OU Kosher’s popular ASK OU Outreach program, which has brought the wisdom and experience of OU Kosher rabbis to congregations throughout the United States for the past six years, makes its first appearance in Canada as it presents a Special Community Kashrus Event in Toronto on Tuesday, June 11, from 7:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Congregation Shomrai Shabbos-Chevra Mishnayos, 583 Glengrove Avenue West.

The program will feature Orthodox Union meat, wine and fish experts, and will include a Q&A session following each presentation to allow for community input. Men and women are invited and admission is free.

The program is presented in conjunction with the COR Kashruth Council of Canada, with whom the OU works closely together on kashrus matters and is sponsored by the Harry H. Beren Foundation of New Jersey. Toronto native Rabbi Yosef Grossman, senior educational rabbinic coordinator and director of kosher education at OU Kosher, assembled the program and will serve as MC.

“Personally, this event means a lot to me because I’m bringing ASK OU to my home town where I grew up,” said Rabbi Grossman. “This is the first ASK OU outside of the borders of the United States. The OU is constantly being called upon to help kashrus agencies around the globe. In this past week alone I have been called on by Vaadei HaKashrus in South Africa, Australia, Switzerland, Germany and Gibraltar to help them with issues specific to their various communities. They all want to know what OU standards are so they can implement similar ones in their locals. Our trip to Toronto demonstrates the ever-expanding influence of OU Kosher on kashrus worldwide.”

Following introductory remarks by Rabbi Tsvi Heber, COR director of Community Kosher; Rabbi Moshe Elefant, COO and executive rabbinic coordinator of OU Kosher, will speak at 8:00 p.m. on “The Integrity of Kosher Meat After the Los Angeles Meat Scandal.” At 8:40, Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, senior rabbinic coordinator, will give a PowerPoint presentation on “The Production of Kosher Wine and Grape Juice,” a program he gave a number of times in different communities prior to Passover. The OU’s leading fish expert, the much-traveled Rabbinic Coordinator Rabbi Chaim Goldberg, will speak on “Current Kosher Fish Issues.”

The question and answer session will give priority to questions submitted by fax to 212-613-0621 or email [email protected]. A free copy of the twentieth yearly volume of The Daf HaKashrus, the OU’s highly acclaimed newsletter for kashrus professionals, will be distributed.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)