The ABC's of Food Delivery With recent reports of kosher consumers accidentally receiving food from non-kosher establishments, awareness of proper food-delivery procedures has never been more important. Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger speaks with Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, Kashrus Administrator at the cRc and Executive Director of AKO, about the halachos of chasimos, delivery services, and protecting the integrity of kosher food from restaurant to doorstep. Whether you order through an ap

On this episode of Let’s Talk Kashrus, Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger is joined by Rabbi Dovi Goldstein, Managing Director of Kosher SA, for a fascinating look into the world of kosher safaris in South Africa. From luxury five-star lodges with sealed kosher kitchens and mashgichim flown in on demand, to self-drive family safari adventures with coolers and portable braais, Rabbi Goldstein explains how travelers can experience the African wilderness without compromising on kashrus. The

Part 2 of the sous-vide, can it be used on shabbos or yomtov? Rabbi Dovid Cohen - Administrative Rabbinical Coordinator at the cRc, fills us in on potential shabbos issues with using a sous-vide. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Welcome to Let's talk Kashrus, presented by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am joined by Rabbi Dovid Cohen, administrative Rabbinic coordinator at the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Rabbi Cohen, how are you? R’ Dovid Cohen: I am good, thank you. R’ Yitzcho

Continuing the technology series, we are moving on to the sous-vide and the halachik challenges that arise with it. Rabbi Dovid Cohen - Administrative Rabbinical Coordinator at the cRc, fills us in on potential kashrus issues with a sous-vide. https://askcrc.org/item/Keilim/968499 R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus presented by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am joined by Rabbi David Cohen, administrative rabbinical coordinat

Today's interview focuses on a problem that many people face when kashering for Pesach. New-age technology = new-age problems. How do you kasher glass stovetops? Can they be kashered at all? What about induction stovetops? Let's hear what Rabbi Dovid Cohen - Administrative Rabbinical Coordinator at the cRc has to say on this timely topic. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus presented by the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am privil

Part 3 of our Q&A series with Rav Shmuel Fuerst Dayan of Agudas Yisroel of Illinois to answer some of the recent questions that came in to us at Let's Talk Kashrus. This week's Q&A focuses on some hilchos shabbos issues. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let’s Talk Kashrus , presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project in conjunction with the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am honored to be joined by Rav Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan of Agudath Yisrael of

So you booked a beautiful Airbnb… now what? In this episode of Let’s Talk Kashrus , Rabbi Sholem Fishbane - Kashrus Administrator at the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and Executive Director of AKO, walks us through the practical halachic realities of using an Airbnb kitchen. From stovetops and ovens to microwaves, Keurigs, sinks, and even barbecues — what can you use, what needs kashering, and what should you avoid altogether? Whether you're traveling for vacation, Yom Tov, or

We have discussed party planners in the past, but this week we focus on another angle. Rabbi Yaakov Eisenbach - Rabbinic Coordinator at the cRc gives us the mashgiach's perspective of giving a hechsher to an event that is being run by a party planner, and the complexities it entails. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus , presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project. Today I am privileged to be joined by Rabbi Yaakov Eisenbach, rabbinic

Part 2 of our Q&A series with Rav Shmuel Fuerst Dayan of Agudas Yisroel of Illinois to answer some of the recent questions that came in to us at Let's Talk Kashrus. This week's Q&A focuses on common dining related issues. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project in conjunction with the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am honored to be joined once again by Rav Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan of Agudas Y

When Out-Of-Town When traveling to small towns that have local hechsherim, how does one go about finding out if they can rely on that hechsher? Rabbi Yaakov Eisenbach - Rabbinic Coordinator at the cRc, gives us some guidance on this topic. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project. Today I am privileged to be joined by Rabbi Yaakov Eisenbach, rabbinic coordinator for food service at the Chicago Rabb

Kashrus Complication Oftentimes at high end resorts, these statements can be heard. "The chef knows kosher", or "I'm only getting fish in a brand-new pan", or "The resort has a separate kosher kitchen". Unfortunately, these statements are becoming more and more common, but it really boils down to just 1 question says Rabbi Sholom Tendler - Kashrus Administrator at the STAR-K, "Is there a mashgiach?" Are we really going to trust non-Jewish staff about kashrus now? Who ensures

The Beer Balagan So much confusion in the air regarding the recent news about beer. Is it kosher? Does it need a hechsher? Is this relevant to everyone? Do I need to stock up on beer before January 1st, 2026? We interviewed Rabbi Sholem Fishbane - Kashrus Administrator at the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and Executive Director of AKO, to find out exactly what is going on with the beer. Let's listen in to this insightful conversation. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and wel

Kosher Breakfast Hacks So, you're on vacation and the hotel has a free continental breakfast. What can you eat? What must be avoided? Rabbi Sholom Tendler - Kashrus Administrator at the STAR-K gives us some seasoned travel hacks for our next vacation. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus , presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project and the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am privileged to be joined by Rabbi Sholom Tendler, kashrus adm

Kashrus In The Clouds What’s really in that vape? Join us as we explore the surprising kashrus questions behind e-cigarettes — from flavorings and glycerin to halachic principles that meet modern technology. Rabbi Sholem Fishbane - Kashrus Administrator at the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and Executive Director of AKO clears up some of the fog behind this very important topic. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus . Presented by the Kashrus

Is it possible that all milk isn't kosher? This week we revisit one of the most controversial questions of its time. Rabbi Yosef Landa - Rabbinic Coordinator at cRc Kosher walks us through all the details of this fascinating question. R’ Yitzchok Hisiger: Hello everyone and welcome back to Let's Talk Kashrus , presented by the Kashrus Awareness Project and the CRC, the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Today I am honored to be joined by Rabbi Yosef Landa, Rabbinic Coordinator at t

Many questions are sent in to us on various kashrus issues. This week we sit down with Rav Shmuel Fuerst Dayan of Agudas Yisroel of...

Supply Chain Rifts What happens when supply chains get disrupted? How about when ingredients need to be replaced due to skyrocketing...

“The kiddush will be held in Rabbi Cohen’s shul, so I’m sure everything is fine.” Although Rabbi Cohen is the Mara d’Asra, there is a good chance he is uninvolved in the kashrus of the simchah hall associated with the shul. For several years, Rabbi Sholem Yehudah Fishbane, executive director of Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) and kashrus administrator for Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc), has been working with his associates to develop a protocol for shuls to ensur

Over 1,000 meals are served daily in the average Jewish summer camp. For two months, breakfast, lunch and supper are cooked, baked and doled out for campers, staff and their families. The menu includes milchigs, fleishigs and pareve. “Even the busiest restaurant or caterer rarely faces an operation as complex as running a summer camp,” says Rabbi Sholom Chaim Tendler of Star-K. “The sheer volume of food, with changes from a dairy breakfast to a meat supper, is daunting. Keepi

Keeping the Kitchens Kosher “It was learned in the Beis Medrash of Rabi Yishmael: Sin obstructs the heart of man, as it is written, ‘V’lo sitamu bahem, v’nitmeisem bam — Do not defile yourself with them lest you become defiled through them’ (Vayikra 11:43). Do not read it ‘v’nitmeisem,’ but rather [read it] ‘v’nitamtem — and you will become obstructed’” (Yoma 39a). The Ramban and others explain that this is mainly referring to the prohibition of eating forbidden foods, which