News and Articles

Monday, March 15, 2021 - 15:30

Please be aware that the Manischewitz Concord Wine available at local BC Liquor stores is not certified Kosher for Passover.
Manischewitz makes wine special for Pesach with an OU-P on the label and their year-round label states "not for Passover use" as it contains Kitniyot.

Monday, March 8, 2021 - 19:08

A copy of our Pesach Check guide can be downloaded here.

The ideal way to sell your chametz is to print and fill out the document and then email, fax or mail to to BCK offices by Thursday, March 25, 2021. The document can be downloaded here

If you are not able to fill out the document, you may use this electronic form

Hard copies of the guide will be distributed to local kosher establishments next week.

 

This year, Erev Pesach is on Shabbos so there are a number of things to do a bit differently than most years:

 

Fast of the Firstborn

It is an ancient tradition for the firstborns to fast on the day before Passover. Since we (generally) do not fast on Shabbat, which is a day of feasting, or on Friday which may interfere with our Shabbat joy, this fast is observed on Thursday, 12 Nissan. The widespread custom is for firstborns to participate in a siyum or another celebratory event that overrides the fast and allows them to eat for the remainder of the day. This, too, is done on Thursday.

Search for Chametz

On the night before Passover we search for chametz (which we are forbidden to own or eat on Passover) by candlelight. Since this cannot be done on Friday night, which is Shabbat, we do it after nightfall on Thursday.

Destroying Chametz

The last bits of chametz must be burned the day before Passover (Friday morning), before the fifth halachic hour of the day (12:14 pm in Vancouver, please see page entitled PESACH SCHEDULE in our Pesach guide for other cities). Since this cannot be done on Shabbat, the burning of the chametz takes place at the same time on Friday, even though we keep just enough chametz to eat at the Friday night and Shabbat morning meals.

The Sale of Chametz

All chametz that we wish to save for use after Passover must be sold to a non-Jew and then repurchased after the holiday has passed. This sale typically takes place on the morning before Passover. Since buying and selling are forbidden on Shabbat, the sale is transacted (by the community rabbi on behalf of his community) on Friday Morning.

Eating Chametz on Shabbat

Since the house cannot be cleaned on Shabbat, all the cleaning must be finished on Friday. Yet it is a mitzvah to eat bread at the Friday night and Shabbat morning meals.

In practice, we retain a small quantity of chametz, carefully kept away from our food and utensils all of which are strictly kosher for Passover by this time.

On Shabbat morning, services are held early so that the Shabbat meal, which requires two challah loaves (which are chametz), must be concluded before the deadline (11:10 AM in Vancouver).

On a practical note, it is advisable to prepare small rolls, one per meal for each participant -for the Friday night and Shabbat meal - which can be distributed and eaten without the use of a knife. It is advisable to eat on a napkin or tissue, which does not come in contact with the peach utensils and away from any kosher for Passover food and can be flushed down the toilet. After finishing the chametz before partaking of the remainder of the meal, which is eaten on Pesach utensils, one should rinse their mouth.

Make sure that you eat all the chametz that has been left for Shabbat before the deadline as chametz cannot be sold, burned, or taken out to the street on Shabbat. Any remaining challah pieces and crumbs should be flushed down the toilet. At this point, we say the second Kol Chamira declaration, disowning any leftover chametz.

Preparing for the Seder

Shabbat is a day of rest, and we may not start preparing on Shabbat for after Shabbat. As such, setting the table, cooking, and preparing can only be done once night has fallen on Saturday night. Therefore, it is advisable to do whatever possible preparation for the seder before Sabbat.

 Before commencing any tasks after Shabbat, one should say bah-rookh hah-mahv-deel bayn koh-desh leh-koh-desh, “Blessed is He Who divides between the sacred (Shabbat) and the sacred (holiday).”

Even though cooking is allowed on yom tov (with certain caveats), it is forbidden to kindle a fire from scratch. So if you wish to have your oven and/or stove on over yom tov, be sure to ensure the fire is on before Shabbat, even though no cooking is allowed on Shabbat itself.

 

 

Thursday, March 4, 2021 - 12:41

Further to many phone calls and emails we have received from the Jewish Community, this is to confirm that the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, sold under the Trader Joe's label bearing the BCK Symbol (our former Kosher Symbol, still in use by some companies) is acceptable for use on Pesach.

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 - 19:17

Please be advised that HAPPY DAYS YOGURTS contain a not kosher ingredient and are not currently certified kosher even with the kosher logo on the label.
Corrective action is being implemented.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020 - 16:28

Golden Crops Enterprises Ltd provides over 15 years of innovative research in producing edible cold-press oils and meals. Our operations are initiated upon non-chemical extraction system to produce the best quality oils.

Using unique programs and superior technologies has helped us to categorize finest organic and non-organic products for our clients. Combinations of finest oilseeds and advanced mechanical cold-press system allows us to continuously separate natural and organic oils from variety of oilseeds, resulting in high quality oil and meal for use in food and feed applications.

We are a well-organized company that works with the best commodity producers in the world. Golden Crops Enterprises Ltd products include all grains, oilseeds, vegetable oils, oilseed meals, and agricultural inputs. We consider quality control to be of the utmost importance to our business and we have instigated quality control measures at all stages of our production and operation processes. These quality control measures are in place to ensure that the quality of our products meets the expectations and standards of our customers and our industry.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020 - 13:43

KOSHER ALERT

Please be advised that BIG MOUNTAIN FOODS is no longer certified kosher by the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia (Kosher Check).

Monday, August 10, 2020 - 16:24

Please be advised that Snow Farms brand Chocolate Covered Blueberries bears an unauthorized Kosher Check logo and are not certified kosher by The Orthodox Rabbinical Council of BC.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 - 17:39

A small family-owned business, Grana is the fruitful outcome from the collaboration of coffee experts, coffee farmers, tasters, baristas and more importantly, coffee lovers, becoming the first Guatemalan gourmet coffee in a capsule.
Our coffee is harvested, washed and roasted by hand and encapsulated with cutting edge technology in Guatemala.

What’s the secret?
We only use single origin, specialty coffee. Our Guatemalan location allows us to roast and pack our product near some of the best quality coffee plantations which is why we are able to select the best and freshest coffee beans for our customers.

As Guatemalan natives, we are not just convinced we can offer a unique gourmet coffee drinking experience by providing some of the world’s best coffees, but we are also committed to give back to our local coffee production. Our location allows us to continue to source directly from small coffee farmers to ensure ethical practice , freshest coffee bean and exceptional quality!

Visit www.granacafe.com to find out more.

Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 12:20

Established in 2013, BĂ©nBĂ©rg ArĂ´me Indonesia is a manufacturer of Flavor and Fragrances.

BĂ©nBĂ©rg ArĂ´me Indonesia is always persistent in developing new innovative tastes and scents and strives to be the preferred supplier in the industry.
By always improving the machinery and technical teams, BĂ©nBĂ©rg ArĂ´me Indonesia is committed to serving customer needs by prioritizing Quality, Innovation, Speed, Flexible Quantity, and Price.

Visit http://benbergarome.com to find out more.

Friday, June 5, 2020 - 14:03

KOSHER ALERT

Please be advised that WESTPOINT DISTRIBUTORS LTD ( WESTPOINT NATURALS) is no longer certified kosher by the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia (Kosher Check).

Thursday, April 30, 2020 - 11:25

Please be advised that kosher certification of KRISHNA ENZYTECH PVT. LTD. of Maharashtra, INDIA has been revoked due to severe kashrus violations.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020 - 12:00

Further to many phone calls and emails we have received from the Jewish Community, this is to confirm that the Manuka Honey produced by Manuka Health New Zealand Ltd in Te Awamutu, New Zealand, does not contain Chametz and is acceptable for use on Pesach.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 16:01

Please download a copy of our Pesach Check guide at http://www.koshercheck.org/media/212 (a higher quality copy can be found below under Upload File)

You can also download the Delegation of Power for Sale of Chometz and email us the signed copy http://www.koshercheck.org/media/210
If you are not able to fill out the document, you may use this electronic form https://bit.ly/BCKchametz

Hard copies of the guide will be distributed to local kosher establishments next week.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - 14:51

KOSHER ALERT

Please be advised that ASTI HOLDINGS LTD (Golden Bonbon Nougat Candies) is no longer certified kosher by the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of British Columbia (Kosher Check).

Monday, March 16, 2020 - 21:32

Further to many phone calls and emails we have received from the Jewish Community, this is to confirm that the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, sold under the Trader Joe's label bearing the BCK Symbol (our former Kosher Symbol, still in use by some companies) is acceptable for use on Pesach.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - 11:22

Molino del Genil S.L. was founded in 2008 and its objective is the search for excellence, from the field to the oil mill through the best cultivation practices, careful harvesting, exquisite extraction and delicate conservation.

The factory has the most modern facilities that guarantee the extraction of the best extra virgin olive oil (conventional and organic). The different lines of reception, selection, screening and cleaning, together with cold grinding and different quality controls guarantee the best extracted olive oil. We currently have a milling capacity exceeding 1.5 million kg of olives per day and our own laboratory in the facility that allows us to characterize all the extra virgin oil produced before its storage. The warehouse has been expanded several times to reach a capacity of 18 million kg of oil at this time. These modern facilities allow us to load any format requested in bulk (tanks (25 tons), flexitanks (21 tons) and other containers of different capacities) and bottled.

The company pays special attention to quality improvement and has achieved certifications of ECOLOGICAL PRODUCTION, BCR and IFS covering all industrial and food safety requirements in accordance with the principles established in the Food Codex.

Adding Kosher Check Certification has been a very important step for our export business.

More information about the Company can be found at www.molinodelgenil.com.

Monday, March 2, 2020 - 17:13

Please be advised that products sold by the NO SUGAR COMPANY LIMITED and VEGAN WAY NUTRITION INC. under the brands NO SUGAR, VEGAN PURE, and VEGAN WAY have not been certified kosher by The Orthodox Rabbinical Council of BC (Kosher Check).

Thursday, February 13, 2020 - 15:02

East Bali Cashews is a young & innovative F&B company, with a snack food & cashew nut processing factory in remote Karangasem, one of the poorest regions in Bali, Indonesia.
Founded in 2012, the company is vertically integrated combining sustainable and eco-friendly business practices with a mission of farmer improvement and women's empowerment.

EBC capitalizes on Indonesia’s abundance of wonderful agricultural produce combined with the opportunity to process cashews domestically in Bali, rather than shipping the raw product overseas for processing as is traditionally the standard. The primary expertise lies in producing unique, healthy and sustainably sourced cashew snacks for the domestic and international retail market.

In combination with a strong for-profit business mindset, EBC places particular emphasis on delivering functional & sustainable solutions to the surrounding communities’ economic, education & health challenges.

Visit ​www.eastbalicashews.com​ to find out more.

Thursday, January 30, 2020 - 09:55

Sercom Italia exports products around the World including to Europe, USA, Canada and China.

Among many other products, directly from the production of Italian citrus of Calabria. We supply citrus fruits and their derivatives as high-quality raw materials which can
be found as frozen or brined intended for the candied fruit industry.

â—Ź Orange peel (dices, strips, shells,...)
â—Ź Lemon peel (dices, strips, shells,...)

We pay special attention to continuously improve our quality standards. Which is also why we worked to obtain a globally accepted Kosher Certification through
Kosher Check​.

Our company is certified by HACCP , ​IFS and BRC,​ FDA Approved and Organic Certificatified for all the organic products.
Visit our website ​www.sercomitalia.com​ to find out more.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019 - 15:12

SDS SPICES (PVT) LTD

While Sri Lanka’s most famous export today might be tea, historically the most important has been Ceylon Cinnamon. In fact, so strong is the affinity between Ceylon Cinnamon and Sri Lanka that the very botanical name of the spice – Cinnamomum zeylanicum is derived from the island’s former name, Ceylon. Strongly aromatic, sweet, pleasant, warm but hardly bitter or astringent. This is the most important spice grown in Sri Lanka. It is derived from the bark of an aromatic coniferous shrub Cinnamomum zeylanicum. Ceylon Cinnamon is also known as True Cinnamon or Pure Cinnamon.

SDS Spices (PVT) LTD is one of the largest exporters of Ceylon Cinnamon in Sri Lanka. They also export other spices such as Black Pepper, Cloves, Nutmeg etc. The Company is a full-service spice company; they grow, source, process and export all spices both Organic and non-Organic, unique to Sri Lanka. They offer spices and herbs in three export quality categories; Whole, Tea Bag Cut (TBC) and Powder.

SDS Spices (Pvt) Ltd has been in operation for over 18 years. Being the Market Leader in quality, they pay special attention to continuously improve on their quality standards. Which is why they have obtained Kosher Certification through Kosher Check to cater to growing global trends. SDS Spices (Pvt) Ltd is certified by ISO 22000:2005 and HACCP. They also have a GMP Certified Processing Facility and their products are FDA Approved and have obtained the USDA, European Union and Japanese Agricultural Organic Certifications for all their organic products. The expanding global reach of SDS Spices (Pvt) Ltd includes countries such as Mexico, USA, Peru, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Guatemala, Turkey, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador, India and Malaysia.

For more information, please visit www.sdsspices.com.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019 - 18:29

It has been brought to our attention that ELI KOSHER CATERING of MADRID, SPAIN has been advertising Kosher meals under the supervision of The Orthodox Rabbinical Council of BC (Kosher Check).
Please be aware that Kosher Check does NOT certify Eli Kosher and any letter indicating such is a forgery.

Please contact mendy@koshercheck.org for more information.

Thursday, April 11, 2019 - 12:11

Please download a copy of our Pesach Check guide http://www.koshercheck.org/sites/default/files/files/Pesach%20Check%2020...

You can also download the Delegation of Power for Sale of Chometz at http://www.koshercheck.org/Chometz_Sale

Wednesday, April 10, 2019 - 13:12

Please be aware that the Manischewitz Concord Wine available at local BC Liquor stores is not certified Kosher for Passover.
Manischewitz makes wine special for Pesach with an OU-P on the label and their year-round label states "not for Passover use" as it contains Kitniyot.

Friday, February 15, 2019 - 13:09

Please be advised that the following products sold by Inno Foods are certified dairy (Not Cholov Yisroel), but mistakenly bear the pareve Kosher Check logo.

Organic Chocolate Nuggets Coconuts + Super Seeds
Almond Nuggets in Dark Chocolate with Super Seeds

Corrective actions have been implemented. Consumers finding this product are asked to contact BC Kosher at (604) 731-1803 or by email info@koshercheck.org.

Wednesday, January 2, 2019 - 09:47

Please be advised that Western Family brand Tea Cookies and Cookie Bites bear an unauthorized Kosher Check logo and are not certified kosher by The Orthodox Rabbinical Council of BC.

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