Topic Wiki

Links to kosher symbol lists. Each list is obviously only as reliable as its source

cRc: http://www.crcweb.org/agency_list.php

KosherQuest: https://kosherquest.org/kosher-symbols/

Approved alcoholic drinks from the Rabbanut.  http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/wp-content/uploads/%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%A7%D7%90%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D.pdf

These are NOT Orthodox: https://sites.google.com/site/nonorthodoxkosher/home (even though some may look legit)


Informative post regarding Kashrus Agencies
Every hashgacha has +&-.


You can also submit any kashrus questions at
https://www.askcrc.org/ask
https://oukosher.org/ask-kosher-question/
https://www.star-k.org/ask-rabbi choose General Consumer Kashrus Questions in the Subject/Topic Dropdown list
https://www.ok.org/contact/ choose Kosher in the Attention Dropdown list



Author Topic: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread  (Read 1278574 times)

Offline yfr bachur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2018
  • Posts: 1772
  • Total likes: 1989
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Yerusholayim -> נחליאל
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5320 on: September 26, 2023, 02:30:09 PM »
Why would an unsigned list using irrelevantunknown parameters have any relevance to what you should or shouldn't eat?

For starters, it's way way better than the "Theres hebrew writing so it must be kosher" or "My third cousins uncle told him that when he was in Israel 17 years ago, his sons bekius rebbe told him that X (not the app!  ;D) is acceptable, so I guess we could eat there?" or the "well everyone I know eats there, so it must be good, bec they must be relying on something?"

but mainly: ITS A GOOD LIST. You are welcome to show it to ANY kashrus knowledgeable rav you want, and aside from modifications due to politics and/or personal affiliations, at most they will quible with moving a couple of hechseherim up or down a level or two - not "this list is crazy, and is based on fantasy"

To define: Politics and Affliation = Anash not eating sheiris (Bec of Rav Shach), Litvish not eating anything affiliated with Chabad (Bec of Rav Shach), "I only eat Eida", ect
 = "I am part of the Eida, and therefore only eat eida", "Can't touch anything sefardik", "well The Ruv started the Belzer Hechsher so that's the only thing we eat", "the medina is aschalta degeula, and is kadosh, so of course the best hechsherim are the Rabbanut", "OU Israel is exactly the same as OU US", "My Rav is Rav Levinger/Aurbach/Shatz/Rupshitz", "It's all political, their all fine", "Aaron Abadi said you can eat anything in israel"....

Online JMHO

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 1720
  • Total likes: 1477
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: NYC
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5321 on: September 26, 2023, 02:31:52 PM »
For starters, it's way way better than the "Theres hebrew writing so it must be kosher" or "My third cousins uncle told him that when he was in Israel 17 years ago, his sons bekius rebbe told him that X (not the app!  ;D) is acceptable, so I guess we could eat there?" or the "well everyone I know eats there, so it must be good, bec they must be relying on something?"

but mainly: ITS A GOOD LIST. You are welcome to show it to ANY kashrus knowledgeable rav you want, and aside from modifications due to politics and/or personal affiliations, at most they will quible with moving a couple of hechseherim up or down a level or two - not "this list is crazy, and is based on fantasy"

To define: Politics and Affliation = Anash not eating sheiris (Bec of Rav Shach), Litvish not eating anything affiliated with Chabad (Bec of Rav Shach), "I only eat Eida", ect
 = "I am part of the Eida, and therefore only eat eida", "Can't touch anything sefardik", "well The Ruv started the Belzer Hechsher so that's the only thing we eat", "the medina is aschalta degeula, and is kadosh, so of course the best hechsherim are the Rabbanut", "OU Israel is exactly the same as OU US", "My Rav is Rav Levinger/Aurbach/Shatz/Rupshitz", "It's all political, their all fine", "Aaron Abadi said you can eat anything in israel"....
I'm dizzy...

Offline avromie7

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 8536
  • Total likes: 2920
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5322 on: September 26, 2023, 02:45:43 PM »
For starters, it's way way better than the same as the "Theres hebrew writing so it must be kosher" or "My third cousins uncle told him that when he was in Israel 17 years ago, or the "well everyone I know eats there, so it must be good, bec they must be relying on something?", but not nearly as good as his sons bekius rebbe told him that X (not the app!  ;D) is acceptable, so I guess we could eat there?"
FTFY
I wonder what people who type "u" instead of "you" do with all their free time.

Offline Essen est zich

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 2659
  • Total likes: 977
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 60
    • View Profile
  • Programs: Nichoach Vol 2
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5323 on: September 26, 2023, 03:00:33 PM »
For starters, it's way way better than the "Theres hebrew writing so it must be kosher" or "My third cousins uncle told him that when he was in Israel 17 years ago, his sons bekius rebbe told him that X (not the app!  ;D) is acceptable, so I guess we could eat there?" or the "well everyone I know eats there, so it must be good, bec they must be relying on something?"

but mainly: ITS A GOOD LIST. You are welcome to show it to ANY kashrus knowledgeable rav you want, and aside from modifications due to politics and/or personal affiliations, at most they will quible with moving a couple of hechseherim up or down a level or two - not "this list is crazy, and is based on fantasy"

To define: Politics and Affliation = Anash not eating sheiris (Bec of Rav Shach), Litvish not eating anything affiliated with Chabad (Bec of Rav Shach), "I only eat Eida", ect
 = "I am part of the Eida, and therefore only eat eida", "Can't touch anything sefardik", "well The Ruv started the Belzer Hechsher so that's the only thing we eat", "the medina is aschalta degeula, and is kadosh, so of course the best hechsherim are the Rabbanut", "OU Israel is exactly the same as OU US", "My Rav is Rav Levinger/Aurbach/Shatz/Rupshitz", "It's all political, their all fine", "Aaron Abadi said you can eat anything in israel"....

It been discussed already... but this is a good summary.
Shloffen Shloft Zich

Offline yfr bachur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2018
  • Posts: 1772
  • Total likes: 1989
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Yerusholayim -> נחליאל
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5324 on: September 26, 2023, 03:04:42 PM »
FTFY

No.
You happen not to know what the parameters are, but they are there and based on something. You may not know who did the research but its better than burying your head in the sand.
It's relevance is that for the unknowledgeable it's a start. It's something for the ben chul to take to his Rav/trusted kashrus consultant and ask him if he agrees. Its a framework to use to make heads and tails of the EY kashrus scene - instead of dozens of hechsherim- 7 levels and the start of ranking them.
Its an opportunity to question assumptions you may have made out of possible ignorance
Don't act based on the list, use the list to question how to act. In that way, it is way better.

I'm dizzy...

OK. In short:
Some "Negius" will raise a hechsher for example, If you are a belzer then obviously belz will be on the highest level of your chart.
Some "Negius" will push hechsherim down. An example of this is Talmidim of Rav Shach not eating anything to do with Chabad and vice versa.
Other "Negius" level the chart by establishing the baseline lechatchila at the subpar level...
« Last Edit: September 26, 2023, 03:16:09 PM by yfr bachur »

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 353
  • Total likes: 240
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5325 on: September 26, 2023, 05:43:24 PM »
A quick perview of the bottom category shows Hechsheirim which are well known to be unacceptable. So this list is clearly somewhat accurate. So I would want to know why it's being put in that category. And we have the answer right here:Don't know anything about The List but it sure looks like a good rule of the thumb resource.

Znt is also a house hechsher, yet is well known to be reliable.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 353
  • Total likes: 240
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5326 on: September 26, 2023, 05:49:09 PM »
No.
You happen not to know what the parameters are, but they are there and based on something. You may not know who did the research but its better than burying your head in the sand.
It's relevance is that for the unknowledgeable it's a start. It's something for the ben chul to take to his Rav/trusted kashrus consultant and ask him if he agrees. Its a framework to use to make heads and tails of the EY kashrus scene - instead of dozens of hechsherim- 7 levels and the start of ranking them.
Its an opportunity to question assumptions you may have made out of possible ignorance
Don't act based on the list, use the list to question how to act. In that way, it is way better.

OK. In short:
Some "Negius" will raise a hechsher for example, If you are a belzer then obviously belz will be on the highest level of your chart.
Some "Negius" will push hechsherim down. An example of this is Talmidim of Rav Shach not eating anything to do with Chabad and vice versa.
Other "Negius" level the chart by establishing the baseline lechatchila at the subpar level...

Whoever made the lost clearly knows about kashrus here in Israel. You can definitely debate some individual hechsherim (I would place OU Israel and Badatz Levinger higher for example) but overall the list composer knows what is going on. I would also have added on the Rabbanut Mehadrins Kosharot thinks is acceptable on their respective levels - Kosjarot is an excellent resource, politics aside - but the hechshers on the list are well organized.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline imayid2

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jun 2022
  • Posts: 2937
  • Total likes: 2710
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5327 on: September 26, 2023, 05:49:25 PM »
Znt is also a house hechsher, yet is well known to be reliable.
And is in a higher category than this one on the list. So clearly they aren’t mindlessly writing off all house hechsherim. But definitely a starting point to understand why it would be subpar as it’s a much more tricky model.

Offline TheAsh

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Feb 2017
  • Posts: 353
  • Total likes: 240
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5328 on: September 27, 2023, 06:04:16 AM »
For starters, it's way way better than the "Theres hebrew writing so it must be kosher" or "My third cousins uncle told him that when he was in Israel 17 years ago, his sons bekius rebbe told him that X (not the app!  ;D) is acceptable, so I guess we could eat there?" or the "well everyone I know eats there, so it must be good, bec they must be relying on something?"

but mainly: ITS A GOOD LIST. You are welcome to show it to ANY kashrus knowledgeable rav you want, and aside from modifications due to politics and/or personal affiliations, at most they will quible with moving a couple of hechseherim up or down a level or two - not "this list is crazy, and is based on fantasy"

To define: Politics and Affliation = Anash not eating sheiris (Bec of Rav Shach), Litvish not eating anything affiliated with Chabad (Bec of Rav Shach), "I only eat Eida", ect
 = "I am part of the Eida, and therefore only eat eida", "Can't touch anything sefardik", "well The Ruv started the Belzer Hechsher so that's the only thing we eat", "the medina is aschalta degeula, and is kadosh, so of course the best hechsherim are the Rabbanut", "OU Israel is exactly the same as OU US", "My Rav is Rav Levinger/Aurbach/Shatz/Rupshitz", "It's all political, their all fine", "Aaron Abadi said you can eat anything in israel"....

I find it funny that you write "OU Israel is the same as OU USA" as being political, as the OU themselves state this numerous times on their website. It's the exact same standards (with Israel being stricter about some things)
https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/

The only people I hear saying it is different is Americans who don't want to eat from dati leumi mashgichim but still want to eat other OU products - the exact definition of being political.
Check out @JewishAlternativeMusic2 on Telegram.

Offline aygart

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 19758
  • Total likes: 16337
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
    • Lower Watt Energy Brokers
  • Programs: www.lowerwatt.com
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5329 on: September 27, 2023, 07:48:35 AM »
I find it funny that you write "OU Israel is the same as OU USA" as being political, as the OU themselves state this numerous times on their website. It's the exact same standards (with Israel being stricter about some things)
https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/

The only people I hear saying it is different is Americans who don't want to eat from dati leumi mashgichim but still want to eat other OU products - the exact definition of being political.
He calls that politics or affiliation.
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Ver hut gazugt

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jan 2021
  • Posts: 769
  • Total likes: 739
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: New york
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5330 on: September 27, 2023, 10:26:46 AM »
I find it funny that you write "OU Israel is the same as OU USA" as being political, as the OU themselves state this numerous times on their website. It's the exact same standards (with Israel being stricter about some things)
https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/

The only people I hear saying it is different is Americans who don't want to eat from dati leumi mashgichim but still want to eat other OU products - the exact definition of being political.
not sure if this is accurate but I remember hearing that they except video cameras in Israel for chalav Yisrael, not so in the USA.

Offline Moshe Green

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2021
  • Posts: 1546
  • Total likes: 1308
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5331 on: September 27, 2023, 11:17:38 AM »
I find it funny that you write "OU Israel is the same as OU USA" as being political, as the OU themselves state this numerous times on their website. It's the exact same standards (with Israel being stricter about some things)
https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/

The only people I hear saying it is different is Americans who don't want to eat from dati leumi mashgichim but still want to eat other OU products - the exact definition of being political.
The non-political explanation i heard about OU in Israel not being the same standards is that in the US, the factories and restaurants are more western and are less likely to play Shtik on the Hechsher. This is not the case in Israel where the whole country runs on Shtik.

Therefore, when the OU has the same standards, these might be fine in the US where people play by the book (usually) but not ok in Israel where there is more likely a chance of a mess up.

Online Darth1

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2017
  • Posts: 587
  • Total likes: 225
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: Jerusalem
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5332 on: September 27, 2023, 11:19:08 AM »
I find it funny that you write "OU Israel is the same as OU USA" as being political, as the OU themselves state this numerous times on their website. It's the exact same standards (with Israel being stricter about some things)
https://oukosher.org/faqs/ou-israel/

The only people I hear saying it is different is Americans who don't want to eat from dati leumi mashgichim but still want to eat other OU products - the exact definition of being political.
The reason so many people think that OU Israel is different is because of the way the former head kashrus coordinator of OU Israel (Who still is a regional kashrus coordinator for OU just another region) answers questions about OU Israel.
« Last Edit: September 27, 2023, 11:23:16 AM by Darth1 »

Offline Alexsei

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 6588
  • Total likes: 2405
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
    • View Profile
    • Travel & Kivrei Zadikim
  • Location: Truckistan
  • Programs: COVID-24
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5333 on: September 27, 2023, 12:23:12 PM »
Does OU Israel have a Webbe Rebbe?
TRUMP better coverage than 5G!

Offline rbs-g1.5

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Sep 2021
  • Posts: 415
  • Total likes: 369
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: bet shemesh
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5334 on: September 27, 2023, 12:23:48 PM »
The reason so many people think that OU Israel is different is because of the way the former head kashrus coordinator of OU Israel (Who still is a regional kashrus coordinator for OU just another region) answers questions about OU Israel.
that is one of the reasons .
You can call everything politics but if in IL it is a Mizrachi organization and in America  the Kashrus branch is run by charedim that means something to many people. (and that "affiliation " difference will definitely  cause things to be done differently at times)

Offline avromie7

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 8536
  • Total likes: 2920
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5335 on: September 27, 2023, 12:33:28 PM »
that is one of the reasons .
You can call everything politics but if in IL it is a Mizrachi organization and in America  the Kashrus branch is run by charedim that means something to many people. (and that "affiliation " difference will definitely  cause things to be done differently at times)
OU is Chareidi?
I wonder what people who type "u" instead of "you" do with all their free time.

Offline aygart

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 19758
  • Total likes: 16337
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
    • Lower Watt Energy Brokers
  • Programs: www.lowerwatt.com
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5336 on: September 27, 2023, 12:50:40 PM »
The non-political explanation i heard about OU in Israel not being the same standards is that in the US, the factories and restaurants are more western and are less likely to play Shtik on the Hechsher. This is not the case in Israel where the whole country runs on Shtik.

Therefore, when the OU has the same standards, these might be fine in the US where people play by the book (usually) but not ok in Israel where there is more likely a chance of a mess up.
Ah but then what about OU products coming from China?
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Moshe Green

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2021
  • Posts: 1546
  • Total likes: 1308
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5337 on: September 27, 2023, 12:52:49 PM »
OU is Chareidi?
Yes, Rav Belsky A"H and Rav Shechter are Chareidi.

Offline aygart

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 19758
  • Total likes: 16337
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
    • Lower Watt Energy Brokers
  • Programs: www.lowerwatt.com
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5338 on: September 27, 2023, 01:08:31 PM »
Yes, Rav Belsky A"H and Rav Shechter are Chareidi.

And Rabbi Genack?
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline rbs-g1.5

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Sep 2021
  • Posts: 415
  • Total likes: 369
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: bet shemesh
Re: Kosher, Kashrus and Hechsherim Master thread
« Reply #5339 on: September 27, 2023, 01:43:54 PM »
OU is Chareidi?
that is one of the reasons .
You can call everything politics but if in IL it is a Mizrachi organization and in America  the Kashrus branch is run by charedim that means something to many people. (and that "affiliation " difference will definitely  cause things to be done differently at times)