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Table of Contents
Reaching the Kosher Nexus Return to Kosher Nexus Back Issues From the EditorShalom and welcome to the third issue of the Kosher Nexus. In this special edition you will find a wealth of information for Passover. Rabbi Rappoport and I hope that this special edition will help you with everything from preparing your home to purchasing Kosher L' Pesah products. We have even included some favorite recipes to help your family celebrate Pesah. If you have any questions regarding Passover or kashrut in general, please refer to the box on page six on how to contact the Kosher Nexus. From Jeffrey and me, and the Union for Traditional Judaism, we wish you a festive and meaningful Pesah. Return to Table of Contents Preparing Your Home For PassoverPesah begins on a Motzaei Shabbat this year, and therefore some changes will need to be made in the search and removal of hametz. The Search for Leaven will take place, not on the night before Yom Tov, but on Thursday night, March 24th, after dark. At that time, all of the usual blessings and formulas would be recited. The Bitul that is recited is generally only for that hametz which we don't know about. It is very important that we understand the words of the nullification formula. Therefore, for those who don't understand the Aramaic or Hebrew, it is fitting to repeat the words in English. The final bitul or nullification of hametz usually done the morning after the search at the burning of the hametz, is postponed to Shabbat morning after breakfast and before 11:00 a.m. At that time any remaining hametz that has been kept over for the Friday night and Shabbat morning meals must be destroyed either by flushing it down the toilet or throwing it into the garbage outside of the house. Because keeping hametz over Shabbat makes us all nervous, lest we accidentally leave some crumbs around when we can't take out the vacuum and because we can't burn the hametz, we suggest the following solution: On Friday before Shabbat burn all the remaining hametz in your possession. Have your home completely ready for Pesah with only Kosher for Passover products. Leave no hametz for the meals over Shabbat. Instead of Challah at the meals of Shabbat use matzah 'ashirah, egg matzah, or Pesah rolls made of matzah cake meal. According to Halakhah, when eating a large quantity of what would otherwise be considered mezonot (cake), particularly when it is the basis of the meal (as bread is normally), we are permitted to say hamotzi. Thus, in this circumstance we are permitted to use matzah 'ashira as our "bread". In so doing we avoid any of the inconvenience of keeping hametz around the house on erev Pesah which is also Shabbat. Also, the Siyum B'Chorim, the fast of the first-born falls on Thursday, as it is forbidden to fast on Shabbat, as well as Erev Shabbat. The Siyum is made Thursday morning and all those who participate are permitted to eat on that day. All preparations of the house and foods must be done before Shabbos. In order to prepare for Pesah, each room of the house must be carefully cleaned. The Kosher Nexus recommends a number of tips and suggestions: 1. Check all sofa and chair cushions and vacuum carefully. 2. Use a vacuum cleaner with attachments to clean all baseboards and corners of rooms. This works great in the corners of your children's closets and their drawers too! (we all know how children love to hide things!) 3. Clean out toy boxes, and wash all toys that a baby may have spilled formula or juice on, or even played with at meal time. 4. Check between mattresses, one never knows what could be lurking there! 5. Pocketbooks, pant cuffs, coat pockets and jean pockets (especially those of little boys), should be carefully searched. 6. Be especially careful during your cleaning of your den/TV room, you will be amazed at the places that hametz can be hiding. Return to Table of Contents The Kitchen-Ready, Set, Scrub!The Kitchen will require your most serious attention. If you follow our guide, you should find the process much easier. The Refrigerator: Empty out the refrigerator. clean the interior thoroughly using a new (and therefore Pesahdik) sponge. Remove all the racks, bins and shelves to facilitate cleaning. There are two halakhic stances concerning the interior of the refrigerator: Sefardim generally do not require lining/covering the shelves, etc. The Ashkenazic custom is to cover the plastic racks and bins. Restock the refrigerator with only Kosher for Passover foods. Toaster Ovens: It really is not a good idea to use one of these during Pesah, but if you must, do the following: Empty out the toaster oven very carefully. Even better, use the reverse blower of your vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer to blow out the interior of the unit. Wash the tray and interior carefully. Cover the tray for the duration of the holiday. Run the unit on full heat for one hour. Of course, your best bet, if it is financially possible, is to purchase a new toaster oven to use specifically for Pesah. Blenders and Mixers: If you can afford it, it is best to buy separate units for Pesah. Any parts that are plastic or rubber cannot be made Kosher for Pesah, according to Ashkenazic minhag (custom). Therefore, after thoroughly cleaning the motor part, and kashering the metal blades, put away all the rest of the unit and get new parts for Pesah. (Editor's note: It is my experience that the stand-up mixers are way too difficult to kasher for Pesah, especially if used to make challah throughout the year. I noticed that no matter how hard I try, how much I clean the mixer, there are still traces of hametz. I solved this problem by purchasing an inexpensive mixer to use just for Pesah.) Dishwashers: Sefardim require that the unit be run through a full cycle. The Ashkenazie custom is to clean the interior with a brush and then run two full cycles. Most Ashkenazic authorities also require that new racks be purchased for Pesah. The Kosher Nexus recommends donning a pair of rubber gloves and washing those dishes by hand, or better yet, having those teenagers help out! Counters and Tabletops: Sefardim clean and purge with boiling water. They do not require the covering of tables or the counters. Ashkenazic custom is to clean and cover all table tops and counter tops. (Editor's Note: I have observed a number of ways that people cover their counters, from plywood planks to aluminum foil. I have discovered, for the sake of cost and efficiency, that freezer paper, secured with a bit of masking tape works very well especially with the plastic backing, and lasts longer than aluminum foil) Sinks: Sefardim require a complete cleaning followed by purging with boiling water. The Ashkenazic custom is to only kasher metal sinks. All other sinks must be cleaned, purged with boiling water and lined or covered. A plastic dish tub with a few holes poked in the bottom, which sits upon a sink rack, works great. Microwave Oven: (This does not include convection ovens, which must be made Kosher for Pesah the same way as a conventional oven.) Clean the inside of the microwave thoroughly. Remove any trays. Put a bowl of water in the oven. Turn the power on to full and boil the water for a few minutes until the entire interior is wet with steam. Drawers and Cabinets: These must be cleaned and lined. Those that will not be used during Pesah need not be lined. The Kosher Nexus recommends that any cabinets and drawers that will not be used, be sealed with a bit of tape, to avoid any accidental use of items that remain inside. Self Cleaning Ovens: Run the self clean cycle. Viola! One Kosher for Pesah oven. (and if that isn't the best reason to own one......!) You may also be able to put racks and stove top trivets in the oven during the cleaning cycle, but please check your owner's manual first, as temperatures reach approximately 700 degrees during the clean cycle. Note: The above pertains to self cleaning ovens only, not continuous cleaning ovens. Ovens: Plain and simple, take the oven apart as much as possible. Remove any part removable, and scrub, scrub, and scrub some more. Basically, clean it till it won't come any cleaner! Use a lot of oven cleaner, but if you have a continuous cleaning oven, check your owner's manual before applying an oven cleaner. Some oven cleaners will destroy the finish on continuous clean ovens. After a complete cleaning, put it all back together and turn on the oven full blast for one full hour. When cool, cover your racks with aluminum rack covers, found inexpensively at the supermarket or use new racks for Pesah. Your broiler pan cannot be kashered for Pesah unless you use a blow torch! (I have seen it done!) It must be brought to a higher temperature than it is normally used for, hence the blow torch. Gas & Electric Ranges: These cook tops must be cleaned as thoroughly as possible. Remove all parts that you can and scrub. Remove the trivets from the range top, and after a good cleaning, cover them with heavy duty aluminum foil. Lift up the range top, it is amazing all the hametz that you will find here. Clean it all out! For electric ranges, the coils are self kashering. Just let them get red, and they are ready to go. For gas ranges, put your cook top back together and turn on the burners for one full hour. When everything has cooled down, line the inside of your range with aluminum foil, and do the same for the range top. You have now completed kashering your stove for Pesah. Please keep in mind that the "blech" we use all year round cannot be made Kosher for Pesah. A new one will need to be purchased. Bread Drawers: Ashkenazic custom is to clean the bread drawer and close it for Pesah. Return to Table of Contents Kashering -- The do's and don'tsWhat Are The Kashering Methods Used For Pesah? There are four possible ways to kasher for Pesah. A. Hagalah-immersion in boiling water; B. Libun-purification by flame by turning the metal white hot. (such as a blow torch, used to clean items like broilers and bar-b-ques.) C. Irui-pouring boiling water over the surface; and D. milui v'irui - soaking in cold water. How Do We Kasher Utensils For Pesah? In general, the rule we follow is simple: Each utensil is kashered according to its use. Halakhically we say, "as the utensil has absorbed, so will it emit what it has absorbed." Many items can be made kosher for Pesah by Hagalah, (the total immersion of an item into a larger pot of boiling water for a few seconds). How Do We Do Hagalah? First take a Pesah pot and fill it with water. Bring the pot to a boil. Take a large stone or brick (clean it first) and make it red hot by putting it over a burner with the flame on high. Then, while the pot of water is boiling, lower the stone (tied to a strong string works well) into the pot so that the water spills over the sides of the pot. An alternate method would be to keep a kettle of water boiling and pour from it into the kashering pot to make it overflow. The whole idea is that the pot of boiling water must overflow in order for the entire pot to be kashered. You are now ready to kasher (by dunking into the boiling water) each item that requires Hagalah. You may only do one item at a time. The Kosher Nexus recommends heavy duty rubber gloves (the kind for handling chemicals) so that you do not get burned. Another great idea for dunking, is to purchase a nylon net bag, and put your items into the bag, and then dunk the bag. Each item to be boiled must be clean and must not have been used for the preceding 24 hours. If you do not have a Pesah pot big enough to use for Hagalah use a hametz pot. Bring the pot to a boil, spill it over as above, and then pour out all the water. When the water boils, you are ready to dunk. What Can Be Kashered This Way? In general, items made of metal, glass and stone may be kashered this way. Although, the Kosher Nexus recommends that you be very careful with glassware, as the boiling water may cause breakage. There is an alternate way to kasher glassware for Pesah. How To Kasher Glassware. Again, there are differing opinions on this. The Sefardim say that one only has to thoroughly wash the glass item. The Askenazic view is that glass needs to be kashered for Pesah use. To kasher glassware, you must first, make sure that the items are glass, and not Pyrex. Only pure glass, that has been washed, and allowed to stand for 24 hours may be kashered. Glassware requires a three-day dunk! Yep, count 'em, three days. The Kosher Nexus suggests using an "extra" bathtub or a very large wash basin. Put all glassware into the tub, and then fill with cold water. Completely empty the tub after 24 hours, and re-fill. Then empty it again, after another 24 hours has passed, and re-fill it. Finally, after the third 24 hour period has passed, you may remove your glassware and they are now Kosher for Pesah. (this method can be used whenever you need to kasher your glassware that may have become treif for some reason, or if you are just "going" kosher.) Return to Table of Contents Items You Cannot Kasher For PesahThere are a number of items that cannot be made kosher for Pesah. They include the following:
Return to Table of Contents Kosher L'Pesah FoodsPurchasing Kosher for Pesah foods takes some thought and planning. Many products that you use everyday, cannot be used for Pesah. Most items require special certification for Pesah. The list below will help you in determining which products do and do not need special Pesah certification. The following items do NOT require special certification for Pesah:
The following are products REQUIRE certification for Pesah use:
Stash brand Herbal Tea in Peppermint and Chamomile flavors are certified for Pesah The only certified sweetener with Aspartame is Lieber's. Equal is not acceptable for Pesah. Liquid Sweet and Low is ok to use for Pesah. There is powdered Sweet and Low (in packets) that is kosher for Pesah, in specially marked packages from Israel. The American kind is not certified for Pesah. Garlic powder if kosher certified does not require special certification for Pesah. Beech Nut Baby Foods has some varieties that are certified for Pesah. They must be marked O-U P. (any processed - store bought baby food must be certified for Pesah) Cottonseed Oil only needs to be marked kosher for it to be used for Pesah. According to the O-U, Lysol brand cleaner requires Pesah certification. Look for O-U P on the label. Return to Table of Contents Pet FoodsThe following foods are ok to use during Pesah for your animals. Cat Foods
Dog Foods
For your little fish friends, Krill brand fish food is ok for Pesah use. Hamsters, gerbils and rabbits require special thought. The Kosher Nexus has been told that Hartz Mountain has a special Pesah diet. The other alternatives are to either sell or give your pet to a non-Jewish friend for Pesah, or alter their diet to include no hametz during Pesah. (Kitniyot are ok for pets) Return to Table of Contents MiscellaneousConsumer Alert: Some red potatoes are colored to enhance their look. The coloring agent is of unknown origin. Ask your grocer to show you the box they came in. Look at the label, and if it says coloring, don't buy the potatoes. Crazy Rumor Dept: Somebody on the East Coast is telling people that Silverstone (r) is hametz. Unbelievable!! No, it is NOT hametz. However, Silverstone cannot be made kosher for Pesah, if the utensil was already used for hametz during the year. You can though, purchase a new pot for Pesah. And last but not least: There are 24 different, acceptable for Pesah oral contraceptives on the market! Return to Table of Contents Editorialby Andrea L. Herrera As this issue of the Kosher Nexus has come to be, I started thinking that it might be interesting to share real-life experiences on becoming kosher. This is only our second "kosher" Pesah. We "went" kosher last Pesah, after talking about it for as many years as my husband and I have been married. It was a long and sometimes tedious journey to get to the point of wanting to make a major change in my life. Becoming kosher has changed my life, but not in the ways that I had thought. I figured it would be too much trouble, confusion and bother, and it turned out to be one of the best things that I could have done, not for only myself, but for my family as well. For me, deciding to keep a kosher home, was just the beginning. Although at the time, I had rather thought this was the "end" to a spiritual journey I was traveling. How wrong I was. It has been a beginning, a renewal, a door that has opened many other doors. Keeping kosher has enhanced my very spiritual core. It is much more than what I buy, how I prepare food, and what we put into our mouths. It is a connection with every Jew who has come before me, and those who will come after. Last year, I knew only very little about keeping kosher. My entire knowledge about being an observant Jew, came from my childhood memories of my grandfather (alav hashalom). I knew the basics of kashrut, but that was it. It was then that my dear friend and Rabbinic Advisor to this newsletter, held my hand (via computer) and helped me turn our home into a kosher home. It is now my hope that I will be able to help others share the wonderful experience of being kosher. I have spent this entire past year, learning as much as I can about keeping kosher. Our community does not have a kosher grocer or butcher, so it is a challenge to find kosher products. How exciting to discover a new store that carries kosher products, or even a new product on the grocer's shelf. One personally fulfilling "task of love" (as I like to refer to it) has been to be the coordinator for our community's kosher food co-op. (We have meat, poultry & groceries shipped in from L.A.) We made the commitment to keep a kosher home, to set examples for our children, and therefore it has not mattered what it takes to fulfill the mitzvah of keeping kosher. It reminds me of what my parents said to my brothers and me as we were growing up. "If you want something bad enough, you will work hard for it." How true that statement is. If something is important, nothing will stand in your way, even living somewhere where being kosher is not the norm. Becoming kosher in time for Pesach, was a real eye-opener. I was amazed at the amount of work that we did. When all is said and done though, there is a certain satisfaction, a fulfillment that only comes from knowing you are part of something very special. I have decided to take my journey through my Jewishness one step at a time, beginning with kashrut. It is amazing how when you commit to one Mitzvah, how easy it is to commit to the next, and the next. In my quest to becoming a more observant Jew, there have been many issues to grapple with, many decisions that have been made, and many that still need to be made. It can be quite overwhelming, and therefore I have adopted the motto of taking things 'one day at a time'. And so for today, I am in the midst of preparing our home for Pesach, and for tomorrow, and the rest of my tomorrows, I will look forward to continuing my journey towards spiritual fulfillment and the fulfillment of Mitzvot. To each of you, I wish you all a kosher and festive Pesach. Return to Table of Contents OPERATION PESAH - MAR. 21, 19949:00 A.M. (EST) - 6:30 P.M.Volunteers, many of them Rabbis, will be available to answer all your Passover questions. Everything you want and need to know about Pesah, from permissible foods, kosher products and the Seder to how to connect with your Jewish Community. Call Toll-Free: 1-800-843-8825 Return to Table of Contents Not For Women Only !The following quotes are from: How To Run A Traditional Jewish Household, by Blu Greenberg, published by Simon & Schuster. Enjoy! Speaking of food shopping for Pesah: "Don't overbuy. It helps to have a detailed list in hand and two pizzas and a large Coke in your stomach." "My mother used to say that the Jewish housewife was the only one who didn't go out of bondage on Pesach". "They ought to give life-experience credit to a woman who has made Pesach. Even though no one will understand it, I think I shall add 'made Pesach twenty-two times' to my resume". Return to Table of Contents SIGN UP TODAY!Did you sign onto the new computer mail list yet? Get Hagahelet and Kosher Nexus directly from your computer! (latest Pesah updates will be included) Also a new discussion forum has been started under the U.T.J. For more information contact the Union office. Return to Table of Contents Pesah Recipes - Yummy !World's Best Passover Granola
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix farfel, nuts and coconut in a bowl. Add honey and oil, mix well. Spread mixture (single layer thick) on a non-stick baking sheet(s). Bake 20 to 30 min. stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove from oven and add raisins, mixing well. Cool and store in an airtight container. Great for breakfast or snacks. *This recipe doubles and triples well. Chocolate Almond Bark Melt 12 oz chocolate bits over low heat. Toast 1 Cup almonds (whole or chopped) until light brown and add to melted chocolate. Spread mixture over cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill until firm and break into pieces. The following are G'brokts recipes. (G'brokts means dipping or combing matzah or matzah meal with liquid. Some people refrain from eating this combination the first 7 days of Pesah to avoid eating even a tiny amount of leavened dough.) Passover Muffins
Mix well together in a large bowl. Divide batter to fit into 6 oiled cupcake tins. Bake 45 mins at 375 degrees. Cool in tins before removing. Matzah Farfel Kugel
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. "Grease" a 9x13 glass baking pan. Soak farfel in warm water, drain well and make sure to squeeze out extra water. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into baking pan. Bake for 30 to 45 mins, until firm and golden brown on top. Cool and cut into 24 squares. Best if served warm. Pesah Ice-Box Cookies
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