By ROBERT APPEL (A Seven Arts Feature Syndicate Writer) The American Jewish com- munity can contribute one spe- cialist whose line is virtually guaranteed to stump the quick- witted panelists of a popular television program dedicated to ferreting out unusual occupa- tions. He is the 20th century rab- binical authority on kosher foods and related products, who must know not only the Jewish Dietary Laws but also chemis- try and food technology. The laws of kashrut are un- varying, but the conditions un- der which foods are produced in the United States have under- gone extraordinary changes in .the past half-century. The rab- binical authority on kashrut Happy New Year BLUE RIBBON FURNITURE & CARPET CLEANERS Cleaning - Laying - Binding Work Guaranteed 3424 Gilbert TA 6-2765 • Oer New Year Greetings [est Manufacturing Company 8150 Capitol, Oak Pork LI 7-8200 needs this unique blend of sec- ular and religious knowledge for these new conditions. Why does the modern rab- binical expert have to know something about chemistry and food technology to discharge his religious duties effectively? To raise another current ques- tion, why cannot the religiously- conscientious Jewish housewife depend in most cases, o label of foods e buys local supermar t as the kashrut of hos One of the est or replies to su qu stions is a tall, mild-man red abbi, Alex- ander S. Rose berg, who is the rabbinic administrator of the kashrut certification program of the Union of Orthodox Jew- ish Congregations, more fam iarly known as the Orthod Union. This nationwide publ service program, now in its 35 year, has established a uniq relationship with the Ameri food industry which provide a constantly growing variety each year of dependably kosher foods and related products — desig- nated by the familiar (U) on the label—far the Jewish home- maker. Rabbi Rosenberg believes that observant Jewish house- wives depend far too much and too often on label read- ing. This shopper-occasionally- turned-mashgiach rarely has any idea of the complexity of modern food technology and is frequently led astray by being her own self-appointed New Year Greetings NORWEST HEAT SERVICE Northwest Area — 24 Hour Service Alt Makes — Gos and Oil Furnaces All Work Promptly, Reasonably Guaranteed 15731 Burt Rd. KE 7-4960 Holiday Good Cheer OAK PARK PIZZERIA Free Carry Out and Delivery Service Under Ownership of Leo Porco and Guido Cundari — Owners of Sila Pizzeria, 12 Mile at Greenfield in Berkley 13807 W. 9 Mile LI 4-2522 a••••••e•ee•••••••s••a••ematee•es • • • • • Holiday Greetings • • • • • • • • • • • PURITAN ELECTRIC CO. • • • • 16216 Wyoming UN 3-0503 • • • • Aomemoretbom OS 0111•41411 1110041011000111111100004~/bOt 41 •11,0■0■ 001111m........0 OEM. 11.1•1 Happy Holiday To Our Friends STAN & SON GULF SERVICE Expert Mechanic on Duty Open Daily 7 to 10 — Sun. 9 - 8 6 Mile — Turner at Santa Barbara ■ 041 expert. on kashrut via label reading. The growing demand for kosher foods has brought about a smattering of knowledge among some food manufactur- ers which is displayed on some labels in a boldly - lettered phrase: PURE VEGETABLE SHORTENI . Assuming none of t e in ents listed on the rently 'non-kosher, od enough? Orthodox Union's kash- ru certification service pro- vides some revealing answers about both that question and the need for the special qualifi- cations for modern rabbinical supe ion. E Isifiers, one ex- am more used e of processed . They perform an essen- tial blending function. They may be derived from animal sour s which makes them—and the i = od in .which they are used —no -kosher, or from vegetable sour 5, which may or may not be k her. Emulsifiers need not, by 1 • , be listed on the label. Eve if there was such a re- quire nt, the listing would not icate the. origin of the em er. Gly• ne is widely used in prepar ion Of foods. Its pres- ence a need not be listed on the la • Most glycerines are ani origin and may be consider non - kosher. H o w could th label reader know? Another ehnological develop- ment con ns the use of lard. Refinem t of animal fat has reached a int where it is no longer obje • =able to the gen- eral consum because of taste or odor; or t e manufacturer because of la 's shorter shelf- life, the leng of time a prod- uct will rem fresh on the grocery shelf. Even after s h refinement, the price diffe nee between lard and vegeta e shortening is so great that st-c • nscious manufacturers 1 choose lard, or add 1 • egetable shortening. D s able rab- binical certific and su- pervision is the I y guaran- tee that a product does not have this non-kosher fat. Without such certification and supervision, a consumer cannot be certain that a prod- uct listing only vegetable short- ening may not contain lard. This could happen in spite of a government regulation which forbids such a substitution. There are circumstances when the Government agency will permit this to happen. In the experience of the Orthod Union, it has happened m than once that the company permitted to continue w listing of vegetable short on its label, despite inc of lard, on the plea th company would • suffer a stantial loss if it was forced to destroy the label or the con- tainers listing vegetable shorte- ning. In the Orthodox Union's pro- gram of such certification and supervision, nothing is left to chance. The statement of an applicant company about the sources and kashrut of its raw materials is not accepted at face value, not because managements are considered suspect but be- cause they are not experts on the Jewish Dietary Laws. How widespread must such rabbinical checking at the plant source be? A list of ingredients supplied by a company seeking rabbinical endorsement and su- pervision of its products includ- ed a total of 21 supplier sources in 12 states, aside from the cleaning agents used in the plant of the applicant firm. The principle is that the rab- binical authorities of the Ortho- dox Union and of the Rabbinical Council of America, the rab- binic arm of the Orthodox Union, must be satisfied that ingredients, equipment, clean- ing agents, processing and stor- ing are kosher, not only in the final manufacture but in all supplier plants as well. What premium does the kosher shopper pay for this in- tensive careful checking by the Greetings ARNE'S Service Station Tire and Battery Service 3001 Kercheval WA 1-1963 Samuel E. Solomon 5150 General Motors Bldg. Wishes You a Joyous Holiday 18276 Wyoming UN 4-9661 Mr. William Cohen, prop. TR 5-4084 Greetings Ajax Composite Die Company 12900 BR 3-1507 Auburn ; .... ..•.•. New Year Greetings Alder-Kay Company Everything in Wood 12126 Wormer - KE 2-7100 Holiday Greetings Averill Equipment Company JOHN ARMS SIGN STUDIO Industrial Safety Appliances Signs and Show Cards People Can Read 19225 Conant FO 6-2400 203 E. Adams WO 3-6811 GS ANY FRIENDS " Bill's Barber Shop UNITED STEEL SALES New Year Greetings Holiday Greetings Happy New Year Holiday Greetings rabbi who is also food technolo- gist and chemist? None at all. The rabbinical supervision of the Orthodox Union is based on fees established at a level to assure that the service is self- sustaining. Spread over the total volume of production in a modern food plant, the cost of the fee per unit of production is` o small that • the manufac- turer need not raise the price of his product when such rab- binical supervision is instituted in his plants. If kosher certification did not increase sales, the fee would be an economically - unjustifiable increase in the company's cost of production. Because Ameri- can Jews do seek out and buy such kosher products, they give the manufacturer solid business reasons for engaging a service which is available on a basis that does not require the Jew- ish consumer to pay a premium for these products. DAVID MANASTER, KOSHER ZION MEATS ARE STRICTLY KOSHER PRES. THE SIGN Or QUALITY! U.S. INSPECTED ADO PASSED IT DEPARTMENTOF AGRICULTURE BOYD'S CAFE Happy New Year REDFORD RAMBLER, INC. Roy C. Englington — Jack Baker 20405 Grand River Detroit 19, Mich. Steaks - Chops Dinners and Short Orders 3233 McGraw TY 4-9704 New Year Greetings Bradley's Service Custom blending fits the fuel to your car 12300 E. Jefferson ED 1-9544 KOSHER ZION SAUSAGE COMPANY OF CHICAGO 3 At Leading Groceries, Restaurants, Gelkatessen s & Super Markets Michigan Distributor J. M. LEFKOFSKY 4089 ELMHURST WEbster 3-8816 33 - THE DETRO IT JEWISH NEWS — Friday, September 23, 1960 Orthodox Union in 35th Year; Familiar "U" Costs Consumer Nothing