STAR-K Welcomes Baltimore’s Tudor Heights Senior Assisted Living

Senior Lifestyle Corporation, a family owned Jewish company and a leader among senior living communities, operating over 75 properties in the U.S, has ventured into the world of kosher, according to Tudor Heights Senior Assisted Living’s new executive director, David Lapin.  Senior Lifestyle residential communities are unique in that they custom-tailor every aspect for the particular populations it services.   In this regard, Tudor Heights now offers a fully STAR-K certified kosher kitchen and dining room, in addition to boasting a local community-based management team that will cater to its kosher clientele, both literally and figuratively!  The newly renovated and expanded 64-room historic retirement community in Baltimore has a 70 resident capacity; it presently accommodates 36 residents.  For more information about Tudor Heights’ assisted living amenities, its Legacy, memory care programs, or its Passover respite program, please call 410-318-8000.

STAR-D Kosher Certification Welcomes Baskin Robbins
By Margie Pensak

Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shops, serving over 150 million customers worldwide, now bear STAR-D kosher certification, according to STAR-K President Avrom Pollak.  Star-D is the registered trademark of the National Council of Young Israel.  All Star-D establishments and products are administered by STAR-K personnel and employ STAR-K standards; the only difference is that STAR-D products are cholov stam, not Cholov Yisroel.

Founded in California in 1945, by brothers-in-law Burton Baskin and Irvine Robbins, Baskin-Robbins’ selection of 31 flavors–one for each day of the month–has grown to more than 1000!  According to Baskin-Robbins, tubs and ice cream cakes now bear the STAR-D logo, and consumers will begin seeing this logo on the pre-packed quarts in the coming weeks.

Baskin-Robbins ice creams, ice cream cakes, ice cream Cake Bites, frozen dairy desserts, sherbets, sorbets, ices, and frozen yogurts will all be STAR-D certified.  The company’s custom cakes, cones, and ice cream novelties will also be STAR-D certified when used in combination with a kosher ice cream and kosher toppings.  Non-kosher exceptions are Rocky Road and Pink Bubblegum ice creams, and any other flavors containing miniature marshmallows.

Rabbi Jonah Gewirtz, STAR-K’s Global Management Consultant/Senior Advisor who played a significant role in Baskin-Robbins’ kosher certification, for the past 35 years, will continue to represent the company in its association with STAR-D.  “I have worked so closely with STAR-K, for over 20 years,” commented Rabbi Gewirtz.  “It is a privilege to have available to me the outstanding Rabbinic and lay staff of our organization to aid in the enhancement of kashrus and corporate standards of Dunkin’ Brands, Inc.”

Star-K’s 9th Annual Kashrus Training Program

Star-K’s 9th Annual Kashrus Training Program will take place July 16-19, 2012.  This intensive seminar, held at Star-K’s offices in Baltimore, Maryland, is limited to 25 students – rabbonim, kollel fellows, and others serving as klei kodesh – who have studied Yorah Deah.  In addition to lectures, audio-visual presentations and a hands-on practicum, several field trips are planned.
To apply, call Star-K office at 410-484-4110 and speak with Rabbi Zvi Goldberg, or go to here to download the application form.

Star-K Eruv-inar

This is the second webinar in the Eruv-inar series. Our Eruv-inar is an advanced discussion of Hilchos Eruv – a live workshop through the use of audio, video and pictures.  Eruv checkers or Rabbonim Hamachshirim can register by sending an email here with their name, the capacity in which they serve their eruv, and the location.  If you have a shayla regarding your eruv, please forward pictures of it to the same address. This webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at 8:00 pm ET.