Winter 2010

As the month of Kislev is upon us, I can’t help but think about the horrific atrocities that took place in Mumbai and realize that a year has already passed. The kedoshim that were murdered in the Chabad House, solely because they were Jewish

Readers share their thoughts about the last issue…

Dear OK,
Why are all or most parts of a cow kosher for consumption in Israel, whereas the Jews in America are forbidden to eat anything behind a cow’s waist? (For example, beef tenderloin, which is used for fillet mignon steaks or kabobs.)

It is a Jewish custom to partake of cheese during the festival of Chanukah. This is to commemorate the Jewish heroine, Yehudis, who during the Syrian-Greek occupation of Eretz Yisroel plied a highly ranked enemy officer with rich cheese and wine and during the tyrant’s drunken stupor, she decapitated this hapless official. After losing their leader, the enemy troops fled in panic.

Fire, more spiritual than physical, provides light and warmth and is compared to the
soul (Ki ner Hashem nishmas adam). Jews use fire to bring in Shabbos and Yom Tov, for Havdallah
when we part with Shabbos, and to light our Chanukah menorahs

How do you teach the basics of kashrus in a captivating, relevant way? This is a question that the OK education department deals with on a regular basis and was the catalyst for our sponsorship and support of a unique, stimulating kosher education program—The Traveling Kosher Pickle Factory.

Traditional Chanukah Foods.
Potatoes, Olive Oil and Cheese

Zucchini Parmesan Latkes (Dairy)

The Kosher Spirit is excited to showcase Let’s Get Cookin’ a new and creative recipe organizer developed by Tzivi Eichenholz and Chavi Wilner, two “balabustas”

Who’s Behind the OK, Interview with
Rabbi Yitzchak Gornish

The Talmud asks in Tractate Shabbos, “What is Chanukah?” According to Rashi, the real question is, “What is the miracle that we celebrate on Chanukah?

The light that Hashem created on the 1st day of creation was very special and different from the light that you and I utilize every day. The light that we know was created on the 4th day when Hashem created the sun, moon and stars.