Pesach is nigh upon us and the last of the shopping is underway.
We have two "K4P" lists in the house; one from the Va'ad HaRabanim of Greater Seattle, a/k/a Seattle Va'ad (http://www.seattlevaad.org/Passover_5769.html and one from the Jersey Shore Orthodox Rabbinute (http://www.jsor.org/PDF/passover2011bulletinformat.pdf..
I also know of a third list, one highly recommended by the Atlanta Sephardi community and published by Kashruth.Org (http://www.kashrut.org/pesach/
The Seattle Va'ad and the JSOR lists are available, gratis, on-line. Kashrut.org requests a $5 donation via PayPal or major credit card.
The Seattle Va'ad caters both to Ashkenazim and to Sephardim and manages to put its recommendations into a three column table:
JSOR is more prose and usually explains "why" something requires a special Pesach certification.
Both are easy to use.
JSOR's board, headed up by R. Isaac Farhi - Kashrut Coordinator, is identified at http://www.jsor.org/contacts.html. The Seattle Va'ad board members are listed on the organization's home page (http://www.seattlevaad.org/) and includes R. Simon Benzaquen of Sephardic Bikur Holim.
Interestingly, there are a few differences of opinion. Why? Anyone's guess.
As examples, JSOR states: "Sephardim whose custom it is to use soybeans and corn may use any certified kosher for year round use brand of pure corn, canola or soybean or vegetable oils . Some manufacturers have added citric acid to their oil. Although this ingredient is usually extracted from corn, it can be made from a chametz source, therefore we do not recommend any oil containing this ingredient as we have no verification of the source of the citric acid."
Seattle Va'ad rules that oils for Sefardim may be "any kosher - (but) not canola".
Why is canola acceptable on the east coast and not the west coast ? No idea.
On the Pacific coast I am allowed "any kosher paste, puree, or stewed (tomato) products" but on the Atlantic coast, JSOR tells me that "Passover supervision (is) required" (for tomato paste and sauce).
JSOR's reasoning is "due to flavored varieties of paste and sauce now being produced, the OK laboratories inform us that tomato products must have proper Pesach supervision." JSOR goes on to add that "Tomato products should only be used with a known reliable supervision, it has been discovered that certain packers of tomato products were producing tomato with (non-kosher) romano cheese sauce and then producing the crushed tomatoes, with no cleaning in between! Understandably this is not acceptable." (JSOR's emphasis.)
How any of the above could have been certified kosher at any time escapes me. I can understand a general question about flavorings being kosher for Pesach used in otherwise kosher products, but is it necessary to prohibit unflavored products with a reliable year-round kosher certification?
Both the Seattle Va'ad and JSOR insist that "Sodas must have Kosher for Passover certification due to possible Hames in the flavoring base."
JSOR notes that "while actual soybeans are permissible for most Sephardim, products made of soy, such as soy sauce, TVP and tofu are forbidden. These products are made through extraction methods that use grain alcohol in the processing of the soybeans." Seattle Va'ad allows only "Nasoya – plain, firm, extra firm (only unflavored varieties)" products.
For some reason the Seattle Va'ad allows any toothpaste except Crest (for both Sefardim and Ashkinazim), yet JSOR approves the use of Crest Cavity Protection Mint Gel and Regular and Crest for Kids. JSOR also lists a number of other toothpastes it finds acceptable.
Both coasts "strongly recommend that only Kosher for Pesach products be used on Pesach, unless there is a blanket permission for the product (e.g., aluminum foil or, for Sepharadim, products with only a kitniot issue.) The Seattle Va'ad notes that "Generally, products with a reliable symbol (hashgacha) followed by a 'P' or otherwise stating 'Kosher for Passover' may be used for Pesach. The presence of the symbol is critical. The words 'kosher for Passover' are not trademarked or protected and anyone can write this on a label. It should be noted that companies sometimes improperly use the letter 'P' to mean 'parve,' so the consumer needs to make certain that the product is in fact for Passover use. When in doubt, ask!"
As with most things Jewish, there is more agreement between the groups than there are differences.
Both lists are certainly worth downloading, but in the end, all have the caveat: Ask your own rabbi.
Related blog entries:
K4P milk and meat? http://yohanon.blogspot.com/2011/04/k4p-milk-and-meat.html
K4P (updated) http://yohanon.blogspot.com/2011/03/k4p.html
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Love matzeh?
One day a year matzeh lovers are out of luck.
That one day is erev Pesach when, according to Talmud Yerushalmi “one who eats Masa on Ereb Pesah is like one who has relations with his fiancé in his father-in-law’s house.”
According to R. Eli Mansour's Daily Halacha, "Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204), in Hilchot Hametz U’masa (6:12), codifies the prohibition against eating Masa on Ereb Pesah. He goes so far as to say that one who violates this prohibition and eats Masa on Ereb Pesah is punished with malkot (lashes)."
This applies to all matzeh except egg matzeh that has a taste different than Pesach matzeh.
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A few words on "symbolism"
Letters, such as "K" by themselves cannot be trademarked; unless the consumer knows who is behind the "K" it's best to assume the "K" stands for something other than "kosher." Directories of kosher certifiers' symbols are available at
NOTE: The blogger is NOT responsible for any omissions from any list nor does the blogger endorse any particular certifying agency. When in doubt, ASK YOUR RABBI.
