Search Articles
Filter By
  • Appliances
  • Getting Certified
  • Insect Checking
  • Insights From the Institute
  • Israel
  • Keeping Kosher
  • Medicine
  • Mitzvos
  • Shabbos
  • Travel
  • Yom Tov
    • Eating Well on Pesach: Shiurim for Matzah and Wine for Healthy Individuals and Those With Diabetes or Other Medical Conditions

    Eating Well on Pesach: Shiurim for Matzah and Wine for Healthy Individuals and Those With Diabetes or Other Medical Conditions

    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 […]

    Pesach Shiurim for Matzah and Wine: For Healthy Individuals and Those With Diabetes or Other Medical Conditions (Abridged Article)

    Pesach Shiurim for Matzah and Wine: For Healthy Individuals and Those With Diabetes or Other Medical Conditions (Abridged Article)

    March 2025

    Download PDF of Article

    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 […]

    Halachos of Taking Medicine on Pesach

    Halachos of Taking Medicine on Pesach

    By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

    Reviewed January 2025

    Download PDF of Article

    For many years, Rav Gershon Bess prepared a Guide for Pesach Medications and Cosmetics which was published and distributed by Kollel Los Angeles. A partnership with STAR-K and the Kollel to make this information more widely available to the general public is still going strong after more than a quarter century. The Medications and Cosmetics Guide, available in Jewish bookstores nationwide, serves as an invaluable resource for kosher consumers seeking to purchase these items for Yom Tov.

    Sefer Kovetz Halachos (Hilchos Pesach 12:4) states in the name of HaRav Shmuel Kamenetzky, shlit”a, that lechatchila one should take a medication approved for Pesach and mentions the availability and use of reliable Pesach lists and guides (see Hilchos Pesach, ibid., footnote 5).

    The halachos pertaining to medication and cosmetic use on Pesach are based on the joint psak of Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, […]

    Advice for People with Celiac, Food Allergies and Gluten-Free Restrictions on Pesach

    Advice for People with Celiac, Food Allergies and Gluten-Free Restrictions on Pesach

    Updated January 2025

    Yomim Tovim are synonymous with food—and lots of it! During Pesach, the temptation to eat and overeat, perhaps the wrong things for eight straight days, is extra challenging. The good news is that you don’t have to resolve to store away those extra pounds which you will regret just as you store away your Pesach dishes for next year. STAR-K is grateful to Sarah Klugman, RD, for sharing her Pesach nutrition advice on which this article is based. They include tips for gluten-free and celiac individuals, as well as those with various food allergies.

    Sarah Klugman suggests, “Always make Kiddush in the morning. It’s the key to a successful day! Use light grape juice 1 and have a starch or fruit and milk. Regarding when to make Kiddush and how to fulfill Kiddush b’makom seuda, consult your rav. Good ideas are: starch/fruit and milk; fruit and yogurt; […]