ניסן תשס״ט | APRIL 2009 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 | COR – KASHRUTH COUNCIL OF CANADA KASHRUTH COUNCIL Message from the Chairman Martin Maierovits Rabbi Yitzchok Kerzner assover is once again around the corner and food manufacturers and consumers alike. The logo Chairman, RVH much has transpired at COR since the Fall is already appearing on the labels of many COR 2008 issue of our Newsletter. What follows certified products. We are finding that the new logo Pare a few brief notes on some of the more significant has ushered in, not only a fresh and updated look, Rabbi Yacov S. Felder Vice-Chairman, RVH highlights and achievements since then. but a fresh and updated perspective on COR and the The Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) vital services it delivers to the broadest spectrum of Rabbi Mordechai Levin the Jewish community. Requests for artwork for the Executive Director COR is, and has for a number of years, been an active new logo are arriving at the COR offices regularly member of the AKO, a Chicago-based association Rabbi Sholom H. Adler from kosher food manufacturers who are running of mainstream North American and European Kashrus Administrator out of their old labels and are about to print new kashrus organizations. See the article on page three ones. Those wishing to obtain an electronic version Jay Spitzer for full details. It gives us great pleasure to announce of such artwork should contact COR’s Administrator Director of Operations that at the conference Rabbi Heber was appointed Sheryn Weber at [email protected]. chairman of the Tolayim Committee of the AKO. Sheryn Weber Bedikas Tolayim (insect inspection) is only one of One final note. On behalf of the Board of Directors Administrator many areas in the kashrus field in which COR has of COR, I wish to express our sincere gratitude to all developed internationally recognized expertise. the dedicated Rabbis, mashgichim and staff for their It is truly gratifying to see that COR is recognized tireless efforts in advancing the cause of kashrus by the largest international kashrus organizations in Canada and beyond. May they continue their as leaders in the burgeoning field of kashrus and as excellent work and go from success to success. being at the very forefront of technological advances With best wishes to the Jewish Community for a IN THIS ISSUE in this area. Chag Kasher V’Sameach. Page 2 Kosherfest 2008 Health & Labeling COR’s Director of Operations, Jay Spitzer together Seminar with Executive Director, Rabbi Mordechai Levin and Executive member David Woolf represented COR COR & LCBO at the November 2008 Kosherfest which was held at Meadowlands Convention Centre in New Jersey. Page 3 This highly successful annual event witnessed the COR at AKO gathering of hundreds of kosher food manufacturers, COR Honours importers, and distributors from around the globe. The COR booth was extremely well attended and did Gasner & Schwartz much to raise COR’s profile both in the United States Page 4 and internationally. After being represented at this The Rabbinical Vaad Company Updates event for the last number of years, it has become clear Hakashruth, Rabbinic that awareness and acceptance of COR’s kashrus Coordinators, Board of Kosher Food Believed certification is not limited to our primary market to be Higher Quality here in Canada. COR is and will continue to be an Directors and the COR internationally recognized symbol representing the Kashruth Staff would highest standards of kashrus certification. like to wish our entire New Logo community and all our SPECIAL INSERT The new COR logo, which you see at the top of this COR Certified Companies 2009 PASSOVER GUIDE newsletter, was launched a little over one year ago. A Happy Passover! • COR Products In the relatively short time since then, it has received & Services widespread acceptance and plaudits from kosher • OTC Products List COR – KASHRUTH COUNCIL OF CANADA Visit us at www.cor.ca for a complete listing of products. Affiliated with Vaad HaRabonim of Toronto Sign up for instant COR Kosher Alerts by email. • Recipes 3200 Dufferin Street, Suite 308 Look for our updates at www.cor.ca and bi-weekly updates Toronto, Ontario | Canada | M6A 3B2 in The Community Link bulletin. Phone: 416-635-9550 | Fax: 416-635-8760 www.cor.ca COR NEWS COR - Kashruth Council to Rabbi Levin and wines from Israel. He explained Co-sponsor Seminar with the concepts of shmitta, terumos and Law Firm Heenan Blaikie Speaks for the maasros to the attendees. They heard how food coming from Israel must Quality Assurance be handled and treated differently he Kashruth Council of than foods coming from outside the Canada and Toronto law firm Department Holy Land. Heenan Blaikie will be hosting Ta food regulatory breakfast seminar of the Wine production uses “fining for Canadian food manufacturers agents” – these are used to clarify including many current COR n Friday January 30, 2009, the liquid; gelatin, isinglass, casein supervised companies. It will take Rabbi Mordechai Levin, or egg albumen may be used for this place in the spring at the Heenan executive director of COR, purpose. Rabbi Levin showed how Blaikie law offices in downtown Ospoke before a well attended meeting Toronto. The seminar will be free these ingredients can be problematic of charge to companies certified by of employees of the quality assurance due to their source material. Isinglass COR. We hope this will be the first department of the LCBO (Liquor is manufactured, believe it or not, in a series of informative sessions. Control Board of Ontario) about the from the gallbladder of a sturgeon, intricacies of the kosher certification a non-kosher fish (due to its lack of The seminar will focus on process. developments in food regulation and halachik scales). Casein is derived policy as administered by Health Rabbi Levin was invited to explain from a dairy source and gelatin can Canada and the Canadian Food what “kosher” means by Ms. come from animal hides and bones. Inspection Agency – specifically, Carol Drummond, chemist for health issues in food, including the One sensitive issue was raised at the the department. The LCBO is an recent Listeria outbreak and what LCBO; that of a non-Jew handling this means for future regulation and Ontario government agency which wine. Since wine is used mainly enforcement within the food sector oversees and controls the sale of all for sanctification purposes, Rabbi as well as the status of new Allergen alcoholic beverages in the province. Levin explained its special kosher labeling requirements. Expected The agency wanted to understand status and that as a result it has to be implementation dates and what these what the production of wine for handled in a special manner and only changes mean to the food industry kosher consumers entailed and how by Shabbos observant Jews. Rabbi will also be discussed. kosher wine is different from all Levin attributed this to old idolatry Presenters at the seminar will be COR other wines. Grapes, being fruits, are practices which used wine in their Executive Director Rabbi Mordechai obviously kosher so why should wine religious services. Levin who will give an overview of be a problem? kashrus requirements and Catherine Many other details of our kashrus Bate whose specialty includes Rabbi Levin used, as part of his laws were discussed and this food labeling and regulatory work lecture, a PowerPoint presentation meeting/lecture seemed to dispel for several major Canadian food prepared in the COR offices by Rabbi the widely held idea: that to be manufacturers. Noam Goodman, S.H. Adler. Rabbi Levin explained kosher, a Rabbi comes and “blesses” corporate law and Andrea Rush, the historical/biblical background of trade-marks and intellectual the manufacturing facility and the kashrus laws in order to give the the food it produces. The highly property, will also be available for audience an understanding of present questions which could arise in those educated attendees were fascinated related practice areas. day manufacturing requirements for by the depth of our commitment to kosher food. keeping kosher and now have a basic Arrangements are being finalized understanding of the basis of our for the time and date of the In response to questions from the requirements in kosher production seminar. For further information audience, Rabbi Levin discussed or to add your name to the invitee many aspects of what it means to be of wine as well as other products. list, please contact Sheryn Weber a kosher consumer. He also touched COR continues to make a Kiddush at the Kashruth Council offices upon the dietary laws of Passover Hashem while educating the public 416-635-9550 or email Sheryn at and the special attention that must be [email protected]. at large about the needs of the Kosher paid to manufactured foods, produce, consumer. 2 COR – KASHRUTH COUNCIL OF CANADA A very special thank you to Sheryn Weber for her invaluable input into this publication. COR NEWS COR at AKO wo of South Florida’s kashrus agencies, Kosher Miami of Developing Community Education, The Law and Kashrus, and the ORB (Orthodox Rabbinical Board of Broward Lessons from the Monsey Meat Scandal, the recent Raisin and Palm Beach Counties), hosted a two-day conference Infestation issue and Knife Sharpening in Halacha. Tpresented by the Chicago-based Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) on the 23rd and 24th of February in COR participation included moderation of a round West Palm Beach. The Kashruth Council of Canada – COR was table discussion on Amount of Supervision Required for represented by Rabbi Sholom H. Adler, Kashrus Administrator Establishments led by Rabbi Heber and a presentation of the and member of the AKO Executive Board and Rabbi T.