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    • Who Has Whom…Over the Barrel?

    Who Has Whom…Over the Barrel?

    By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

    Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2023

    The immortal words of Koheles, “l’kol zman va’eis” – there
    is a time and a place for everything – rings true in all of life’s twists and turns
    and is certainly relevant in the world of kashrus and kashrus standards. Kosher
    food certification has grown exponentially, and standards have improved with
    age. Who would have dreamed that pas Yisroel, bishul Yisroel, and
    cholov Yisroel would be available to the wider kosher marketplace?

    Forty years ago, a can of tuna with bishul Yisroel and hashgacha
    temidis was a rare commodity. Many a yeshiva would resort to stam cholov
    when cholov Yisroel wasn’t available, something that would be
    unheard of half a century later. Yoshon was an anomaly, except for the
    meticulous few; today, yoshon is a kosher household term and it
    continues to proliferate.

    These amazing developments across a variety of industries are a
    testament to the tireless diligence of kashrusagencies who strive to
    provide the kosher consumer with the finest […]

    Rice: Nature’s Answer To Hashem’s Blessings

    Rice: Nature’s Answer To Hashem’s Blessings

    By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

    Kashrus Kurrents, Winter 2023

    It has been touted as nature’s most versatile food. There is no single
    grain that feeds more people around the globe and, because it is free of gluten
    and allergens, can be tolerated by most everyone. It is the most widely
    consumed staple for over half of the world’s human population.[1]

    When the Gemara in Brachos discusses the brachos that
    are made before and after eating this versatile grain, the mnemonic used to
    remember the poskim’s conclusion is אמן: Orez, Mezonos, Nefashos. The grain we are discussing is
    Oryza sativa, which the Gemara refers to as orez.[2] We
    know it, simply, as rice.

    There are over 7,000 varieties of rice grown worldwide. Rice is mostly consumed in the Asian regions from Japan in the east
    to Pakistan in the west and, after sugarcane and maize, is the third most
    produced agricultural crop in the world.[3] China
    and India account for more than half […]

    STAR-K FOOD SERVICE KASHRUS TRAINING SEMINAR IS WORTH THE TRIP…EVEN FROM ISRAEL AND COSTA RICA

    STAR-K FOOD SERVICE KASHRUS TRAINING SEMINAR IS WORTH THE TRIP…EVEN FROM ISRAEL AND COSTA RICA

    08 | 12 | 2019

    Shai and Maayan Ben-Eli traveled the farthest – 5,863 miles from Yerushalayim – to attend the STAR-K Food Service Kashrus Training Seminar, held in the agency’s Baltimore offices, August 5-7. The Ben-Elis are being groomed not only as STAR-K mashgichim for their upcoming move to Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India, but as the agency’s emissaries to the once-thriving Jewish community.

    There has been a Jewish presence in Kolkata since 1798, when a Syrian jewel trader, Shalom Cohen, migrated there. Other Jews followed, mostly from Iraq and Syria, who opened businesses and exported silk, indigo, and opium. By the last half of the 19th century, the city was bustling with 3,000 Jews. During World War II, the Jewish population peaked with those seeking refuge. The community teemed with Jewish amenities for its nearly 5,000 Jews until that number rapidly diminished when India gained independence from the British in 1947 and, again, with the […]

    Candy is Dandy

    Candy is Dandy

    By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

    Walking through a candy store leaves one with little doubt that great creative genius has been a long time associate of the candy industry. It is an absolutely amazing act of wizardry to see the multitude of confectionery varieties, shapes, textures, and tastes that can emerge from sugar, chocolate, and corn syrup. Chewy caramels, cotton candy, lollipops, chocolate pralines, nut logs with creamy nougat fillings, the list is endless.

    A “TAIL” OF TWO CITIES: Worldwide Fish Production

    A “TAIL” OF TWO CITIES: Worldwide Fish Production

    By: Joel Weinberger, Star-K Field Supervisor

    The following article describes the saga of two diverse Star-K fish productions in two very different parts of the world – Kodiak, Alaska, and Sarong Irianjaya, Indonesia. Salmon is produced in Alaska, and tuna is produced in the Far East. Traveling to both locations is equally arduous and each location presents its own set of challenges to the traveling Mashgiach.

    Electronic Letters of Certification Available

    Electronic Letters of Certification Available

    In keeping with Star-K’s commitment to providing prompt, efficient service, Star-K companies will now have the option of receiving their Letter of Certification (LOC) electronically. This enhancement is especially useful for companies that send multiple LOC’s to each of their customers. For example, rather than faxing a five-page LOC to a long list of customers, Star-K companies will be only a click away from electronic LOC distribution. All their customers can receive the data they need in seconds.

    Furthermore, because the LOC is in a “read only” Adobe file, security is assured. (Adobe Acrobat Reader is a commonly used program, easily downloaded from the internet.) An electronic LOC helps maintain the integrity of important information such as, “kosher for Passover” certification, or “when bearing the Star-K symbol”. This is most beneficial for kosher certification agencies.

    This most recent change represents Star-K’s ongoing effort to maintain a state-of-the-art computer system in order to […]