla, meaning glue, which is a fitting term for a substance that makes up a major portion of bone, skin and connective tissue and serves as the glue that holds the body together. There are three main types: type I, found in skin, tendons, bones and ligaments; type II, […]
Summer 2025
As noted in the article, “The Sheitel Controversy,” the author reviewed a wide array of sources that could not be included due to space considerations. Links to many of these sources are presented here for those who wish to delve more deeply into this fascinating topic.
More material can be found at חומר בנושא תקרובת עבודה זרה בפאות Google Drive and קונטרסים – מכון הישכם אוהבים את ה’ לחקר תקרובת העבודה זרה בפאות
Please email the author at [email protected] if you have any additional articles or books on this topic that are available to be uploaded and shared with the public, or if you are the author of an article and would like it to be removed from this page.
DISCLAIMER
► The author takes no responsibility for the appropriateness or accuracy of the material below or its halachic or hashkafic content. ◄
Annotated Summaries of Online Resources
NOTE: Some of the material […]
Summer 2025
Widely available gelatin substitutes provide kosher consumers with sound alternatives to meat- and fish-based gelatin products. They are also making headway in the field of vitamin and medicinal capsules.
Popular gelatin alternatives that are seaweed-based include:
► Agar Agar/Kanten:Derived from some species of red algae. Has strong setting properties similar to gelatin. Will gel at room temperature. Is more affected by acidity than gelatin and thus can cause fruity desserts to turn watery.
►Carrageenan/Irish Moss: Is a reddish-purple seaweed. Less stiff than Agar Agar. Useful as an emulsifier and a thickener.
Gelatin alternatives that are vegetable-derived and that can be used as stabilizers, emulsifiers, or thickeners include:
► Gellan Gum: Produced by the microbial fermentation of a carbohydrate using the bacterium Sphingomonas elodea. Requires reliable kosher certification to verify that the ingredients used in their processing are all kosher and that the equipment used for their processing are all kosher parve.
► Guar Gum: A […]
Summer 2025
Every year at the STAR-K Chanuka mesiba, Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a, STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator, rises to address the assembled. His annual message consists of a brief Chanuka dvar Torah, expressions of hakaras hatov to the entire staff, and a reiteration of the uncompromising principles of emes and shalom by which STAR-K is governed.
This year, he added the following to his divrei chizuk: “Good kashrus requires a clear understanding of products, process, and all the source materials that go into a certified product. What are they?
“Take nuts, for example. Hazelnuts, also known as filberts, are classical tree nuts. The bracha for all nuts grown on a tree is Borei Pri Ha’eitz.
“Peanuts, unlike their other shelled counterparts, grow in the ground. The bracha for peanuts is Borei Pri Ha’adama.
“Doughnuts,” he quipped, “are Borei Minei Mezonos. And what bracha do you make on a gallnut? None!”
“What is a gallnut? A gallnut is […]
Updated July 16, 2025
The purpose of the lists below is ONLY to clarify STAR-K policy with regard to fish possibly infested with Anisakis worms. It is not intended to address any other STAR-K policies regarding kosher fish (e.g., the requirement for Bishul Yisroel, hashgacha temidis, buying fish from a non-certified source).
Please REVIEW CAREFULLY since there are some species of fish which appear on BOTH lists. Their acceptability or non-acceptability could depend on where they originate or the type of fish (i.e., whole or fillet).
Please call STAR-K before using any fish not included on this list.
For answers to frequently asked questions about purchasing fresh fish from non-kosher stores or sources, review the STAR-K Fresh Fish Policy page.
APPROVED
Until further notice, only the varieties of fish found on the list below may be used without any need for inspection:
Baby SalmonBangus BarramundiBranzini (or […]
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Spring 2025
Over the years, I have been invited on multiple occasions to speak at various girls’ high schools in Lakewood about the impact of astronomy on the Jewish calendar and halachic zmanim. The inherent message I have aimed to give over is that one needs a basic understanding of math and science to fully comprehend certain halachic issues.
For example, the earth’s rotation on its axis is the basis of zmanei hayom (halachic times of the day) that are so much a part of our lives with regard to davening times and knowing when Shabbos and Yom Tov begin and end. One needs to know how the moon rotates around the earth to better understand Rosh Chodesh and the Jewish calendar. Indeed, Chazal had keen insights into scientific topics that were discovered hundreds of years later by researchers.
Investigating how a product is manufactured and analyzing the composition of the raw materials […]
Spring 2025
Vinegar has a long and storied history and plays a highly-prized role in every aspect of modern life – whether as a nutrient, flavorant, preservative or household cleanser. The name vinegar is derived from the French “vin aigre, which literally means sour wine. According to legend, its discovery is credited to a neglected barrel of wine that had been left in storage and allowed to ferment and become sour.
We find several references to vinegar in both Tanach and the Gemara. A nazir is forbidden to consume anything derived from grapes, which includes wine vinegar;[1] Dovid Hamelech accuses his tormentors metaphorically of giving him vinegar to quench his thirst;[2] Boaz’s workers dip their bread in vinegar;[3] and Mar Ukva refers to himself as “Chometz ben Yayin” – Vinegar, the son of Wine – when comparing himself to his father’s degree of piety.[4]
Vinegar […]
Spring 2025
For many years, Rav Moshe Heinemann shlit”a instructed STAR-K to advise consumers that electric appliances which require tevila – such as toasters, waffle makers and hot water kettles – can be toveled and left to dry for three days. I have given this advice probably thousands of times and never once had a call back that the appliance was ruined.
There are, however, appliances that have both electric and electronic components. Electric devices convert electrical energy into other forms of energy, while electronic devices control the flow of electrons to perform tasks. Once exposed to water, damage to electronics begins within seconds – and the longer the exposure, the worse the damage.
Printed circuit boards consist of a laminate containing fiberglass and copper-clad epoxy, which forms the circuit’s wiring. This creates the perfect environment for galvanic or two-metal corrosion. Water contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and salt, which accelerate […]
Spring 2025
We are an Am Kadosh, a Holy People, who are mandated by Hashem to imbue all aspects of our lives with holiness. We elevate even the mundane activity of eating and vest it with special kedusha (sanctity): the food on our plates must be kosher and the table on which we eat is likened to the holy mizbe’ach. The plates themselves, and all keilim (vessels and utensils) used to prepare our food, must likewise be infused with kedusha.
Just as an aino Yehudi must tovel in a mikvah in order to become Jewish, so too must keilim acquired from an aino Yehudi undergo tevila in a mikvah before being used by a Jew. This is the mitzva of tevilas keilim.
If a kli requires tevila, it may not be used even once before it is toveled. If a kli was used numerous times without tevila, one is still required to immerse […]
March 2025
The challenges of diabetes and other health conditions are magnified on Pesach. Aside from the numerous large meals that we have on any Yom Tov, Pesach adds a new set of concerns: the consumption of four cups of wine and set amounts of matzah during the Seder. Before discussing the challenges specific to the Seder, let’s begin by addressing eating during Pesach generally.
Eating Well on Pesach: Tips and Strategies
Enjoying our Yom Tov meals is an important aspect of how we celebrate Pesach. A health concern that may impact how you eat need not decrease your enjoyment of Pesach. There are many aspects of meals on Pesach that can be optimized to enhance your enjoyment.
► Designing the Menu
When planning your meals, consider the variety of foods. Having multiple foods on the table that are good for your health will allow your meals to feel plentiful. For some people, that means […]
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Alos Hashachar – dawn
Bar Mitzvah – a 13-year-old boy who is required to observe the commandments; also refers to the celebration commemorating the boy reaching that age
Bas Mitzvah – a 12-year-old girl who is required to observe the commandments; also refers to the celebration commemorating the girl reaching that age
Batul – nullified
Birkas Hamazon (“the Grace After Meals”) – blessing after a meal that included bread
Bishul Akum – food cooked by a Gentile
Bishul Yisroel – food prepared under the supervision of a mashgiach
Blech – Yiddish term for a sheet of metal
Bris Milah – circumcision of a baby boy, usually when he is eight days old
Brachos – blessings
Charoses – a symbolic mixture of fruit, wine and nuts eaten at the Passover seder meal
Chatzos Halylah – midnight (halfway between sunset and sunrise)
Chatzos Hayom – midday (halfway between sunrise and sunset)
Chodosh (lit. “new”) – a grain from the […]
March 2025
NOTE: A more comprehensive version of this article – Eating Well on Pesach: Shiurim for Matzah and Wine for Healthy Individuals and Those With Diabetes or Other Medical Conditions – provides additional details on this important topic.
Halacha tells us how much wine and matzah one must eat at the Seder. Anyone whose healthcare providers recommend dietary modifications that affect eating matzah or wine should consult with a rav to find out how to follow those health recommendations within halachic guidelines.
Matzah
The guidelines for minimum shiurim for matzah shown below are based on the psak of Rav Moshe Heineman shlit”a. For hand matzah, these calculations are based on Pupa-Tzelem matzos, which are approximately 9 matzos/lb. Note that matzos baked by other matzah bakeries have different sizes and measurements, which will affect the amount required for a shiur as well as […]
Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2025 Issue | Updated January 2026
Eretz Yisroel is also called Eretz Tzvi. Chazal explain that, like the skin of a tzvi (a deer), which stretches beyond its natural state, the Land of Israel likewise expands to accommodate its inhabitants.[1] The Talmud states that anyone who walks four amos in Eretz Yisroel merits a place in the World to Come.[2] From here, some poskim derive that one fulfills a mitzvah merely by visiting Eretz Yisroel, even if one intends to stay for just a short while.[3]
Anyone planning a trip should be mindful of several pertinent halachos. We will review some of these below.
Scheduling the Flight
Do not plan to land too close to Shabbos; a flight landing on Friday morning is halachically acceptable.[4]
Try to avoid leaving Israel on a fast day, as the fast will be extended and you will not […]
Winter 2025
Mazel tov, you are the new parents of a baby boy! If the baby is the bechor of his mother – meaning that he is his mother’s first child – he will need to be redeemed by a kohen. The Torah tells us that Hashem slew every firstborn male in Mitzrayim, passing over the houses of the Bnei Yisrael. As a result, firstborn males acquired a measure of kedusha and must be redeemed by a kohen. The halachos of pidyon haben are somewhat complex and you may not have the time to familiarize yourself with them. Here, then, is a brief primer according to Ashkenazi custom.[1]
When Is a Pidyon Not Required?
If the baby is not his mother’s first child, even if he is his father’s first child
If the father is a kohen or levi, or if the mother is the daughter of a kohen or levi[...] Read More
Winter 2025
Forty years ago, the Lakeshore Hebrew Day School of New Orleans celebrated its 10th Anniversary Dinner in one of the premier hotels in the Vieux Carré, under the supervision of the local Orthodox rabbi. The day school then housed the New Orleans Kollel, of which I was a member. The event was so special that my Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Henoch Leibowitz ztz”l, was brought in as the guest speaker.
Before the event, we met extensively with the hotel chef, the pastry chef, and the food and beverage director to ensure that – even though the hotel was kosher certified – there would be no kashrus hiccups. When the big day arrived, I came with a crew made up of the chevrei hakollel to supervise the cooking for the event. Imagine our alarm when the chef showed us the “kosher” soup kettle – gleaming on the inside but encrusted with crawfish […]
Winter 2025
[Sidebar to “Destination Simcha: From Meat Board to Surfboard.”]
For many people, juggling and coordinating all the details involved in planning a simcha – from booking the hall, arranging the décor, designing the invitations, planning the menu, ordering the food, to running random errands – is simply … overwhelming. Enter the party planner. This increasingly popular option has been gaining traction over the last few years, but not without its perils.
Party planners offer concierge services to help alleviate much of the stress involved in planning a simcha. They are typically more affordable than a full-service caterer who is under a hashgacha. Party planners work within your budget to offer any number of services at different tiers: they may handle the décor and design but may leave it to you to bring in your own food, or they can coordinate everything from “soup to nuts.” This is when the problems […]
Updated November 2024
►APPROVED OB/GYN MEDICATIONS & PRODUCTS is a USA-only list reviewed by STAR-K for year-round use. IT IS NOT A PASSOVER LIST.
►The list includes kosher approved products that are often prescribed by an OB/GYN.
►Products are approved only when sold in the United States in the indicated form (e.g., caplets, tablets).
►Premarin, Prempro and Prometrium, which are not kosher medications, are not included in the list. These are addressed in the STAR-K Kashrus Guide for the OB/GYN Patient article on this site.
►Company names are indicated for prescription drugs.
►The list indicates only the kosher status of a product. With respect to the use of any particular product due to other halachic issues, a rav should be consulted.
►Consult your physician before taking any medication.
Related Articles and Lists
STAR-K Kashrus Guide for the OB/GYN Patient
The STAR-K OTC Medicine List: Understanding How the List was Compiled
Updated November 2024
►APPROVED OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS is a USA-only list reviewed by STAR-K for year-round use. IT IS NOT A PASSOVER LIST.
►Products are approved only when sold in the United States and in the indicated form (e.g. caplets, children’s). For products sold outside the USA, contact the local kashrus agency.
►The list is a small sample of frequently used over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Prescription medications are generally not included.
►If a medication is not listed, it may still be kosher. One should consult a rav.
►Certifying agencies are indicated next to products that have kosher certification.
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: It is imperative that each individual understands that under no circumstances should one refrain from taking a prescribed medication or withhold such a medication from children without discussing the matter with a competent rav and/or physician.
STAR-K Certified Companies
For a list of companies that produce kosher certified vitamins, nutritional supplements and over-the-counter products […]
ONGOING NEED
STAR-K is seeking a qualified candidate to work about 20 hours/week, Wednesday-Thursday, as a mashgiach at Shalom Kosher, in Silver Spring, Maryland. Good pay.
Complete our online application form to apply and mark it to the attention of Rabbi Zvi Holland. Be sure to include your resume with your application.
For more information, contact [email protected].
Fall 2024
In medieval folklore, alchemists were supposedly able to transform lead into gold. Their craft was the stuff of fantasy. But in contemporary life, through the wonders of kosher food science, we are witness to a veritable world of transformation. An impressive example of chemical transformation that would make an alchemist envious is the production of silica gel.
The Chemical Transformation of Sand
Silica gel is a desiccant. It is a highly versatile industrial product, used to absorb moisture in toothpaste, paint and telephone wires, among a myriad of other uses. Granules of silica gel fill the little white packets marked “do not swallow” in your shoe boxes. Kosher food applications include silica gel in spices as an anti-caking agent or as an absorbent in an oil refinery.
Chemically, the basic raw material for silica gel is sodium silicate. More simply, we know it as sand. When sodium silicate is mixed with sulfuric […]
Fall 2024
True to Hashem’s promise, the children of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov are today scattered in countries across the globe, upholding the teachings of the Avot and perpetuating our beautiful mesorah, each according to his own traditions.
A Brief History
Until the 1970s, American Jewry – then comprised mainly of Ashkenazim – was largely unfamiliar with the minhagim of Sephardi Jews[1] and the Bnei Edot Hamizrach.[2] That changed after 1976, when Rabbi Herman Neuberger zt”l embarked on a daring mission to travel to Iran and bring a small group of young Iranian bochurim to Baltimore to learn at Ner Israel. Iranian Jewry in those days had few opportunities to study Torah. This took place during the reign of the westernized, secular leader Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Rabbi Neuberger’s plan was that once they earned semicha, the newly ordained rabbis would return to Iran to teach.
Hashem had other plans. […]
Fall 2024
The Torah tells us that Ahron and his sons were appointed by Hashem to serve as the first kohanim. The status of kehuna passes from father to son, in that a son of a male kohen is also a kohen. The kohanim were ordained to serve in the Beis Hamikdash and commanded to fulfill specific mitzvos.[1]
Among these is the obligation for male kohanim to preserve their kedusha and to prohibit becoming tamei meis – that is, becoming defiled through contact or exposure to a dead body.[2] Even though we no longer have a Beis Hamikdash, kohanim in our time are still required to observe all the halachos of tumas meis, both in and outside of Eretz Yisroel.[3] A kohen is restricted from becoming tamei even from an akum meis (the body of a deceased aino Yehudi).[4] At times of significant need, […]
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