PASSOVER LIST from 5757

RECOMMENDED PASSOVER PRODUCT LIST SEPHARDIC DIVISION OF THE J.S.O.R.

Rabbi Shmuel Choueka Ohel Simha, Elberon
Rabbi Isaac Farhi Zvi LaZadeek, Deal
Rabbi Michael Haber Ohel Yaakob, Deal
Rabbi Shlomo Haber Synagogue of Oakhurst
Rabbi Ezra Labaton Magen David of W.Deal
Rabbi David Nahem Heichal Ezra, Long Branch
Rabbi Reuven Semah Magen Abraham, W. Long Branch

Dear Community Member,

The Jersey Shore Orthodox Rabbinate takes pride in once again presenting to our Sephardic Community a comprehensive guide to Passover products. This list is compiled after extensive research and correspondence with food industry experts and experts in the field of Kashrut. Since Sephardic Jews have different customs and traditional foods than our Ashkenaz brothers, this list is designed to serve those whose custom includes the consumption of kitniyot, or legumes on the holiday. Since the majority of Jews in America are of Ashkenaz descent, the major Kashrut organizations only certify those items that are permissible for them. We have included those items, and as well have listed those foods that are permissible without special Kosher for Passover (KFP) symbols.

HAMETS ON PESACH

Any foods or food products which contain ingredients derived from one of the following fermented cereal grains: wheat, barley, oats, spelt or rye are forbidden on Passover. Even foods that contain minute amounts of Hames, or foods which are processed on utensils which are used for other hames-containing foods, are not permissible for Passover use. Three prohibitions exist: Consumption, Ownership, and Benefit.

CONSUMER ALERT!

1) Many products have the same label year round and Pesach, only the "P" is added, check each item to be sure that it is the Passover one. DO NOT trust plain Kosher for Passover stickers if they do not list the name of the certifying agency or Rabbi.

2) Don't trust all the items in the supermarket Kosher for Passover section as being suitably certified. Often, the shelves contain Hames items from the "kosher" companies that are not for Passover. Also some products with very questionable supervision make their yearly appearance for the holiday. When in doubt- call your Rabbi or the hotline to determine the status of the product. The biggest offender is the "kosher marshmallow". Buyer beware, most brands are not kosher according to Orthodox Rabbis.

3) Reading labels and ingredient panels is getting harder and harder without a degree in food chemistry. The complexities in the ingredients and the technical terminology used to describe what each product contains, make determining Kashrut status of a product based on the label very difficult.

4) Citric acid, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Erythorbate, Dextrose and Glucose are ingredients which traditionally have been produced from either corn or potatoes. In the last few years, these ingredients (or components of them) have been derived from barley malt and wheat flour! - Hames grains!

5) Alcohol is a product that can be manufactured from various sources, including from processed grain. Synthetic alcohol is a petroleum derivative, which has become increasingly expensive. The alternative is grain or corn based alcohol, which is at this time cheaper. It has been discovered that much of the corn alcohol is actually produced from a mixture of corn, wheat and millet, and at times is made mostly from wheat. This will impact many flavorings (whose base is alcohol), medications and cosmetics.

6) Buying Hames after Pesach - we are prohibited from buying from a store that is owned (even partially) by a Jew that did not sell his Hames before the holiday.

THE PASSOVER FOOD GUIDE

Whenever possible, buy those products that bear a reliable Passover label to be assured that the product has been prepared for the holiday. All products whether or not they need special supervision should only be used if the package is new and unopened.

Aluminum Foil Products: All types are acceptable.

Baby Cereal: Due to information from the Rabbi at the O.U. in charge of Pesach production, Beech Nut Pure rice cereal should not be used. Alternatively, may we suggest one of the following:

1) Cook rice thoroughly and then puree in the blender with formula; or

2) Try preparing the cereal from ground checked rice; or

3) Try soaking Passover breakfast cereal or crumbled lady fingers in milk or formula and then mash or blend.

Baby Formula: Alsoy, Enfamil, Isomil, Prosobee, Similac and Soyalac.

Baby Foods: Must have Kosher for Passover supervision. Beech Nut will have many varieties of fruits and vegetables with Passover certification. Glatt kosher meat with an O.U.P.: Gefen.

Baby Oils and Lotions: No Passover supervision required. Baking Powder: Supervision required. Gefen and V.I.P. Masters are OU-P; Hadar KFP

Baking Soda: (Bicarbonate of Soda) No Passover Supervision necessary. (new box)

Candy and Chocolates: Passover Supervision is necessary for all chocolate candies, likewise hard sucking candies need supervision because they are often coated with flour. Acceptably supervised are Bloomy's,Cherrydale Farms, Elite (with OU-P only), Haddington farms, Haddar, Krum's, Liebers, Manhattan, Manischewitz, Paskesz, Rokeach, Season and Shufra. All must bear special super-vision for Pesach.

Beware! Some candies coming out of Israel may contain 'gelatine', which may be derived from animal sources! Do not use any candy, even from Israel, without verifying the supervision.

Cereals: All cereals made from the five grains are of course, Hames. In addition, many cold cereals such as corn flakes and rice krispies are hames since malt is added to them. We strongly suggest that even those cereals in which the listed ingredients are 100% kosher for Passover, should not be used as they are in constant contact with grains that are real Hames. Kojel, Manischewitz, Rokeach and T. Abraham's produce a variety of hot and cold cereals with a reliable certification OU-P.

Chap stick: No supervision necessary. Unflavored only, new tube.

Cider Vinegar: Requires supervision, the nutrient may be Hames.

Cocoa: Any pure.

Coffee: Regular unflavored only, NO CHICORY OR DECAF. The following brands may be used for Pesach (new jar) even without special supervision: Bokar, Chase & Sanborn, Chock Full O'Nuts, Eight o'clock (not store ground), Folgers, Hills Bros., Melitta, MJB,

Nescafe, Pathmark, and Tasters Choice. - all varieties except chicory. Maxwell House and Maxim (with OKP only) Elite Turkish Coffee (O.U.-P.) Decaffeinated: ALL DECAFFEINATED COFFEE MUST BE MARKED FOR PASSOVER. Haddar Perks, Sanka (with OK-P), Yuban (with OK-P), Maxwell House Decaf varieties (French Roast)

Flavored coffees are not acceptable for Passover use.

Postum contains grain and may not be used for Pesach. Any leftovers of this brand must be sold with the Hames.

Cooking Spray: Mothers, Season (OU-P)

Cosmetics: regarding any cosmetics, hair spray, soaps, shampoos, deodorant, powders (medicated, perfumed, baby, face, foot, etc..), the opinion of the Rabbis that permits these items even without special Passover supervision, may be followed.

DAIRY PRODUCTS:

Milk: It is preferable to purchase Kosher milk with Passover supervision for Pesach, but one may buy regular milk for the holiday, if purchased before Pesach. This year in addition to the Halab Yisrael brands, Tuscan and many supermarket brands will have marked, Kosher for Passover milk available throughout the holiday. Only marked milk should be purchased during the holiday, since the dairy may process chocolate milk that contains malt (hames) on the same equipment.

Lactaid drops and caplets are not kosher for Pesach. Ask your Rabbi for additional information.

Chocolate Milk: Requires Passover supervision as the flavoring may contain Hames. Powdered Milk: Ko-Sure, Alba, and Carnation. Butter\Cheeses\Creams\Yogurts: All require special Passover supervision as the cultures, flavorings and coloring may contain Hames. Butter with the Kosher for Passover mark are Breakstone's, Foodtown, J&J, Mehadrin, Pathmark and Penn Maid. Yogurt must have supervision. Many varieties are readily available,

Detergents and Cleansers: All varieties of detergents both liquid and powdered do not require Kosher for Passover certification. According to the OU directory, the following dish detergents may be used without the OU-P: Ajax, Dawn, Ivory, Joy, Octogon and Palmolive. Dishwasher Detergent: Palmolive Liquid Gel - green and yellow. Sunlight Powder detergent With an OU-P only: Dove, Cascade and Cascade liquid.

Fruits: All fresh fruits are acceptable.

Unsweetened frozen fruits: are acceptable with no additives or grape juice.

Dried Fruits: Must be marked Kosher for Pesach. Readily available are: Mariani, Season OU-P, Homa Star Kp and Earthly Delights OK-P.

Dried, rolled dates present a special problem for Passover since they are rolled in oats!

Dates: Calavo and Sun Glow are certified OU-P. Raisins: The Natural Golden variety of Dole and Delmonte brands are acceptable with just a plain OU.

May we remind you that banana chips require kosher supervision for year round use as they are sometimes fried in the same oil as unkosher cheese. They are not recommended for Passover use.

Grape Leaves: This product is preserved in brine in plants that often pickle other vegetables using Hames vinegar. We recommend to use Orlando with an O.U.-P.

Juices: Apple: Needs special Passover certification as the enzymes and clarifying agents may be hames. Available with certification are: Apple & Eve, Festive, Gefen, Haddar, Kedem, Lucky Leaf, Pathmark, and Shoprite.

Lemon juice: Realemon liquid lemon juice is acceptable without a special marking.

Orange and grapefruit: any brand frozen unsweetened, grade A concentrate is acceptable.

All refrigerated containers must have Passover supervision.Some pure juices may be actual Hames, as bran may be used to filter the juice.

Prune Juice- Gefen, Season and Shop Rite OU-P and Sunsweet KFP

Lipstick: All unflavored which do not contain wheat or oat flour may be used on Pesach. No organic lipsticks.

Liquors: In the last few years they have presented a new problem- Alcohol derived from wine is being used in production of liquors and cordials. This is completely separate from the issue of whether the liquors contain non-kosher wine. There are several varieties available for Pesach.

Margarine: Many margarines use starch in their flavoring making Passover supervision necessary. Kosher for Passover: Mother's (OU-P) and Migdal (KAJ-P)

Marshmallows: The Pesach market is inundated with marshmallows that are labeled "Kosher for Passover". Many of these contain gelatin which is made from non-Kosher animal sources. It is vital that all labels are read before purchasing any products containing marshmallow. The OU, Kof K, Star K, and OK do not permit the use of gelatin from non kosher sources. As noted in the introduction: Elyon brand has made a special Passover production.

Massa (Matza): One must be alert that the matza for year round use is hames, and it is marked "not for Passover use". Acceptable for Passover are: Jerusalem (Khal Adath Yeshurun), Cohen - Halperin, Yehuda, Goodman, Horowitz-Margareten, Manischewitz, Radasen's and Streits, Aviv. It is recommended to use Matza Shemura for the Seder.

Mayonnaise, Ketchup, and Mustard: According to knowledgeable people in the Kashrut world, one should avoid the use of any product containing vinegar even if the company assures that the vinegar used is not of grain origin. We therefore recommend that all mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard, etc., should have proper Passover supervision. Ketchup: OU-P: Festive, Foodtown, Pathmark, Rokeach, Season; Hadar (KFP); Ungers Star K- P Mayonnaise: OU-P: Festive, Gefen, Mother's, Rokeach, Season. Hadar (KAJ-P); Ungers Star K-P Mustard: Rokeach and Season OU-P

Meats and Poultry: All brands of raw poultry are kosher for Passover year round. After your butcher "koshers" for Pesach, all raw varieties of meat, cut chicken and veal are acceptable. This year several companies have expanded greatly the selection of deli and prepared products for the holiday. Empire turkey burgers are acceptable only with the OU-P.

Nuts: Raw nuts are all acceptable for Passover. However, one must refrain from dry roasted nuts unless it is KFP certified. Note: Midget Pecans and pecan pieces require a reliable KF-P supervision.

Oils: Oils do need supervision for use during the entire year. Deodorizers are pumped at high temperatures into the oils and they may be unkosher. Canola oil is not recommended for Passover use.

With supervision (non-legume based oils): OU-P; Nutola, Pathmark, Rokeach, and Shoprite. OK-P:Wesson. Sefaradim whose custom it is to use soybeans and corn may also use the kosher for year round use brands such as: Mazola, Wesson, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Oral Hygiene: The following brands are acceptable: Toothpaste: Adwe, Colgate, Crest, Gleem, Sensodyne Original and Ultrabrite. Mouthwash: Betadine, Listerine, Listermint, Plax and Scope.

Pet Foods: Fish food often contains meat and milk ingredients and is forbidden for use the entire year. Most pet foods contain Hames. Since we are forbidden to derive any benefit from Hames, we may not feed any pets those varieties that contain hames ingredients. Krill fish food is permitted. Split corn or millet are recommended for feeding birds.

Pickles: Need Passover supervision. Batampte, Festive, Flaum's, Gefen, Kvuzat Yavne, Season are all OU-P. Haddar and Liebers are also available Kosher for Pesach. Unger's Star K-P

Potato Chips: Passover certification necessary, with the OU-P:Bloom's, Herr's, Pathmark, Ruffles, Season and Utz Potato chips. Also KFP: Hadar and Liebers.

Rice: White variety: the following brands have been investigated and are acceptable for use after checking. The vitamins are synthetic and in a non Hames base. Carolina, Success and all Star K supervised plain rice are acceptable. Goya-meduim grain, Shoprite brand perfect rice and Uncle Ben's have been all checked and are acceptable. Brown rice: Any brand without additives.

It has been our custom throughout the generations to check all rice three times before Pesach. Please be advised that every year barley and wheat grains are found in the rice, check carefully.

Salt: Regular (Pure) and Coarse salt are permitted for Passover use without special supervision. Check that dextrose and Polysorbates are not in the ingredients.

Sodas: Sodas must have Kosher for Passover certification due to possible Hames in the flavoring base. Many varieties are readily available. Coke, Sprite and Manischewitz must have the OU-P on the cap. Pepsi products must bear a KP on the cap, they are under the supervision of Rabbi Charlop. Canada Dry Ginger Ale, 7-up , and RC Cola all in 2 liter bottles will be Kosher for Passover when bearing a Star K-P on the bottle cap.

Any unflavored selzer with KP certification is acceptable.

Vintage Seltzers ( plain and flavored) are acceptable if manufactured in Concordville and marked KP.

Spices: Important change! Due to recent changes in the spice industry, even pure spices require reliable kosher for Passover certification.

Sugar: Any pure white granulated cane sugar may be purchased for Passover as long as dextrose or glucose are not listed in the ingredients. These may be derived from barley or wheat!

Confectioner's Sugar does contain 3% corn starch but according to some Sephardic customs, may be permissible for Pesach. Canadian Confectioner Sugar is not permissible as it contains wheat starch instead of corn starch. Vanilla Sugar: may contain grain alcohol and therefore, Passover supervision is required. Brown sugar: Domino and Brownulated are OK-P.

Sweeteners: OU-P: Gefen, Vip Masters. Sweetie (Bedatz) and Liebers (KFP) Equal: is not recommended for Sefaradim this year by the OU.

Teas: The following unflavored tea bags are acceptable without special KFP: Royal House, Salada Black Tea (Salada Caffeine free is Hames), Swee-Touch-Nee Tea Bags \ regular and 97% caffeine free. Tetley (except decaf). Due to a hames ingredient used in the decaf process, decaf varieties should be used only with supervision.

Instant Tea: Nestea Instant unflavored only. Regular and Decaf.

Herbal Teas: Sweet-Touch-Nee: Herbal Seren-I-T OUP., Good Earth: OUP Peppermint, Chamomile, Green and Black Teas Melaluca G'Day Herbal Teas (Star K) Wissotzky OU-P

Tomato Paste and Sauce: Passover supervision required. Due to flavored varieties of paste and sauce now being produced, the OK laboratories inform us that tomato products must have proper Pesach supervision.

Haddar, Season and California Delight all with KFP certification. Note: Throughout the year, Tomato products should only be used with a known reliable supervision, it has been discovered that certain packers of tomato products were producing tomato with (non-kosher) romano cheese sauce and then producing the crushed tomatoes, with no cleaning in between! Understandably this is not acceptable.

Tuna Fish and Salmon: The hydrolyzed protein in tuna may contain Hames. Kosher for Passover tuna is readily available. Dagim, Tuna Delight and King of the Sea. With the OU-P: Gefen, Shoprite, Season and Pathmark.

Vegetables, Frozen: Several years ago, a new lighter cuisine heralded the introduction of frozen pasta and vegetable mixtures. Vegetable companies blanch veggies and pasta blends together, then use the same equipment for plain vegetables. Further inquiries into the field have further led us to seriously question the use of frozen vegetables on Pesach. In addition, companies may purchase processed vegetables from another source and put their own label on the package. Codes provided by the company proved inaccurate, and the information was misleading. We highly recommend the use of fresh vegetables, despite the convenience of the frozen.

Due to problems with the insect infestation in leafy vegetables, Frosty Acres is no longer recommended by the Star-K. The most important of all, peas and beans will again be available for the Sephardic Community.

This year we will again have under the JSOR, approved peas, string beans (whole and French cut), black eyed peas and okra. Look for the special label!

Several companies made other frozen vegetables, including spinach, which are properly checked for insects and for Pesach.

Within the Sephardic Community, there are varied customs as to the use of dried beans, chick peas and corn. Consult your Rabbi for further information. If you are certain that it is your custom, these should be checked to insure that no grains are mixed in.

Dried Eggplant: These are imported from Turkey, where they are collected from different villages. The importer informed us that the local women scoop them out, hang them to dry, and then tie them in string. In the event that there is a rush to get them dried out, flour is put inside to draw out the moisture! Understandably, we can not recommend these for Passover.

Japanese eggplant are a fine alternative, they are very long and slender, and can be easily cut in half and scooped out.

Pre-washed salad: Dole brand with a plain Star K. Some other brands use citric acid in the rinse water to balance the ph (to prevent wilting), and are not recommended. Gush Katif from Israel provides insect free lettuce and herbs, rinse before using. Bodek and Kosher Express will be available with a Passover certification.

Whipped Topping: Kineret and Rich's are OU-P.

Whiskeys and Beers and many liqueurs are Hames and may not be consumed on Passover. They must be sold to a non-Jew through the Rabbi before Pesach.

Carmel and Ashkelon Arak are both Kosher for Pesach.

Wine: Please note some varieties of Manischewitz wine are not kosher for Passover.

Have a Joyous and Kosher Pesach Holiday!

Rabbi Isaac Farhi Kashrut Coordinator

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