The long road to kashering for Pesach

RABBI DOVI GOLDSTEIN

The Kosher Department provides the highest level of kashrut for Pesach and all year round, and our hashgocha (rabbinic product certification) is on par with international kosher leaders. Our ingredients team scrutinises every Pesach product, our highly qualified inspectors inspect every factory, and our full-time mashgichim (kashrut supervisors) supervise every production run.

Our team works with close to 80 local manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, catering companies, and hotels to ensure that the Jewish community has access to many essential kosher products, and a kosher Pesach experience.

To make products kosher for Pesach, we begin eight months before the chag (holiday). We start by engaging with industry to offer assistance with the products the community needs and wants. Two years ago, we ran a survey to establish the top 50 products that South African Jews want for Pesach, and our aim is to ensure that these items are readily available.

After retailers place their orders with local manufacturers, we assist the manufacturers to source kosher for Pesach (Pesadik) ingredients and substitutes for their recipes.

Once the ingredients have been scrutinised and approved by our ingredient team, we send our rabbinic field representatives to conduct a full site inspection, which all goes on the company’s file. This file includes important details about how to run the factory for Pesach, including kashering instructions, and which areas must be “sealed off” for Pesach production.

Once our compliance manager has signed off the application, the file goes to the Beth Din to make sure that all processes are aligned with our policies, and for a contract to be drawn up and signed. We then arrange to send a kasherer, labels (if required), and a mashgiach so that production can take place in good time to hit the shelves ideally three to four weeks before Pesach.

Peanut butter is one example of the partnership that exists between the Beth Din Kosher Department, retailers, and manufacturers to bring Pesach to the community.

It started when Pick n Pay placed its order for kosher for Pesach Black Cat peanut butter from Tiger Brands, and we received the application for certification. After some investigation, we found an ingredient which wasn’t kosher for Pesach, and our ingredient team did research on possible alternatives for a reformulation.

The alternative required the particular ingredient to be sourced and air freighted from the other side of the world. A special production run was scheduled, and our field representative and mashgiach were present to ensure that all the necessary requirements for Pesach were adhered to.

People often ask me why Pesadik products are more expensive than regular counterparts. The cost of a Beth Din licence for kosher for Pesach – which includes all the services provided above – is on average less than 99c per unit, which is used to cover costs. We don’t get involved with the actual production or pricing of products. This is completely in the hands of manufacturers and retailers, but we do assist in getting the best possible products and information to the community.

There are four major reasons why Pesadik products are often more expensive than their non-Pesadik equivalent.

• The high cost of Pesadik ingredients, which often have to be brought in from overseas;
• The small runs that manufacturers have to do are often not cost effective;
• The need to kasher equipment, which often requires a 24-hour period when the facility cannot be used and the manufacturer cannot produce; and
• The need for a full-time supervisor/mashgiach to be present during production.

However, many products such as Nescafé coffee, Five Roses tea, Huletts sugar, and Black Cat peanut butter to name but a few, are on a par price-wise with their non-Pesadik counterparts.

This year, to make more products accessible and affordable, we spent many hours researching the common products used over Pesach, and combed through ingredients, recipes, and manufacturing processes to establish what would be suitable for Pesach without ingredient changes, extra supervision, and a special kosher-for-Pesach hechsher. We evolved a Green List, which includes more than 30 common items that do not require a special hechsher. We hope to keep growing this list in the coming years. The list can be found on the UOS (Union of Orthodox Synagogues) website.

We also totally revamped the Pesach guide brought to you by Pick n Pay. It’s an easy-to-use companion for all your Pesach needs, with a comprehensive kashering guide, medicine and pet food list, seder companion, sale of chametz (leaven food) form, Pesach times, and more. This too can be found on our website in the Pesach section.

Other initiatives to make the most up-to-date information available to the community include the launch of our WhatsApp hotline for Pesach, and all year round. Message us on 063 693 9417, and we will do our best to answer your questions as speedily as possible.

May you and your families be blessed with a Pesach filled with joy, unity, and freedom.