בואכם לשלום ב ו א כ ם 0U KOSHER WELCOMES FOUR NEW RABBINIC COORDINATORS We wish them much success in their new positions

RABBI MORDECHAI MERZEL R ABBI D A V ID AREA learned in Yesbiva received semicha from Baltimore’s Ner Rabbi Chaim Berlin. He received semi­ Israel Rabbinical College as well as from cha from the Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalenr Rav Zalman Necbemiali Goldberg in and lives near the Yesbiva in the East Side Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Merzel previously ed served Congregation Obev Sbolom׳with bis wife and family. He has sen the Jewish conrmunity for several years Torah-Olney as Assistant Rabbi. in the fields o f and He recently moved with his wife and two outreach. Rabbi Arfa is a rabbinic coordi­ children to Passaic, NJ. Rabbi Merzel companies, and handles ׳(nator overseeing companies producing is RC for dair botanicals, gums and oils. He can be new dairy company applications, as reached at 212-613-8138, or by email, at well. He can be reached at 212-613-209 [email protected]. or [email protected].

RABBI ELI GERSTEN is a musmach of RABBI DANIEL NOSENCHUK, Ner Israel, Baltimore where he has who previously resided in Bala Cynwyd learned for the past 15 years. He was a PA, currently resides with his wife Rosh Chaburah in Ner Israel’s and family in Lakewood NJ. He learned Avodas HaLevi. He was assistant to Rabbi in the Tahnudical of Philadel­ Heinemann at the Agudah of Park phia, Mir-Yerushalayim and BMG- Heights in Baltimore. He is the RC Lakewood NJ from where he received Recorder of OU Psak and Policy replac­ Semicha Yoreh Yoreh. Rabbi Nosenchuk ing Rabbi Dovid M intz who made Aliyah previously served as administrator of to Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Gersten with his Torah Links for Northern NJ. He is a wife and 5 children will be living in Rabbinic Coordinator involved with the Passaic, NJ. He can be reached at 212- Baking industry. He can be reached at 613-8222 and [email protected]. 212-613-8260 and [email protected].

UNIVERSAL KOSHER DATABASE OU Announces that its Universal Kosher Database is Being Made Available to the Public

The Universal Kosher Database, (U KD ), a listing of thousands of will benefit OU certified companies, because your suppliers and certified products, has gone public, and suppliers and distribu­ distributors can now easily print kosher Letters of Certification at tors who work with OU Kosher certified conrpanies are the ben­ their convenience.” eficiaries of the decision. Now they will be able to easily secure Rabbi Elefant explained in the letter, “We took this step because Letters of Certification, signed by OU Kosher CEO Rabbi OU certified companies appreciated the ease with which they Menachem Genack. could print Letters of Certification to prove their kosher status on Public UKD was designed to provide not only OU certified com­ our OUdirect website. They expressed the wish to us that their sup­ to print tbe pliers and distributors have the same easy method of producing the ׳panies, but tbeir suppliers and distributors, the ability letters to show their own clientele that that their products nreet letters. We were nrore than happy to develop Public U KD to OU Kosher standards. Public U KD contains only products cer­ respond to their requests, just as we look forward to their continued tified by the OU and not other agencies. Only non-confidential suggestions to nrake their relationship with OU Kosher even certified products are listed. stronger and even more convenient.”

The database is not restricted to OU certified conrpanies and is In an intendew. Rabbi Elefant declared, “As the premier kosher goal is to ׳(available at www.oukosher.org. certification organization in the world, the O U ’s primar -ice our clients who help us provide kosher food to the con׳\ser In a letter to O U certified companies. Rabbi Moshe Elefant, C O O of OU Kosher, wrote: “ Public U KD is user friendly and

10 Please direct your comments regarding THE DAF HAKASHRUS to RABBI YOSEF GROSSMAN, editor at 212-613-8212, fax: 212-613-0621, or e-mail: [email protected]