

A Project of cRc Kosher Chicago
Kashrus Awareness Project
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- Risky Whiskey
חמץ שעבר עליו הפסח Chometz? Who’s thinking about Chometz now? Pesach isn’t for another 4 months. For some Mashgichim like Rabbi Akiva Niehaus (Director of Kashrus Operations at the cRc and the Rabbinic Coordinator of the Liquor Industry at the cRc), it is a year round worry. If the owner of a liquor company is Jewish, there can be some serious concerns in regard to aged liquor. Specifically when it comes to bourbon, there are a surprising amount of Jewish-owned distilleries. See a comprehensive list here https://www.crcweb.org/liquor/AKO%20Whisky%20Alert%20with%20QA%20(Sep%202010).pdf And the full liquor list from the cRc here https://consumer.crckosher.org/liquor/full-liquor-list/
- Melted Gelt
Unwrapping the World of Chocolate Is it true that chocolate factories are sometimes kashered with molten chocolate? Is chocolate labeled dairy equipment, truly dairy free? Let’s find out the answers in this fascinating conversation with Rabbi Dovid Oppenheimer, Rabbinic Coordinator at the cRc.
- Kosher Menu
At A Non-Kosher Venue Have you ever been to a hotel for an event, or for a Shabbos program? Did you ever think of the details on how the kitchen becomes kosher? Kashering a non-kosher kitchen is a very complicated process, yet it is done very often. Let’s listen to Rabbi Aaron Mendelson from Kosher Services, as he explains what the consumer should know before partaking in any event in a hotel.
- Blended Blessings
What’s The Main Ingredient? Let’s listen in to Rabbi Dovid Heber - Kashrus Administrator at Star-K as he walks us through the complicated sugyos of ikar and tafel in regards to Brachos. https://www.star-k.org/resource/list/UK0XE63K/Cereals_and_their_Brachos?gclid=Cj0KCQiApOyqBhDlARIsAGfnyMojkdDq-qKDOB5_27PFZR-D6lLFZn_2mLK4AZLhb_wbtASOowVYwlwaAvOEEALw_wcB
- For The Saké of Heaven
Saké, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Let’s listen to Rabbi Akiva Niehaus, certified saké sommelier and Director of Kashrus Operations at the cRc and the Rabbinic Coordinator of the Liquor Industry at the cRc, as he walks us through this fascinating topic. https://consumer.crckosher.org/liquor/sake/
- Holy Stoli
Kosher Cocktails Many cocktails use vodka or rum as their base ingredient. While these 2 alcoholic drinks are seemingly innocuous, occasionally they can be distilled from problematic ingredients. Let’s hear from Rabbi Akiva Niehaus - Director of Kashrus Operations at the cRc and the Rabbinic Coordinator of the Liquor Industry at the cRc what to look out for. https://consumer.crckosher.org/liquor/vodka/ https://consumer.crckosher.org/liquor/rum/
- The Knead For A Mashgiach
Challah Edition. Ever wondered how things are done on a commercial scale? What’s the process of taking challah for an entire bakery? Does everything in a bakery need hafrashas challah? These questions and more, answered by Rabbi Dovid Oppenheimer, Rabbinic Coordinator at the cRc.
- Cryptic Crispix
What's the Proper Bracha? Let’s listen to Rabbi Dovid Heber - Kashrus Administrator at Star-K as he does a deep analysis on one of the most complicated cereals in terms of its correct Bracha: Crispix.
- A Bowlful of Blessings:
Cereal Edition Although not directly related to kashrus, the kashrus agencies are the ones who can help us figure out exact ingredients in products. Let’s listen in to Rabbi Dovid Heber - Kashrus Administrator at Star-K as he guides us through various breakfast cereals and their proper brochos.
- Exploring The Milky Way
Is Milchigs Better? One of the more common assumptions people mistakenly make, is that dairy products are easier to certify than meat. How many times have you heard someone say “I’ll just have the breakfast at this establishment. Their hechsher isn’t the greatest, but it’s just milchigs. What can be the problem?” Let’s listen in to Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, Kashrus administrator at the cRc, and Executive Director of AKO, as he clarifies this common misconception.
- Don’t Judge A Cook by Its Cover
Shopping in a kosher supermarket is not necessarily a stamp of approval on everything sold inside. A cookbook displaying raspberries does not vouch that they are free from infestation. Many times we subconsciously associate things that we buy as being kosher. Rabbi Yosef Wikler, the editor of Kashrus Magazine, walks us through various situations where assumptions should not be made.
- Crawling Cuisine
The Uninvited Guests Why are there so many bugs in produce? Is this a new problem? How come there was never such issues 100 years ago? If my grandparents ate strawberries why can’t I? All these questions and more, answered by Rabbi Yosef Wikler, editor of Kashrus Magazine, who has seen these issues come and go over the last 50 years.











