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July 10, 2009
Twenty-six years of kosher
BCK has plans to expand their impact in the local community.
BASYA LAYE
Few issues are as mystifying in the Jewish community as the religious dietary laws, known as kashrut. There are myriad interpretations of Jewish dietary law and each denomination has its own standard practice and observance. As well, there are various competing organizations around the world that each have their own hechsher (seal), but not all are greeted with equal acceptance, particularly in the Orthodox world.
Much of the mystery stems from the lack of explication provided for the laws of kashrut in the Torah, which is why it is necessary to turn to the Shulchan Aruch, the book of Jewish law. The dos and don'ts of food and all involved in its production, processing, packaging, selling, cooking and eating is available in this tome, but there are organizations dedicated to sifting through this information and providing guidance on how to apply these ancient laws to modern-day kitchens and food production. In Vancouver, that organization is B.C. Kosher (BCK).
According to the agency's website (bckosher.org), BCK is a "not-for-profit kosher agency servicing the domestic and international industries, recognized by all rabbinical associations throughout the world."
Under the guidance of the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of B.C. and its founder, Rabbi Avraham Feigelstock, BCK is the premier kosher certification, monitoring and information organization in British Columbia, and it is involved in every facet of kosher. They advise individuals on how to turn their home kitchens strictly kosher, supervise the kosher food establishments in the city, provide resources for companies looking to break into the kosher market, certify products, monitor food production facilities and educate the public about the benefits of going kosher.
With the additional guidance of the British Columbia beit din (religious court of law), BCK certifies Canada Safeway, Rogers Sugar, Dan-D Foods, Golden Boy Foods and other large-scale businesses operating throughout Canada, across the United States, Asia and around the world. To do this, BCK relies on its international network of industry peers and rabbinic representatives, who are members of the Association for Kashrut Organizations, as well as food industry experts outside of the Jewish community.
In a telephone interview with the Independent, Rabbi Eli Lando, head of business and operations for BCK, said, "The best manual to go to is the code of Jewish laws, the Shulchan Aruch, but obviously there's no microwave there," referring to the application of ancient law to modern technological advances and food science.
BCK is the watchdog for all kashrut-observant Jews in the province.
"We have a group of eight mashgishim (supervisors) and we try to focus them as much as we can," Lando explained. "Obviously, we look at this job as not just a regular paying job like you work at a bank; it's something that we believe, that this is our mission, this what we have to do, so we are totally devoting ourselves to do what we have to do."
Now celebrating 26 years, BCK is developing new initiatives for the community, including education and outreach programs, in the hopes of expanding their local impact and demystifying kashrut. To this end, BCK has expanded its online resources. Its website includes an Ask the Rabbi link, a listing of recent alerts about incorrectly labelled products, information about the certification process, tips for keeping a kosher kitchen, a listing of kosher establishments and a step-by-step guide to going kosher.
Lando explained that he and the other mashgichim at BCK travel great distances to accomplish their aims. "We believe in this mission and we devote our time to it. Our mashgichim travel between 60,000-100,000 miles a year, to Asia, Alaska [and] other parts of North America."
Lando pointed out that the kosher market has ballooned in recent years and the BCK website notes that $165 billion in kosher products are consumed annually, with 80 percent of the market made up of non-Jewish consumers. Kosher-certified products appeal to those with food allergies and the health conscious, as the strict standards enforced ensure that food companies accurately label their products, including any trace elements. As well, Muslims and others with religious food proscriptions trust kosher certification. Lando asserted that kosher agencies are increasing their market in the natural foods industry as well, because of a consumer demand for quality, accurate labelling, cleanliness and purity.
Asked about any misconceptions about kashrut he comes across in the field, Lando said that some people "still expect that the rabbi comes to bless the food" but, for the most part, "there's so much information out there on the Internet, so many people in North America are already familiar with kosher."
Major differences exist though in Jewish and non-Jewish perceptions of kashrut. Lando explained, "Jews still have the impression that rabbis are making it difficult and trying to make a profit; non-Jews have the impression that kosher means that the food follows certain standards that are 3,000 years old ... we make sure products are healthy ... we are concerned about cleanliness and safety. If we are concerned about a product, we will pull certification."
Lando hoped that more British Columbians would start to investigate the benefits of kosher and said, "We ask [for the] support of the community. If someone sees a product that they'd like to see certified, e-mail BCK.... [As well] we're now looking at how we can educate the community." He concluded, "We have great service, we're local ... we invest in the community."
Basya Laye is a Vancouver freelance writer.
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