Who’s Behind the OK – Rabbi Shlomo Weinfeld

KS: Where did you grow up? Where did you go to yeshiva?
RSW: I was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. As a bochur, I studied at the Toras Emes Yeshiva in Jerusalem, and later in Yeshiva G’voha in B’nei Brak.

KS: What did you do after yeshiva?
RSW: After completing my regular yeshiva studies, I studied rabbonus and received semicha in Montreal, Canada. In 2003, I married my wife Devorah Leah (nee Raskin). Later, I worked for the Shay La’Mora publishing
house in Jerusalem.

KS: What is your current position at the OK?
RSW: I am currently the Chief Operations Officer of OK Israel.

KS: What prepared you the most for your current position at the OK?
RSW: My semicha studies, along with personal guidance from Rabbi Don Yoel Levy א”שליט and the experienced team, at the OK were both essential to prepare for my position as COO.

KS: What is best thing about working at the OK?
RSW: The best thing about working at the OK is the knowledge that I am part of fulfilling a sacred mission at all times, as a member of a team that is expanding the choice of kosher products under strict supervision with
no compromise, as well as aiding facilities on behalf of the public demand, trust and recognition of OK -certified products.

KS: How would you describe the OK today?
RSW: The OK is a powerful global kosher agency with a tremendous system and database, providing trustworthy, unparalleled kosher certification by Israel’s largest global kosher agency.

KS: Can you share an interesting experience that you had while working at the OK?
RSW: In one of Israel’s famous wineries, the production method involves aging the wine in casks for 2 years, after which the casks are lifted from the cellar for blending in a large stainless-steel tank. Once, after the blending was started, and the mashgiach sealed the tank and left the premises, a breakage occurred in the blending tank, and the flow of the spilled wine began forming small wine rivers within the winery. The owner, who is not Shomer Shabbos as of yet, courageously waited for the mashgiach to come back and handle the situation, while witnessing the loss of more than a million dollars’ worth of wine. In a later conversation, the owner made it clear to me that it was obvious that the insurance company would not cover the loss; nevertheless, he decided to stick to the kashrus rules and stay put. I was deeply moved by his stance. ישראל כעמך מי.

What Other People Say About Rabbi Shlomo Weinfeld

“In our continued efforts to spread reliable kashrus worldwide, Rabbi Weinfeld is the perfect fit. His honesty, integrity, astuteness and affability bring a renewed vigor to our Israeli office that is greatly appreciated. His ability to
quickly delve to the depths of issues and swiftly solve them in a genial manner makes him a natural candidate to lead our Israeli branch and join our executive board.” – Rabbi Don Yoel Levy, Kashrus Administrator

“I attribute the extraordinary and rapid success of Rabbi Shlomo Weinfeld at OK Kosher to his pleasant personality and constant engagement with others. He truly values all input and has a way of making everyone feel that he is fully invested both in their individual and the overall perspective.” -Rabbi Levi Marmulszteyn, Rabbinic Manager

“There is a famous line about the mezhinik of the family that says the youngest child makes older parents young again. Rabbi Shlomo is the youngest in our family and he made the best of having many older siblings to look up to. He learns from everyone around him, which enables him to have so much success in his endeavors. The work that he does for the OK, the management of OK Israel, and his quick and deep understanding of all of the
details involved in the certification of companies and facilities, the production systems, and the kashrus, is a direct result of his willingness to learn from those around him and take every opportunity to expand his knowledge. This past year was very difficult for our family with the passing of our dear mother. Shlomo was everything to our mother – he was the model child. I wish him great success in all he does.” -Rabbi Kalman Weinfeld, Food Service Coordinator