ww ww VOL. j h / NO. 10 TISHREI 5771/SEPTEMBER 2010 YOMIM NORAIM EDITION s xc THEDaf a K ashrus A MONTHLYH NEWSLETTER FOR TH E O U RABBINIC FIELD REPRESENTATIVE HARRY H. BEREN ASK OU TRAINING SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT Participants in the three-week ASK OU Internship Program pose in front of the Hampton Inn in Hanover, PA where they stayed overnight during their two-day tour of OU facilities in PA. They visited Empire Poultry, Hanover Foods and Pos’tiv Produce. Published by the Orthodox Union, Eleven Broadway, New York, NY 10004 Please direct your comments to RABBI YOSEF GROSSMAN, EDITOR at 212-613-8212 or [email protected] DAF NOTES The three week ASK OU internship program is a very unique program covering all areas of today’s working kashrus. During the three weeks For the first time, the recently concluded Harry H. Beren ASK OU Intern- of this intensive program, we covered the following areas of kashrus ship Program had an educator in its midst. Dr. Neal received a Masters degree from University of LaVerne in school administration and a PhD via classroom format, hands-on approach, and “field trips” around the in education from Common Wealth University. For over 35 years, tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The areas Dr. Neal has taught preschool through college in a variety of subjects of study included: The Art of Excellent Hashgocho, Current Dairy including math, science, reading, writing, mechanical drawing, and performing arts. He has presented on the district, county, state, and Issues, Akum, Fowl, Beef, Food Service, Fish, Vegetables, Chemicals national levels in the areas of math and science. The following is Dr. and Ingredients, Contractual Issues in Hashgocha, and much more. Neal’s review and critique of the ASK OU program. The editor of The Daf Field trips consisted of a visit to Allentown and the Pos’tiv Produce HaKashrus personally thanks Dr. Neal for his kind words. facility where we received more education on bugs than imaginable; a slaughter-house trip to Empire Kosher with detailed discussion and demonstration; and various industrial factories, restaurants, and hotels. The mashgichim explained their jobs with hands on examples ASK OU FROM AN including detailed stories covering all areas of kashrus. The OU lead- EDUCATOR’S PERSPECTIVE ership spoke to us regarding their particular areas of expertise. Their teaching methods encouraged questions in a warm and welcoming DR. DOV YITZCHOK NEAL atmosphere and gave us more information than four legal pads held. Portland, OR It was an amazing three weeks. Looking at this program from an educator perspective, I would like to offer the following observations: First and foremost, for any edu- a very unique experience with the ASK I JUST COMPLETED cator here is a question, “Who are the most difficult students that a OU 10 program in New York City. As a professional educator for teacher can teach?” Answer, for those of you that hit this right on the over 35 years, I would like to take the opportunity to review and head is, of course, teachers. Now taking this same question to a new critique the ASK OU program from an educator’s point of view. level, the OU had the merit of teaching almost 30 rabbis over these The definition of pedagogy is the art or science of teaching; educa- last three weeks in this internship program. Imagine teaching some tion; instructional methods (Dictionary.com). The pedagogical 30 rabbis who know Yoreh Deah and Basar B’Cholov in depth. The approach used by the OU and Rabbi Grossman in particular meets chief orchestrator of this miracle was Rabbi Yosef Grossman, Director this definition to the last letter. of Kosher Education at the OU. Rabbi Grossman not only planned The seminars took in all the modalities of education: auditory, these three weeks but he also made sure the schedule was kept to visual, kinesthetic (moving around) and thematic approaches. An the minute. Many a class did we see Rabbi Grossman walk into the entire day was spent on Kashering everything from kitchens to room while the presenter was finishing up a passionate description of factories. One day we do fish, one day we do meat. Educationally, a solution to a worst case scenario in kashrus and our very own Rabbi the program follows the criteria of reaching out to every technique Grossman entered the room, expertly thanking the presenter for his of learning. continued on page 68 IT’S A LONG WAY TO STUDY KASHRUT ASK OU 10 Seminars on Kosher Law and Practice Draw Participants from Near and Far STEPHEN STEINER OU Public Relations WHERE would you go if you wanted to learn the fine art of from Edmonton; Rabbi Dr. Dov Yitzchak Neal from Portland; kashrut from experts, combining studies of the laws of kosher with Rabbi Chalom (pronounced Shalom) Levy from France; and Rabbi the hands-on experiences that only those experts can provide? For Avraham Colman of Lakewood, soon to be from Sydney, were among dozens of rabbis and advanced rabbinical students this summer, the the 64 registrants in the courses. answer was the Orthodox Union. The purpose of ASK OU 10, like its nine predecessors, was to educate When OU Kosher presented its Harry H. Beren ASK OU 10 pro- the new generation of kashrut professionals or to provide background gram at its headquarters in New York, participants came not only for those who will not practice kashrut certification full time, but who from the local area, including most prominently Brooklyn and will benefit in their daily work from advanced kosher education. As in Monsey in New York and Lakewood in New Jersey, major centers past years, many of the graduates of the program – which is offered of Torah study, but they came from further away as well – from in alternate summers -- are expected to work for large kosher certi- Montreal in Canada and Watertown in the far reaches of upstate fication agencies or for their local Va’ad HaKashrut. Including the New York; from Baltimore and Cleveland; from Cherry Hill, NJ current class, ASK OU has produced more than 650 graduates from and Norwalk, CT; but also from communities not exactly in the all over the globe, many of whom have gone on to take important New York metropolitan area – from Savannah, Georgia; Edmonton, positions in the kosher world. Alberta, Canada; Portland, Oregon; and Rouen, France -- the same ASK OU 10 is made up of three-week and one-week sessions. The Rouen where six centuries ago Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. three-week group consisted of semicha or members of a kollel for Immediately following the program, one of its graduates was sched- post-rabbinic education. The one-weekers included congregational uled to leave for his new rabbinical assignment: Sydney, Australia. rabbis, semicha students, kollel members, or members of a local va’ad. Rabbi Yerucham Schochet from Savannah; Rabbi David Laufer continued on page 67 66 | THE DAF HAKASHRUS ASK OU Funding for learned in yeshiva,” he said. “That’s what the ciate the OU giving us this opportunity to continued from page 66 ASK OU 10 program is all about.” see the workings of this large, international comes from the Rabbi Dr. Neal moved recently to Portland organization,” he said. Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood, from Bakersfield, California, where he The entire class was fascinated by the dem- NJ. The Beren Foundation provides finan- taught for years on levels from pre-school onstration of nikkur – removing the veins cial support to a wide variety of OU kashrut through college. He also did kashrut work from meat, as required by Jewish law. After education programs for all levels of in Bakersfield and Los Angeles, helping an introductory explanation by Rav Aharon knowledge and ages. people make their kitchens kosher. “Between Teitelbaum, the Nirbater Rav, the group saw “It has been our great pleasure and a couple of pots of boiling water and my privilege to once again service young men blowtorch I fixed them up,” he said. Now, ASK OU HAS PRODUCED from around the globe who have turned in Oregon, he intends to be involved in MORE THAN to the Orthodox Union and its experts kiruv work while doing industrial kashrut 650 GRADUATES for guidance in the intricacies of practical in factories. kashrut procedures,” declared Rabbi Yosef a dazzling display of skill by master butcher Grossman, OU Senior Educational Rabbinic As an expert in education, Dr. Neal sees Reb Yaakov Jakubowits of Alle Processing in Coordinator, who organized the program, ASK OU 10 as a giant exercise in show and Maspeth, Queens, NY, wielding a knife in a “The high standards of kosher protocol they tell. “Educationally, it is a program that takes huge slab of meat. “It’s the first time I saw have observed will do much to strengthen in all the modalities of education: auditory, nikkur and it was fascinating and education- kashrut worldwide.” visual, kinesthetic (moving around) and the- al,” exclaimed Rabbi Colman, the soon-to- matic approaches,” he explained. “Yesterday be-resident of Australia. Agreed Savannah’s WORTH THE TIME AND EXPENSE was an entire day based on kashering every- Rabbi Schochet, “Clearly there is expertise in Each of the long-distance students agreed thing from kitchens to factories. One day we this area, knowing exactly where to cut. It that it was worth the time and expense do fish, one day we do meat. From an educa- is always wonderful to see experts at work.” to come all the way to New York to sit at tor’s point of view, the program follows the the feet of OU Kosher’s staff experts and criteria of reaching out to every technique of Before leaving for home, these young men guest lecturers.