Yeshiva World News

HaRav Padwa's Fish Teshuva

Click HERE to read the Teshuva written by HaRav Moshe Chaim Efraim Padwa, Adv beis Din of Hisachdos Kiehilos Charedim of London.

A New Trend; Jerusalem Weddings Without Hechsherim

This is perhaps a preamble to what may become my next obsession, but since I am not certain how things will develop, and if time will permit me to probe this in depth as quickly as I would like, or more correctly, as the situation demands, I feel a need to advise readers – to wave a warning flag as it were. Over the past year, while attending smachot (weddings or bar mitzvahs for example) and in some cases, just crashing [not to eat but to enter the kitchen, posing as a guest, asking a ...

CRC Kashrus Alerts 6/17/10

Kashrus Administrator of the Chicago Rabbinical Council June 17, 2010 In May 2010 AKO released an alert about Jewish owned American whisky companies. Please click HERE for that alert which now includes updated information on the popular Pappy Van Winkle line of products. Please note that the cRc no longer certifies Newman Trucking and Trans Tech Logistics. The cRc is proud to welcome Chicago TailGators - a new kosher caterer in the Chicago area, 3411 W. Dempster 847-343-9170 ...

Asi's Grill and Sushi Bar Under Kosher Miami

"Asi's Grill and Sushi Bar" has recently been added to the list of establishments certified by Kosher Miami, The Vaad HaKashrus of Miami-Dade.   Asi's is located at 4020 Royal Palm Avenue in Miami Beach, on the corner of 41st Street, serving grilled meats, fish and healthy home made foods. (YWN Desk - NYC)

Southern Comfort Kashrus Alert

According to noted authority on alcoholic beverages Rabbi Shmuel Semelman, who is affiliated with the Jerusalem Religious Council Kashrut Division, there are three categories of Southern Comfort. Produced in Ireland, with a hechsher from Badatz Basel and Badatz Beit Yosef. This is ONLY the case if the kashrut symbols are visible on the bottles, which are parve. A special run has been imported with approval via the Jerusalem Rabbinate due to the efforts of Rabbi Semelman, BUT ONLY those ...

Just What Are Mehadrin Standards [Part 5 of 6]

A personal note of apology: Yes, this is my third attempt to write the final column on this topic; as you will soon see, I am again unsuccessful. This is NOT intentional. I congratulate members of BTYA who are able to smile and say, “I could’a told you this would happen!”   From last week’s column: BUT, how do I know which hashgachos have the standards that I, too, want to uphold? In fact, how do I know which standards I want to uphold? How do I know which hashgachos are themselves ...

Just What Are Mehadrin Standards? [Part 4 of 6]

In this article I will b’ezras Hashem summarize and encapsulate what we have learned, and I will suggest a derech in understanding the plethora of claims of being mehadrin. Let me start by reiterating that mehadrin is about standards, not about kashrus per se; standards — both practical (how do I make a problem less likely to develop; how long will it take for a problem to develop; and how will I know if and when one does develop?) and halachic (how much care is taken to cover the shitos ...

Just What Are Mehadrin Standards? [Part 3 of 6]

Let us pause for a moment from our talk of airlines and chickens, and before going on to eiruvin, tefillin, mikva’os, and buses, let us try to understand exactly what we are talking about.   A layman assumes that halacha, and halachic matters, are basically black and white. Something is either mutar or assur, treif or kosher, posul or kosher.   But that is not at all so! Something can be wrong to do initially, but may be acceptable after the fact or when there is a great loss involved. ...

Rav Elyashiv Rules Permissively on Herring: Forbids Wild Salmon & Other Fish Unless Inspected

[Rabbi Yair Hoffman - 5 Towns Jewish Times] In a series of meetings with Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Karp and  others, both on Tuesday and today, Thursday, Rav Elyashiv Shlita issued two rulings:  He firmly reaffirmed the prohibition of consuming all fish species that have the Anisakis water nematode (worm) and he also ruled, however, that herring are permitted lechatchila. According to both Rabbi Karp and others present, Rav Elyashiv stressed that the Anisakis is forbidden because of the ...

Just What Are Mehadrin Standards? [Part 2 of 6]

We left our readers in mid-air, so to speak, trying to decide which airline to use, based on its safety standards. Should s/he use the government-approved airline with minimal standards (basic standards which will (probably) work (most of the time)), but perhaps too often will fail? It also uses certain parts that some aviation experts believe are actually substandard. However, it is definitely the most inexpensive airline, and because their standards are more relaxed, they are able to fly to ...

Glenmorangie, Scotland's Favorite Single Malt, Announces OU Kosher Certification

The Glenmorangie Company and Moet Hennessy USA announced today that Glenmorangie Original, Scotland’s favorite single malt, has become kosher certified by the Orthodox Union (OU), the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agency. Additionally, its pioneering new expression, Glenmorangie Astar, has also become kosher-certified. The company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whiskey brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, ...

Q & A: Whiskey Kashrus Issue

Whisky Alert Questions and Answers May 17, 2010 On May 6th AKO released an alert regarding whisky which has led to a considerable number of questions from consumers.  This document will address the most common of those questions. 1.      The alert was on AKO stationery and quoted the “AKO Executive Committee”.  Pardon my ignorance, but who are these people? AKO has been the umbrella group for national and community hashgachos in North America and beyond for the past 25 ...

UPDATED: Problematic Whiskey List

May 17, 2010 The AKO Executive Committee has reason to believe that there are large liquor companies in the United States which may be owned in whole or part by Jews. We are concerned that such companies may not have arranged for the sale of their chametz (mechiras chametz) during Pesach. These companies primarily manufacture bourbon, cordials, and American whiskey, and also deal in a small amount of Scotch and vodka. Chametz-containing liquors owned, produced and/or aged by Jewish-owned ...

Meet the Hisachdus Kehilos HaChareidim Hechsher

This new hechsher, which is up-and-running today, is the result of months and months of planning, the result of joint efforts by many of the Chassidic Courts in Israel. The shechita was performed in Mishur Adumim, and the first chickens are expected to be seen in chareidi areas tomorrow, Wednesday, June 9th. The first shipment was sent to Laniado Hospital in Netanya, where patients and staff will be the first group enjoying the latest member of the Israel kashrus market. YWN-ISRAEL ...

Just What Are Mehadrin Standards? [Part 1 of 6]

(By Rabbi Chaim Malinowitz - with permission from ’Chadash’ Beit Shemesh Weekly)   25 Sivan 5770 June 7, 2010 Speaking of kashrus, I am quite often literally bombarded with shailos about hechsherim. What, ultimately, is the difference between them? Why do we need mehadrin hechsherim? (Actually, why do we need hechsherim at all? This will, bli neder, be a subject of another piece someday.) What does a mehadrin hechsher imply? Are we making a statement that the non-mehadrin ...

CRC Kashrus Alerts 6/02/10

Kashrus Administrator of the Chicago Rabbinical Council June 2, 2010  The following two soft serve ice cream flavor toppings listed bellow manufactured by Flavor Burst, Danville, Illinois, were previously listed as cRc pareve but have been found to contain dairy ingredients (Cholov Stam); FLA028 Cheesecake Flavor, FLA028SH Cheesecake flavor. Corrective measures have been taken Please note a correction from a previous alert; Pace Salsa without the OU or Half Moon K on the label remains ...

An Apology to Rabbi Mordechai Kuber From Rabbi Chaim Scher

Approximately two weeks ago, YWN exclusively published an article from Rabbi Scher refuting the previous article written by rabbi Kuber regarding the worms in fish. Rabbi Kuber is to be commended for his decision to continue this Halachic debate privately [as Rabbi Kuber wrote publicly in his second, and final public letter to YWN]. I fully agree that this continuing dialogue belongs in the Bais Hamedrash. The purpose of Torah arguments are to uncover the truth and should not be turned into ...