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Last week, on 2 Kislev (November 24), OK Kosher Certification held its annual Mashgiach Conference at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, NY. Over 100 OK personnel and mashgichim were in attendance, including many from around the world.

The OK honored two outstanding mashgichim – Rabbi Yitzchok Rosenfeld from Israel and Rabbi Shmuel Spiero from The Netherlands. Both rabbis were chosen for their dedication to upholding the rigorous kashrus standards set forth by the OK and their efforts to forge relationships with personnel in the companies they visit.

Rabbi Levy, Kashrus Administrator, opened the conference with words of Torah and chizuk on the essential role of the mashgiach, highlighting the OK’s commitment to staying on the cutting edge of technology and learning new techniques and improving whenever possible. Rabbi Eli Lando introduced the updated Plant Manual and reviewed the latest certification developments at the OK. The mashgichim enjoyed a talk by Rabbi Yitzchak Hanoka about the practical things to know when visiting a facility and the best way to make a thorough inspection. Finally, Rabbi Levi Klein from Memphis, Tennessee, regaled the audience with a fascinating story of hashgocha protis that he experienced while en route to supervise a production, which enabled him to help a Jew observe the mitzvah of eating shmurah matzah on Pesach.

The conference featured a lavish buffet brunch and round table discussion led by Headquarters staff, allowing the rabbis discuss topics directly related to their area of work or personal interest and to interact with each other and ~ personnel.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)