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September 10 – Baltimore–STAR-K Certification Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Sholom Tendler was invited by HaRav Hershel Rosenfeld, the Rosh HaKollel of Baltimore’s newest kollel, Khal Chassidim Kollel L’Horo’ah, to present a shiur on chalav Yisrael to the yungerleit, on Labor Day.

Explaining how the chalav Yisrael kashrus program for STAR-K certified “Pride of the Farm” works, Rabbi Tendler began by reviewing the basic halachos of chalav Yisrael. He then covered how the farm operates and what oversight and safeguards are in place to ensure the cows are kosher and not “treifa”—i.e., that they are not operated on or have any sicknesses that would affect the kashrus of the milk. He concluded with an explanation of how the milk is watched and tracked to ensure chalav Yisrael status and maintained l’mihadrin min ha’mihadrin.

“Rabbi Sholom Tendler, besides being a big Talmid Chuchem, is an expert in Kashrus,” noted HaRav Rosenfeld. “The way he presents it is unbelievable! In two and a half hours, he covered a full day’s worth of material, presenting complicated things in such a simple, easy to understand and friendly way. The Yungerleit learned so much and came out with a comprehension of how complicated it is in today’s world to give a hechsher, and how “Pride of the Farm” avoids so many problems through running the “whole place” under the halachic jurisdiction of HaRav Heinemann. Thank you, STAR-K.”

K’hal Chassidim Kollel L’Horo’ah ‘s five-year kollel learning program opened its doors just in time for Elul zman. The 19 yungerleit (22, by Cheshvan, ka”h) who have moved to Baltimore with their young families from Brooklyn and Monsey, New York, were hand-picked. They are comprised of a mix of many types of chassidim— such as Belz, Bobov, Bobov 45, Sanz, Satmar, Skulener, Skverer, andVizhnitz—and will be trained in rabbanus, so they can become rabbanim and poskim; those who stay on have the option of becoming dayanim. They have been learning halacha for years; in preparation for future positions, they are starting to learn Hilchos Shabbos and will learn Yorah Daya.

Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, a kollel yungerman, shared, “‎When I came to Baltimore I was in a sofek about the STAR-K Pride of the Farm milk. I didn’t know about the strength of the hechsher. After investigating, and especially after the thorough presentation by Rabbi Tendler, I am very impressed by the milk and confident in the STAR-K and “Pride of the Farm”. Not to mention that the milk is delicious!”

Rabbi Meilech Herz, another kollel yungerman, remarked: “The slide show by Rabbi Tendler of the STAR-K was impressive, and not only do I now understand much more about milk production, but we are very pleased to be in a community that cares so much and has such high standards.

“STAR-K prides itself on having a very high standard of kashrus as directed by HaRav Heinemann, shlit”a,” notes Rabbi Tendler. “It is always our pleasure to help educate the general public and share kashrus information and Rav Heinemann’s policies. It was a real zechus to be invited and to meet HaRav Rosenfeld and the yungerleit. The community is privileged to have another makom Torah like Khal Chasidim Kollel L’Horo’ah. We welcome the new kollel and their families to town and wish them tremendous hatzlacha in their new endeavor.

Of course, some things in Yiddish are lost in the translation. So, for all you Yiddish-speakingBaltimoreJewishLife.com readers out there, as one yungerman concluded: “De STAR-K iz a shtarka hechsher — a vadai! Oichet a geshmaka trink!”