OU Kosher Comes to Monsey, 600 People Attended First Shiur

12 May 2009

More than 600 people were in attendance Sunday night as the Orthodox Union’s Harry H. Beren ASK OUTREACH program came to Monsey for the first in a series of shiurim, “How to be Menaker and Other Meat Issues,” held at Yeshiva Ohr Somayach. The OU’s experts included Rav Yisroel Belsky, OU halachic posek; Rabbi Nosson Goldberg, OU Kosher rabbinic coordinator for meat; and Reb Shimon Mendlowitz of Monsey, an expert menaker (deveiner).

Among the comments that were heard from the audience were: “Fantastic presentation,” “Very educational,” and “The two hours just flew by.”

Rabbi Yosef Grossman, Director of Kashrus Education, declared,“I was very gratified to see the large turnout of 600 members of the entire wide spectrum of the Monsey community. This included many prominent rabbonim, poskim, leading members of various Vaadei HaKashrus as well as entire kollelim who are studying the intricate laws of Nikkur and Treifos. The shiur attracted participants from Brooklyn and New Jersey as well and even one interested party from as far away as Toronto.”

“This indicates the sterling reputation that the ASK OUTREACH shiurim have acquired as we have now visited yeshivos and kollelim including the Boston Kollel, MTJ, Torah Vodaath. Lakewood, Ohr HaChaim in Queens, RIETS, Lander College for Men, The Yeshiva at IDT, the Satmar Yoreh Deah Kollel in Monroe and now Yeshivas Ohr Somayach and its kollel in Monsey.”

“As in the case of Monsey, we often find that our kashrus shiurim not only greatly impact the yeshiva or kollel we are visiting but have a positive ripple effect on the entire community surrounding that institution. We look forward to service many other yeshivos and communities in the future.”

There will be three more sessions at Ohr Somayach: May 17 on Bedikas Toyloim; May 31 on How to Identify a Kosher Bird and Eating Out, What Could be the Problem?; and June 7, on How to Create Reliable Kashrus in a Community and “An Ex’salmonation’ and Demonstration of Fish issues.

For further information, contact Rabbi Grossman at 212-613-8212.