Share Your Spirit – Tishrei 5772

Published: May 2, 2016 Author: Dina Fraenkel Reading time: 2 minutes

Dear Kosher Spirit,
I must say, your kosher apps are awesome. They are colorful, easy to use, and in demand. When I used to have an iPod, I used the Veggie Guide. Now, however, I have a Blackberry and was wondering if such fine apps will ever be available on BB? Please make them available for Blackberry as a lot of frum Jews have them and there is demand.

Thanks so much,
O. Avraham

Ed. Note: Thank you for your suggestion! At the OK we are always looking to new technology to keep the kosher consumer informed. We will look into developing apps for the Blackberry, in addition to the apps available for iPhone and Android.

Dear Kosher Spirit,
As a yungerman, Rabbi Berel Levy ob"m would give me hashgacha jobs during the Pesach break to help me support my family while learning in kollel.

Once I was working for large, well known candy company — for Pesach, Rabbi Levy made them kasher all keilim (it took a week), even though most of the keilim held only pure chocolate which is not chometz.

After production started, I walked around looking at the ingredients. Very boring, nothing amiss. Then one day I saw them using a nougat crème with no hechsher. The ingredients seemed kosher, except for corn starch which is kitniyos. I did not know how important this was, so I called up.

Rabbi Levy came right away to investigate and made them kasher the keilim over again. All for a small amount of kitniyos. Also, the product already made was relabeled as chometz! All because of a mi’ut d’miuta (a tiny minute bit) of cornstarch! How did he get this company to agree? Amazing.

Finally, he went around questioning all the workers to make sure there were no more mistakes. I never saw such scrupulousness before or since, and all these years later the OK just keeps on getting stronger and better.

Keep it up!
Yehudah B.