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List of Recommended Hechshers
Rabbi Dovid Bendory
Last Updated 6 Kislev, 5766 (December 7, 2005)
I am often asked if this or that hechsher (kosher certification) is
valid. To help answer such questions, I have posted this list of recommended
hechshers. The inclusion of a hechsher here indicates that I
consider any product certified under it to be kosher. The fact that a
hechsher does not appear here does not necessarily indicate that the
given product is not kosher; it simply indicates that I cannot recommend it.
Note that not all of these hechshers will be acceptable in all
communities. Only your rabbi can poskin halacha for you. Please check
with your rabbi to determinte the appropriate standards for your community.
In addition to the list below, I also hold by:
Note: This list was compiled by the JSOR; I
will generally accept any hechsher that they do. However, please note
that with regard to Pesach the JSOR hechsher is good for Sephardic Jews only.
Ashkenazic Jews must confirm that the product in question is acceptable for
Ashkenazim.
Notes:
-
OU (top left) is held by many to be
the "gold standard" of kosher certification in the US. OU dairy products
are not chalav yisroel unless labelled as such. They are acceptable
for those who hold by Rav Moshe Feinstein's psak for chalav
stam.
-
CRC, the Chicago Rabbinical Council
(left column, third up from the bottom), posts articles and other kosher
info.
-
There are many products with a plain
K
on the label. This is
generally not considered to be a valid hechsher with the following
two exceptions.
- All Pepsi sodas are kosher if they bear a
K
on the lid or label.
- All Kellogg's cereals are kosher if they bear a
K
on the box.
-
Kosher vitamins are at times hard to find. If you are having trouble, check
http://www.koshervitamins.com.
Please note that I have no affiliation with this website and cannot vouch
for the kashrut of any product they sell. Check before purchasing to
make sure the product has a reliable hechsher.
-
Some items may be purchased without any hechsher. Here are some
guidelines:
-
Fresh fruits and vegetables need no hechsher. Note that many are waxed
to make them look nice, so they should be washed well to remove the wax.
(If it is truly wax it ought not be a problem, but it may contain oils
or other ingredients from non-kosher sources.) Many fruits and
vegetables must also be checked for bugs.
-
Some factories coat raisins and other dried fruits with oils, so dried
fruits generally require a hechsher.
-
Many of the certifying agencies will allow unflavored coffee without a
hechsher. I am machmir to require a hechsher in my
home; after all, it's so easy to find coffee with a hechsher...
But then again, I don't drink coffee, so it is easy for me to be
machmir. As usual, check with your rabbi.
-
Raw rice, other grains, and dried beans require no hechsher
provided that they are not pre-cooked or soaked in any way. All must be
checked for bugs.
- Raw nuts are acceptable without a
hechsher with the exception of raw cashews. This is because what
is sold as "raw" cashews have actually been soaked in oil.
-
VHQ, the Va'ad Harabonim of
Queens (penultimate column, third down) puts out a list
of products that may not require hashgacha (supervision). Check
with your rabbi.
Questions to ponder:
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