United States of America

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1 Page 1 of 18 Last modified: January 13, 2004 Send your questions by to Rabbi Eliezer Eidlitz Please Visit www. Jewishstreet.com Please Visit Please Visit www. kosher cornucopia.com Your ad could be here, for information. Please Visit [ Home ] [ Feedback ] [ Contents ] [ Search ] [ Subscription Form ] [ About Kosherquest ] [ Home ] [ Database ] [ Our Magazines ] [ Kosher Without Supervision ] [ Slurpee ] [ Passover ] [ Kosher Recipes ] [ Ralphs Market Guide ] [ Recommended Symbols ] [ Updates & Alerts ] [ Frequently Asked Questions ] [ Tourist Information ] [ Articles ] [ Our Book ] Reliable Kosher Symbols When these are on the outside, you can trust what's inside. The following symbols are among those that we can recommend without qualification, meaning that you can assume that we would recommend any product that is legitimately certified by one of these agencies. If a symbol does not appear here it does not mean that we would not recommend any or all of the foods certified by that agency. In fact, you will find many products in our database that bear symbols that do not appear here, or that bear no symbol at all. When you have a question about whether we would recommend any particular product, please search the database for that product. If you don t find it in the database, you are welcome to ask us. SOME RELIABLE CERTIFICATIONS United States of America Atlanta Kashrus Commission The Association for Reliable Kashrus Atlanta Kashrus Commission 1855 La Vista Road Atlanta, GA Phone: (404) Fax: (404) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Ilan Feldman The Association for Reliable Kashrus 104 Cumberland Place Lawrence, NY Phone: (516) Fax: (845) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shlomo Ullman Beis Din of Crown Heights Vaad Hakashrus Beis Din of Crown Heights Vaad Hakashrus 512 Montgomery Street Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718)

2 Page 2 of 18 Blue Ribbon Kosher Igud Hakashrus of Los Angeles (Kehillah Kosher) California K Certified Kosher Underwriters Chabad Lubavitch Arizona Chabad of South Nevada Chabad House of Western Michigan Kashrus Division Congregation Arugas Habosem Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yossi Brook Blue Ribbon Kosher 2716 Kipling Avenue South Minneapolis, MN Phone: (952) Fax: (952) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Baruch Clein Igud Hakashrus of Los Angeles (Kehillah Kosher) California K 186 North Citrus Avenue Los Angeles, CA Phone: (323) Fax: (323) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Avraham Teichman Certified Kosher Underwriters th Street Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Pinchos Horowitz Chabad Lubavitch Arizona 2110 East Lincoln Drive Phoenix, AZ Phone: (602) Fax: (602) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Zalman Levertov Chabad of South Nevada 1261 Arville Street Las Vegas, NV Phone: (702) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shea Harlig Chabad House of Western Michigan Kashrus Division 2615 Michigan North East Grand Rapids, MI Phone: (616) Fax: (616) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yosef Weingarten Congregation Arugas Habosem 559 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY Phone; (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yosef Moshe Grunwald Congregation Kesser Israel Congregation Kesser Israel 136 South West Meade Street Portland, OR Phone: (503) Fax: (503)

3 Page 3 of 18 Congregation Yetev Lev D Satmar Coordinated Kosher Supervision Chicago Rabbinical Council (crc) Central Rabbinical Congress (Hisachdus Harabanim) Debracin The Diamond K Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Leonard Oppenheimer Congregation Yetev Lev D Satmar 150 Rodney Street, P.O. Box 506 Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yisroel Chaim Friedman Coordinated Kosher Supervision 2716 Kipling Avenue South Minneapolis, MN Phone: (952) Fax: (952) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Baruch Clein Chicago Rabbinical Council (crc) 2701 West Howard Chicago, IL Phone: (773) Fax: (773) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Sholem Fishbane Central Rabbinical Congress (Hisachdus Harabanim) 85 Division Avenue Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yitzchak Glick Rabbi Judah Dardik 3778 Park Boulevard Oakland, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) Debracin th Street Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shlomo Stern The Diamond K 100 Woodcliff Road Brookline, MA Phone: (617) Fax: (617) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Mordechai Eckhaus Double U Kashrus Badatz Mehadrin USA Double U Kashrus Badatz Mehadrin USA 1140 Forest Avenue Lakewood, NJ 08701

4 Page 4 of 18 Phone: (732) Fax: (732) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Y. Shain Florida K and Florida Kashrus Services Florida K and Florida Kashrus Services 642 Green Meadow Avenue Maitland, FL Phone: (407) Fax: (407) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Sholom B. Dubov Rabbi Shlomo Gissinger Rabbi Binyamin Gruber Jersey Shore Orthodox Rabbinate (J.S.O.R.) K hal Adas Vishnitz K hal Adas Jeshurun (Breuer s) K hal Chizuk Hadas of Flatbush Rabbi Benjamin Kaplinsky Kashrus Council of Lakewood N.J. Rabbi Shlomo Gissinger 170 Sunset Road Lakewood, NJ Phone: (732) Rabbi Binyamin Gruber 122 Adar Court Monsey, NY Phone: (845) Jersey Shore Orthodox Rabbinate (J.S.O.R.) 230 Crosby Avenue Deal, NJ Phone: (732) Fax: (732) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yitzchak Farhi K hal Adas Vishnitz 186 Hooper Street Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Fishel Sanderowitz K hal Adas Jeshurun (Breuer s) (KAJ) Bennett Avenue New York, NY Phone: (212) Fax: (212) Rabbinic Administrator: Rav Zachariah Gelley K hal Chizuk Hadas of Flatbush 1421 Avenue O Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yisroel Gornish Rabbi Benjamin Kaplinsky 802 Roosevelt Court Far Rockaway, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Benjamin Kaplinsky Kashrus Council of Lakewood N.J. 750 Forest Avenue #66 Lakewood, NJ 08701

5 Page 5 of 18 Phone: (732) Fax: (732) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Avrohom Moshe Weisner Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit (K- COR) Young Israel of West Hempstead Knesses Israel Torah Center Kof-K Kosher Supervision Kosher Certification Service Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin Udvarer Rav Kosher Supervision of America (KSA) Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit (K-COR) West Ten Mile Road Southfield, MI Phone: (248) Fax: (248) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi B. Broyde Young Israel of West Hempstead 630 Hempstead Avenue West Hempstead, NY Phone: (516) Fax: (516) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yehuda Kelemer Knesses Israel Torah Center 1165 Morse Avenue Sacramento, CA Phone: (916) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yosef Etz- Hasadeh Kof-K Kosher Supervision 201 The Plaza Teaneck, NJ Phone: (201) Fax: (201) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Aharon Felder Kosher Certification Service 401 North Laurel Avenue Los Angeles, CA Phone: (323) Fax: (323) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Eli Frankel Kosher Supervisors of Wisconsin 3100 North 52nd Street Milwaukee, WI Phone: (414) Fax: (414) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Nachman Levine Udvarer Rav 227 Rutledge Street Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Krausz Kosher Supervision of America (KSA) P.O. Box 35721

6 Page 6 of 18 Los Angeles, CA Phone: (310) Fax: (310) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon The Lehigh Valley Kashrus Commission (L.V.K.C.) Rabbi Yitzchok M. Leizerowski The Lehigh Valley Kashrus Commission (L.V.K.C.) 702 North 22nd Street Allentown, PA Phone: (610) Fax: (610) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Mitchell Raven Rabbi Yitzchok M. Leizerowski 1513 Ripley Street Philadelphia, PA Phone: (215) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Dov Brisman Natural Food Certifiers New Square Beis Din of Kashrus National Kashrus The Organized Kashrus Laboratories Rabbinical Council of Orange County & Long Beach (Orange K) South Palm Beach Vaad (ORB) Natural Food Certifiers 648 Central Park Avenue Scarsdale, NY Phone: (888) 422-4NFC Fax: (914) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Reuven Flamer New Square Beis Din of Kashrus 21 Truman Avenue New Square, NY Phone: (845) Fax: (845) 354- National Kashrus 101 Route 306 Monsey, NY Phone: (845) Fax: (845) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yaacov Lipschutz The Organized Kashrus Laboratories 391 Troy Avenue Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Don Yoel Levy Rabbinical Council of Orange County & Long Beach (Orange K) 3505 Lime Avenue Long Beach, CA Phone: (562) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Binyomin Fajnland South Palm Beach Vaad (ORB)

7 Page 7 of 18 Organization of Orthodox Kashrus Supervision 5840 Sterling Road #256 Hollywood, FL Phone: (305) Fax: (305) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi M. Spitz Organization of Orthodox Kashrus Supervision 3301 West Ardmore Chicago, IL Phone: (773) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik International Kosher Supervision / Texas K Chicago Rabbinical Council International Kosher Supervision / Texas K Chicago Rabbinical Council Phone: (773) ; Fax: (773) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Sholem Fishbane Orthodox Vaad of Philadelphia The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations (OU) Young Israel of Plainview Rabbinical Council of California Kehillas Yaakov Pupa, Monsey Scroll K / Vaad Hakashrus of Denver Orthodox Vaad of Philadelphia 7505 Brookhaven Road Philadelphia, PA Phone: (610) Fax: (215) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shlomo Caplan The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations (OU) 11 Broadway New York, NY Phone; (212) Fax: (212) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Menachem Genack Young Israel of Plainview 132 Southern Parkway Plainview, NY Phone: (516) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Moshe Portnoy Rabbinical Council of California 617 South Olive St. #515 Los Angeles, CA Phone: (213) Fax: (213) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Nissim Davidi Kehillas Yaakov Pupa, Monsey 27 Saddle River Road Monsey, NY Phone: (845) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Moshe Rosner Scroll K / Vaad Hakashrus of Denver 1350 Vrain Street Denver, CO Phone: (303)

8 Page 8 of 18 Fax: (303) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi M. Heisler Star-K Kosher Certification (Chalav Yisrael) Star-D Certification (Non-Chalav Yisrael) Star-K Kosher Certification (Chalav Yisrael) Star-D Certification (Non-Chalav Yisrael) 122 Slade Avenue #300 Baltimore, MD Phone: (410) Fax: (410) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Moshe Heinemann Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum (Nirbater Rav) Rabbi Baruch Teitelbaum Rabbi Nuchem Efraim Teitelbaum (Volover Rav) Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum (Nirbater Rav) th Street Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbi Baruch Teitelbaum 13 Zenta Road Unit 201 Kiryas Joel, NY Phone: (845) Rabbi Nuchem Efraim Teitelbaum (Volover Rav) th Avenue Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) United Kosher Supervision United Mehadrin Kosher United Kosher Supervision P.O. Box 317 Monsey, NY Phone: (845) Fax: (845) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yaakov Spivak United Mehadrin Kosher 1001 Prior Avenue South St. Paul, MN Phone: (651) Fax: (651) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Asher Zellingold Vaad Hakashrus of K hal Machzikei Hadas of Belz Vaad Hakashrus of K hal Machzikei Hadas of Belz P.O. Box

9 Page 9 of 18 Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi U. Eckstein Vaad Hakashrus of Buffalo Vaad Hakashrus of the Capital District Dallas Kosher (Vaad Hakashrus of Dallas) Vaad Hakashrus of Kiryas Yoel Vaad Hakashrus of Mechon L Hoyroa Vaad Hakashrus of Northern California The Kosher Food Council of Northern California Vaad Hakashrus of Raritan Valley Vaad Hakashrus of Rochester Vaad Hakashrus of Buffalo P.O. Box 755 Williamsville, NY Phone: (716) Fax: (716) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yirmiya Milevsky Vaad Hakashrus of the Capital District 380 Whitehall Road Albany, NY Phone: (518) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Yaakov Kellan Dallas Kosher (Vaad Hakashrus of Dallas) 7800 Northaven Road Dallas, TX Phone: (214) Fax: (214) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi S. Klein Vaad Hakashrus of Kiryas Yoel Monroe, NY Phone: (845) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Beresh Kaufman Vaad Hakashrus of Mechon L Hoyroa 168 Maple Avenue Monsey, NY Phone: (845) (ext. 101) Fax: (845) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Y. Tauber Vaad Hakashrus of Northern California The Kosher Food Council of Northern California 2520 Warring St. Berkeley, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi L. Zirkind Vaad Hakashrus of Raritan Valley P.O. Box 4119 Highland Park, NJ Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Reuven Drucker Vaad Hakashrus of Rochester 1161 Monroe Avenue

10 Page 10 of 18 Rochester, NY Phone: (716) Fax: (716) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi S. Kilimnick Vaad Harabanim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway Vaad Harabanim of the Five Towns and Far Rockaway 597A Willow Avenue Cedarhurst, NY Phone: (516) Fax: (516) Rabbinic Administrator: Vaad Harabanim of Flatbush Vaad Harabanim of Greater Seattle Vaad Harabanim of Greater Washington Vaad Harabanim of San Diego Vaad of Lancaster / Cong. Degel Israel Vaad Harabanim of Flatbush 1575 Coney Island Avenue Brooklyn, NY Phone: (718) Fax: (718) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Meir Goldberg Vaad Harabanim of Greater Seattle 5100 South Dawson St. #102 Seattle, WA Phone: (206) Fax: (206) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Aharon Brun- Kestler Vaad Harabanim of Greater Washington 7826 Eastern Avenue NW Suite LLB Washington, DC Phone: (202) Fax: (202) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Hillel Klavan Vaad Harabanim of San Diego 8625 La Jolla Scenic Drive North La Jolla, CA Phone: (858) Fax: ( 858) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlgelernter Vaad of Lancaster / Cong. Degel Israel 1120 Columbia Avenue Lancaster, PA Phone: (717) Fax: (717) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shaya Sackett England Kedassia, The Joint Kashrus Committee of England Kedassia, The Joint Kashrus Committee of England 140 Stamford Hill London N16 6QT Phone: (44208)

11 Page 11 of 18 Fax: (44208) Rabbinic Administrator: Mr. Yitzchok Feldman K hal Machzikei Hadas Edgeware London Beth Din Kashrut Division Machzikei Hadas Manchester Manchester Beis Din Dayan Osher Yaakov Westheim Kashrus Council of Canada Montreal Vaad Hair K hal Machzikei Hadas Edgeware 7 The Rise Edgeware, Middlesex HABBNS Phone: (44208) Fax: (44208) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Eliezer Schneebalg London Beth Din Kashrut Division 735 High Road London N12 0US Phone: (44208) Fax: (44208) gita@kosher.org.uk Rabbinic Administrator: Machzikei Hadas Manchester 17 Northumberland St. Salford M7FH Phone: (44161) Fax: (44161) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi M.M. Schneebalg Manchester Beis Din 435 Cheetham Hill Road Manchester 8 Phone: (44161) Fax: (44161) Rabbinic Administrator: Dayan Osher Westheim Dayan Osher Yaakov Westheim 15 Broom Lane Salford M7 4EQ Phone: (44161) Fax: (44161) Rabbinic Administrator: Mr. Yehuda Weiss Canada Kashrus Council of Canada 4600 Bathurst St. #240 Toronto, Ontario M2R 3V2 Phone: (416) Fax: (416) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Mordechai Levin Montreal Vaad Hair

12 Page 12 of 18 Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia Melbourne Beis Din The NSW Kashrus Authority The Beis Din Tzedek of Agudas Israel Moetzes Hakashrus Badatz Mehadrin The Beis Din Tzedek of the Eidah Hachareidis of Jerusalem Binyanei Zupnick 6825 Decarie Blvd. Montreal, Quebec H3W3E4 Phone: (514) Fax: (514) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Jaffe Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia 8080 Francis Road Richmond, BC V6Y 1A4 Phone: (604) Fax: (604) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Levy Teitelbaum Australia Melbourne Beis Din 572 Inkerman Road Caulfield, Vic Phone: (613) Fax: (613) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi J. Gutnick The NSW Kashrus Authority P.O. Box 7206 Bondi Beach, NSW 2026 Phone: (612) Fax: (612) Rabbinic Administrator: Moshe D. Gutnick Israel The Beis Din Tzedek of Agudas Israel Moetzes Hakashrus 2 Press St., P.O. Box 513, Jerusalem Phone: (9722) Fax: (9722) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Zvi Geffner Badatz Mehadrin 10 Rechov Miriam Mizrachi 6th Floor, Room 18 P.O. Box 645, Rechovot Phone: (9728) Fax: (9728) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Avraham Rubin The Beis Din Tzedek of the Eidah Hachareidis of Jerusalem Binyanei Zupnick 26A Rechov Strauss, Jerusalem Phone: (9722) Fax: (9722) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Naftali Halberstam The Beis Din Tzedek of K hal Machzikei Hadas - The Beis Din Tzedek of K hal Machzikei Hadas -

13 Page 13 of 18 Maareches Hakashrus Chug Chasam Sofer Rabbi Moshe Yehudah Leib Landau OU in Israel - OU Israel Center Rabanut Hareishit Rechovot Rabanut Yerushalayim Mehadrin Maareches Hakashrus P.O. Box 41109, Jerusalem Phone: (9722) Fax: (9722) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Mordechai Brisk Chug Chasam Sofer 18 Maimon St., P.O. Box 426 Bnei Brak Phone: (9723) Fax: (9723) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Shmuel Eliezer Stern Rabbi Moshe Yehudah Leib Landau Rechov Yechezkel 3 Bnei Brak Phone: (9723) Fax: (9723) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Moshe Yehudah Leib Landau OU in Israel - OU Israel Center 22 Keren Hayesod St. P.O. Box 37015, Jerusalem Phone: (9722) Fax: (9722) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Mordechai Kuber Rabanut Hareishit Rechovot 2 Goldberg St. Rechovot Phone: (9728) Fax: (9728) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Avraham Rubin Rabanut Yerushalayim Mehadrin Phone: (9722) Fax: (9722) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Adler Shearis Yisrael S.I.K.S. Ltd. / Services International Kosher Supervision Shearis Yisrael 6 Rechov Chazon Ish Bnei Brak Phone: (9723) Fax: (9723) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Michael Hoffman S.I.K.S. Ltd. / Services International Kosher Supervision P.O. Box 34108, Jerusalem Phone: (9722) Fax: (9722) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Moshe Saadoun

14 Page 14 of 18 Communidade Ortodoxa Israelita Kehillas Hachareidim Departmento de Kashrus HKK Kosher Certification Service Adas Yereim of Paris Rabbi Hilel Pewzner (Rav of Lubavitch - France) Rabbi Mordechai Rottenberg (Chief Orthodox Rav of Paris) Brazil Communidade Ortodoxa Israelita Kehillas Hachareidim Departmento de Kashrus Rua Haddock Lobo 1091, S. Paulo SP Phone: (5511) Fax: (5511) Rabbinic Administrator: China HKK Kosher Certification Service 8-B Albron Court 99 Caine Road, Hong Kong Phone (852) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi D. Zadok France Adas Yereim of Paris Rabbi Y.D. Frankfurter 10 Rue Cadet, 9e (Metro Cadet) Paris Phone (3314) Fax: (3314) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Chaim Amram Rabbi Hilel Pewzner (Rav of Lubavitch - France) Cite de L education Sinai 2 a 8 Rue Tristan Tzara Paris Phone: (3314) Fax: (3314) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Hilel Pewzner Rabbi Mordechai Rottenberg (Chief Orthodox Rav of Paris) 10 Rue Pavee, Paris Phone: (3314) Fax: (3314) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Mordechai Rottenberg Rabbi Shmuel Yaffa-Schlessinger Rabbi Shmuel Yaffa-Schlessinger 14 Rue Oberlin, Strasbourg Phone: (3338) Fax: (3338) Rabbinic Administrator: Rav Wosner (Bnei Brak) Mexico Kashrut Department of Maguen David Community in Mexico City Kashrut Department of Maguen David Community in Mexico City Lafontaine #229, Polanco Mexico City Phone: (525)

15 Page 15 of 18 Fax: (525) Rabbinic Administrator: Rabbi Nisim Hilu It is important to note that these agencies frequently try to inform the consumer regarding the full status of the products under their supervision. The following are some of their designations with their meanings: D - Dairy DE - Dairy Equipment (no actual dairy in ingredients, hence it can be eaten after a meat meal, but not together with meat) P - Passover; Kosher for all year including Passover (Note: P NEVER designates pareve) Pareve - Non-dairy and non-meat Chalav Yisrael - Kosher supervised milk used in ingredients Pas Yisrael - Jewish baked goods Yashan - Not from current grain crop HISTORY OF KOSHER SUPERVISION In the U.S.A., the kosher certifying agencies with which we are familiar did not start until the 1920 s and 1930 s, but their development can be traced back over 200 years. The need for kosher supervision in the United States dates back to Colonial times. As early as 1660, a Jew from Portugal applied for a license to sell kosher meat in New Amsterdam. The first recorded complaint was in 1771 against the Shochet Moshe. In 1774, the widow, Hetty Hays, complained that her shochet (ritual slaughterer) was selling non-kosher meat. This led to the first court license revocation against a kosher butcher in As Jewish communities developed in the United States, they originally followed the European pattern of having community appointed shochtim. By this method, the shochet could easily be removed if he did not follow the strict guidelines set down by the community leaders. This method changed drastically in 1813, when the schochet, Avraham Jacobs, became the first independent schochet in the United States. He was followed by many more. Unfortunately, this change led to a rapid decline in the standard of kosher meat. In 1863, a group of laymen and shochtim got together to try to form a kashrus organization that could control this situation. Regrettably, they were unsuccessful. It was not until 1897 that the shochtim themselves banded together to form a union called "Meleches Hakodesh." Their goal was to improve kashrus standards, as well as the wages of shochtim. By 1918, kosher products started finding their way into the American market. Abraham Goldstein, a chemist, was highly instrumental in both importing these products as well as in convincing domestic companies (such as Sunshine Biscuit Co.) to become certified kosher. In 1924, the Union of Orthodox Rabbis (O/U), which had been established in 1892, decided to enter the field of kashrus. Mr. Goldstein was appointed as its first director. During the "food revolution" of the past 50 years, as more and more products are prepared in company plants and not in private kitchens, the "O/U" has been active as a non-profit organization in the kosher certification of these products. Mr. Goldstein continued to head the O/U from 1924 until Feeling a need for another certifying agency, he started the O/K Laboratories. Today, the O/U, headed by Rabbi Menachem Genack, and the O/K, headed by Rabbi Don Yoel Levy, reliably certify many thousands of products and ingredients that we have become accustomed to using daily. As the complexity of manufacturing processes and the need for kosher certification has increased, so has the number of agencies and individuals interested in meeting this need. This has led to the rise of newer certifying agencies, such as VHM, the Chaf K, Kehilloh, Star K and others. Furthermore, individual rabbis have entered this field, often using their own kosher symbol or even just a plain "K" to designate a product s kosher status. This has caused a great deal of confusion. When there were only two or three certifying agencies, it was easy for consumers to judge their reliability. But today, it may take a great deal of detective work to ascertain the standard that a particular rabbi is using. Consequently, many people prefer to rely on only the well-known certifying agencies, rather than risk the chance that a product may not meet their personal standard of kashrus. The O/U, O/K, Star-K and Kof-K are the largest relied upon kosher agencies in the world today. KOSHER CERTIFICATION INTRODUCTION There was a time when a woman did all her family s preparation in her own kitchen. Back then, it was obvious that pig s feet were not kosher, and ice cream was. In the past few decades, however, there has been a revolution in American eating. Almost 90 percent of our food is now processed before reaching our kitchens. With synthetic meats and exotic food additives, artificial pig s feet could be kosher, whereas the ice cream might not be. These developments in the food industry have been paralleled by the growth of kosher certification organizations formed to assure consumers that appropriately processed foods can be bought with confidence. As a matter of fact, it has been estimated that approximately one third of all shelf products in our supermarkets are