Tag Archives: Chodosh

The Rise of Oat Matzos

January 2025

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The advent of baking oat matzah for Pesach is a relatively new phenomenon. As one of the Five Grains, oats qualify as an ingredient for matzah. Until circa 5740 (1980s), however, it never appeared in recorded halacha as something that was done in actual practice.

If someone with a wheat allergy can tolerate spelt, matzah made from spelt is an ideal alternative. Spelt and wheat are closely related both structurally and halachically. Additionally, some suggest that the order of grains in the Mishnah has significance. Thus, spelt, which appears third in the list, takes precedence over rye or oats. Others reject this notion and hold that position on the list does not indicate hierarchy for matzah.

What are the options for people who suffer from celiac disease, an inherited autoimmune disorder identified in the 1950s as being triggered by gliadin […]

Yoshon & Pas Yisroel Guidelines

Updated August 11, 2025

This page is dedicated in memory of Rav Yosef Herman הרב יוסף בן הרב יהושע זצ”ל, who is credited with singlehandedly raising awareness about Yoshon in America and throughout chutz la’aretz and renewing the klal’s commitment to this precious mitzvah. He undertook the responsibility to conduct extensive research about Yoshon products and to publish Yoshon updates year after year without remuneration. May all of our work be an aliyah for his neshama.

Latest Updates from the Kashrus Agencies

Our committee has been very busy these last few weeks getting in touch with our mills to see what the forecasts are for the Chodosh harvest for wheat, barley and oats. As we know, this has been a year of unusual weather. Very rainy in some (maybe most) places and very dry in others. This seems to be creating a difficult scenario for crop forecasts and large discrepancies amongst farmers and […]