The OU Hechsher – A SELLOUT TO THE JEWS??

Orthodox Union Kosher Certification

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  The World’s Most Recognized
  & Trusted Kosher CertificationFor over 80 years, the Orthodox Union has set the bar for the highest standards of kosher certification.

LM thanks our contributor for this post and for the accompanying research. We think that any observant Jews relying on the Orthodox Union certification should be grateful.

June 24, 2016

Boar’s Head Kosher?  Chazer, the OU and the “highest standards” reduced for a price

While many of us are not strictly observant Jews, we do believe people for whom strict Kashrut is important should be able to rely on certifying entities. It may be time to rethink accepting the OU certification as legitimate. It is our view that the OU has sold out, is committing both a fraud and that their advertising is false. They do not, in our view, meet “the highest standards of kosher certification”

General Explanation of Kashrut

With Kashrut the Devil is in the details and different groups of observant Jews accept different standards. The following is a very basic outline of Kashrut according to a site entitled Judaism 101.

Judaism 101: Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws

General Rules Although the details of kashrut are extensive, the laws all derive from a few fairly simple, straightforward rules: Certain animals may not be eaten at all. This restriction includes the flesh, organs, eggs and milk of the forbidden animals. Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in accordance with Jewish law. All blood must be drained from meat and poultry or broiled out of it before it is eaten. Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten. Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs (which cannot be eaten) Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy. (According to some views, fish may not be eaten with meat). Utensils (including pots and pans and other cooking surfaces) that have come into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice versa. Utensils that have come into contact with non-kosher food may not be used with kosher food. This applies only where the contact occurred while the food was hot. Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten. There are a few other rules that are not universal.

BOAR’S HEAD

[Note to reader: Our criticism is of the Orthodox Union. The Boar’s Head company may be the victim of a fraud. We in no way want to suggest people should not be purchasing Boar’s Head products. We do suggest that if you are purchasing those products because you believe them to be kosher, you may want to think again.]

Boar’s Head   is a company that has been around for years. It is, as far as we know, a reputable company and its very name is known for its “cold cuts” which include pork products.

Most observant Jews will not purchase Boar’s Head products.

When you look on its website and do a search for  “Kosher” you come up with the “Pub Style Horseradish Sauce.” With a wee bit of humor the caption reads: “The rich, creamy flavor of our Pub Style Horseradish Sauce will enhance all of your sandwiches. The perfect kosher complement to Deluxe Roast Beef and Double Gloucester Cheese.” Again with humor we wonder if the observant person buying the Kosher Horseradish Sauce would eat the Deluxe Roast Beef together with the Double Cloucester Cheese. Likely not.

A call to the Boar’s Head company left us baffled when the woman we spoke with indicated that as far as she knows there are no Kosher products. We can’t really have expected her to be well-versed in their Kosher products and do not fault her for her very polite response. But she did leave us wondering.

What the following research has told us is that there is an extensive list of Boar’s Head products that carry the OU symbol.

This all started with sauerkraut.

A few days ago, one of our commenters sent us information that the OU certification may be a fraud. The commenter came to that conclusion in large part because the OU certification really should not go hand-in-hand with the central focus of the product logo being the face  of a pig. 

The commenter did not leave it there.

The commenter questioned the OU. In response to an inquiry to the OU regarding why and how Boar’s Head products obtain an OU certification the following email was received:

Reading the letter, there are a number of conclusions one might raise, meeting the strictest standards of Kashrut for observant Jews, not being one of them.

A Telephone Call to the Orthodox Union

Our diligent (and strictly observant) commenter then told us the following:

I asked to speak with Rabbi Menachem Genack. He wouldn’t come to the phone, but he told Rabbi Luban to call me back. Rabbi Luban first claimed that even though some products are only eaten by non-Jews, the money the OU gets off these products are given to Orthodox Jewish causes like Yachad and other organizations, so he felt the OU was doing something good by getting money from non-Jews to help support Jewish causes. I told Luban that we are concerned of a pushback by gentiles for paying these fees. He didn’t seem concerned. Then he told me that he himself is not happy about the OU policy of certifying fake ham and shrimp.   I then told Luban that we believe having an OU symbol next to a picture of a pig’s head is a chilul hashem. He said, “I hear you.” I demanded he provide Rabbi Genack’s email address so I could protest to Genack directly. The email address is: Genackm@ou.org.

KASHRUT FOR PROFIT AND NOT FOR INTEGRITY

Companies, like Boar’s Head, are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a stamp of approval which supposedly meets the standards of an observant Jewish market willing to pay more for guarantees of Kashrut. Observant Jews are paying more for products so that they can feel settled in knowing that they are meeting appropriate dietary laws. Non-observant Jews and non-Jews are unwittingly paying more for products with the OU label because they are just happen to have a Kosher label.

Based upon increased cost alone, we believe wholeheartedly that people Jewish and non-Jewish alike should be scrutinizing the standards by which the Orthodox Union products are certified Kosher (OU) and the value placed upon that certification. The letter above and the conversation that followed could, in our view, amount to extortion.

Companies who want a legitimate Kashrut label may want to go elsewhere. In our view, the OU is bilking them to meet the needs of a market it may not actually be meeting.

If providing Kosher certification is a money making endeavor, as we had suggested in a very early post of ours, than observant Jews may want to consider speaking to their Rabbis and getting advice on which products to buy. If it is all about the money, a false advertising marketing scheme of epic proportions is being perpetrated upon observant Jews who rely upon that marketing.

The Orthodox Union and its OU symbol in our view represent a hypocrisy of epic proportions. Kashrut in its strictest sense is falling to the wayside.

We have followed this with a fairly comprehensive list of Boar’s Head products certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union which may not exactly be meeting appropriate Kosher standards.

We do not place blame upon Boar’s Head but upon what we now view to be a money making fraud perpetrated upon them by the Orthodox Union.

BRAND	PRODUCT	TYPE	SYMBOL	STATUS
Boar’s Head	Sugar & Spice Glaze	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Mayonnaise	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Real Mayonnaise	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Horseradish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Hot and Spicy Gourmet Barbecue Sauce	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Boarshead	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Real Mayonnaise	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Cage Free Egg Mayonniase (pails)	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Savory Remoulade Cajun Style Mayonnaise	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Horseradish And Beets	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Real Mayonnaise made with Cage Free Eggs	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Mustard Honey	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Real Mayonnaise	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Sauerkraut	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Mustard Deli With White Wine	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Horseradish Sauce	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head	Mustard With Horseradish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	H.J. Sweet Relish 561	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Hot Pepper Relish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	New Kosher Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Sour Relish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	N.Y. Sour Dills-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	N.Y. Sour Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	New Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Kosher Dill Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Sauerkraut	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Kosher Spears Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	1/8 Inch Sour Relish 564-A	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Deli Pickle Chips	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Fresh Deli Spears	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Half Sour Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Hot Peppers	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	New Kraut	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Sweet Gherkins	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Sweet Relish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Vinegar	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Deli Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Genuine Dills-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Processed Dills-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Half Sour Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Deli Pickles	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Hot Dog Relish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Sweet Pepper Relish	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Sweet Wonder Hot Peppers	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Tartar Sauce	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Barrel Cured Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Cold Pack Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Half Done Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.
Boar’s Head Brand	Half Sour Pickles-All Presentations	Pareve	OU	Symbol required. Not Kosher for Passover.