Chanukah 5780

At the OK we do our introspection and review all of our checks and balances in the month of Elul. This time of year we reserve to look to the future, and as we enter the month of Kislev, we join together with OK rabbis from across the globe for our Annual Mashgiach Conference.

The miracle of Chanukah and the defeat of the Greek general came about because of Yehudis, the heroine who plied the general with dairy and wine in order to make him fall asleep so she could kill him. Here’s 8 facts about one of the world’s most popular dairy products.

One of the areas of the Jewish home which can be the most complicated is the kitchen. The laws of kosher are numerous and complex, and can seem like a maze to those who are unfamiliar. In addition to the requirements for the actual food products to be kosher, there are Torah mandated laws regarding the actual cooking process, as well as the strict separation of milk and meat. 

Walk into any kosher grocery or supermarket in Los Angeles or surrounding communities and you have not just one, but a choice of two, brands of fresh, local, OK certified Cholov Yisroel milk. While it may seem strange to get excited about a simple cup of milk, for many people in these communities this has been a long-awaited dream come true.

The idea behind the convection oven is that it provides an even circulation of hot air, so the product is baked and browned evenly (and not burnt on one side) and in less time than a traditional oven. There are some additional varieties of convection ovens, but they all use the same basic mechanism of a fan blowing hot air.

The only way for Shabbat observant Jews to see Antarctica is by cruise line, and passengers are not allowed to bring their own food and are certainly not able to use kitchen space and equipment to cook, reheat or refrigerate food. Realizing that the only way it could be done was with a large enough group that a cruise line would facilitate kosher catering, Moishie sent Dan a message asking what he thought about leading a kosher cruise to Antarctica. Within seconds, Dan was emphatically on board.

Olives are small, green fruit that grown on trees in Eretz Yisroel and around the world. They are one of the Shivas Haminim mentioned in the Torah.

This recipe began with my obsession with wontons and garlic sauce from a particular Chinese restaurant that’s nowhere near my home. Naturally, I had to recreate it myself. Since then, these wontons have become the stuff
of Pascal family legend. It’s my family’s all-time favorite Yom Tov appetizer. The only downside? It’s pretty much guaranteed to upstage basically any other dish you serve at the same meal!

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.

What is the connection between the word “nechoshet” — “copper” — the final word of Parshat Terumah, with the command in the beginning of Parshat Tetzaveh to prepare pure olive oil for illumination?

Our Chachomim tell us that the Chanukah menorah is placed by the door or by the window in a way that it lights up the darkness outside. In the Bais Hamikdosh, the menorah gave light as well, and the light of the Bais Hamikdosh spread out to the world.