Community Relations Summary
In 2025, OU Kosher’s community engagement reached new levels of scale and impact, highlighted by the Passover season, our busiest time of the year. Across every channel — hotline, digital platforms, publications, and live appearances — OU Kosher provided trusted guidance to hundreds of thousands preparing for the holiday.
- OU Kosher Hotline: 17 rabbis answered 9,314 calls (a 2% increase from 2024). In the week before Passover alone, call volume surged to an average of 688 per day, with extended hours and added Sunday/erev chag coverage.
- Digital Reach: 145,400 people visited the dedicated OUPassover.org site, with 105,200 the week before Passover. The Webbe Rebbe email service answered 3,269 inquiries — up 35% from 2024, while 4,302 new Passover‑related app downloads brought our cumulative base to more than 160,000 users across iOS and Android.
- Publications: 58,000 copies of the OU Guide to Passover were distributed in print, while digital readership climbed to 27,000 — a 71% increase.
- Media Presence: OU Kosher rabbis were featured prominently across the media, including multiple late‑night appearances by Rabbi Moshe Elefant on Zev Brenner’s program and JM in the AM sessions with Rabbis Grunberg and Schonfeld.
- Educational Programs: ASK OU hosted in‑person programs in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Lakewood, and Surfside, as well as in Israel. Virtual events brought OU expertise to RCA, CER, and JSOR audiences.
Broader Community Engagement
Beyond Passover, OU Kosher expanded its educational reach through the ASK OU initiative, including the Summer Women’s Kashrus Experience, school visits, and professional training. The Spring and Annual Kashrus Conferences convened rabbanim, industry leaders, and international kashrut agencies to address emerging halachic and logistical challenges, positioning OU Kosher at the forefront of global kashrut dialogue.
Women’s Kashrus Experience
OU Kosher’s ASK OU 2025 Summer Women’s Kashrus Experience brought together 60 women from across the globe for an intensive weeklong program at the OU’s Manhattan headquarters. The program, which was fully booked with a lengthy waiting list, offered participants an unprecedented behind‑the‑scenes look at the kashrus certification industry through shiurim from renowned OU Kosher rabbanim, hands‑on workshops including bedikas tolayim demonstrations, and field trips to factories, supermarkets, and venues where kashrut standards are implemented in real‑world settings. Participants gained deep halachic insights and practical knowledge while experiencing the expertise and dedication of the OU Kosher team.
Global Thought Leadership
OU Kosher’s influence now spans 113 countries, where our certification ensures global food integrity. Beyond supervision, OU Kosher provides daily Torah learning through the Halacha Yomis program which engages more than 7,000 subscribers and has generated over 207,000 page views this year. With a majority of the world’s 10 most valuable food brands now OU‑certified, the OU symbol continues to lead.
Looking Ahead
The 2025 Passover season emphasized both the enduring strength of traditional services — like the hotline and printed Passover Guide — and the rapid growth of digital platforms. Continued investment in technology and education will further expand OU Kosher’s ability to serve consumers, deepen industry partnerships, and uphold the highest standards of kashrut worldwide.
OU Kosher in Africa
Ensuring the integrity of the kosher ingredient supply chain often requires the OU’s extraordinary efforts. Nowhere is this clearer than in Africa, where rabbis face logistical hurdles such as extensive permits, high travel costs, and limited infrastructure. Travel can be slow and unpredictable, yet OU Kosher continues to meet demand from manufacturers across the continent.
Today, OU Kosher certifies seven plants in Madagascar, some more than 1,000 miles apart, producing genuine vanilla beans sought by the global market. In Morocco, 122 certified plants — primarily in the fish industry — make up the largest share of OU facilities on the continent. South Africa follows with 26 plants across a wide range of food industries.
While Africa represents about 1.5% of OU facilities worldwide, it produces essential kosher ingredients that connect local production to global supply chains. OU’s persistence underscores its commitment: wherever kosher products are made — even in remote and complex regions — the OU upholds the highest standards of kashrus.
OU Kashrus Conferences 2025
The OU Kashrus Conference in Spring 2025 focused on timely discussions and halachic insights into today’s most pressing challenges in kashrut supervision and the kosher food industry. Sessions included:
- Current challenges and developments in kosher slaughter (shechita) in North America
- Remote hashgacha (supervision) and its practical halachic considerations
- A halacha shiur given by Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, Rabbinic Administrator of the Star‑K
- An industry panel on kashrut shipping and logistics
- An in‑depth analysis of shishim (the halachic measurement of 1/60) in gelatin
- The impact of rising egg prices on kosher certification and food production
The Conference convened 200 industry professionals, including representatives from international kashrut agencies like Kof‑K, Star‑K, and KF Kosher.
ASK OU Program Locations
COLORADO: Denver
FLORIDA: Boca Raton, Surfside
MICHIGAN: Detroit
NEW JERSEY: Edison, Elizabeth, Lakewood, Toms River
NEW YORK: Brooklyn, New York City
PENNSYLVANIA: Pittsburgh
TEXAS: Dallas
ONLINE: Council of European Rabbonim (Europe‑wide); Rabbinical Council of America; Kav Halacha (Israel)
Noteworthy New OU Kosher Products
Feastables
MrBeast’s chocolate brand continues to disrupt the snacking space with clean‑label ingredients and bold, youth‑driven marketing. By leaning into the better‑for‑you trend, Feastables has captured younger consumers who value transparency and simplicity — and now reaches kosher consumers as well.
Skittles
One of Mars Wrigley’s most iconic candies became available to kosher consumers for the first time this year. The announcement sparked a viral reaction — nearly half a million views on OU Kosher’s social media within hours — showcasing the excitement and impact of making beloved global brands accessible to the kosher community.