Machon Smicha Partners with OK Kosher: Providing Real-World Kashrus Education
12 August 2025
This collaboration will bring OK Kosher’s renowned expertise directly to Smicha students, offering classes and sessions designed to deepen their knowledge and make halachah more practical.
Machon Smicha is a unique, online organization that empowers people to master halachah, from the novice to the scholar. And with over 400 students enrolling annually in its programs, Machon Smicha has emerged as a premier destination for those seeking a structured, text-based path to Smicha from anywhere in the world.
This new collaboration with OK Kosher marks a significant step forward in strengthening the program’s practical component. As one of the world’s largest and most respected kosher certification agencies, OK Kosher is widely recognized for its high halachic standards and rabbinic expertise.
“Our goal is that students should develop not only a deep understanding of the Shulchan Aruch, but also the appreciation of how halachah is applied in today’s world,” said Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, executive director of Machon Smicha. “By bringing in the OK’s expert Rabbonim and Kashrus professionals, our students will learn firsthand from those on the front lines of Kashrus.”
The partnership will include a series of workshops throughout the year on contemporary halachic topics such as Bishul Aku”m in industrial settings, Chalav Yisrael and government oversight, Bitul in commercial production, the role of surveillance technology in modern hashgachah, and much more. Each session will offer a deep dive into the intersection of halachic discussions and Kashrus practice, and will be delivered by an expert in that particular field.
“Community education is a core mission of ours here at OK Kosher,” said Rabbi Chaim Fogelman of OK Kosher, “And this is a great opportunity to further that goal. Machon Smicha is a wonderful organization, and we’re excited to join forces in making Kashrus knowledge more available and widespread.”
Upcoming OK Sessions
- Kashrus in the 21st century | Why do we need Hechsherim? | Does everything need one?
How kashrus went from local rabbanim and shochtim to global hashgachos with logos on every supermarket shelf, and why that is necessary. What does halacha say vs. what agencies require? Which foods need hechsherim, and which don’t? What about food sold out of private homes?
Date: 7 September 2025 / 14 Elul 5785
Presenter: Rabbi Sholom Ber Hendel – Executive Rabbinical Council OK Kosher - Basar B’chalav made practical
What are basar b’chalav issues that kashrus agencies deal with? How are the halachos addressed by the Shulchan Aruch, Nosei Keilim, and Poskim applied to the real world? Scenarios, machlokes etc.
Date: 26 October 2025 / 4 Cheshvan 5786
Presenter: Rabbi Levi Shapiro – Rabbinic Coordinator OK Kosher - Bishul Akum and Pas Akum
How these work in factories. Pas palter. What defines “oleh al shulchan melachim?” What defines “eaten raw?” Especially for global products?
Date: 30 November 2025 / 10 Kislev 5786
Presenter: TBA - May we trust the government? What about for Chalav Yisrael? Surveillance cameras?
How much may hashgachos rely (if at all) on regulatory agencies? What are the halachic limitations? What about for Chalav Yisrael? Do 24/7 surveillance camera feeds count?
Date: 11 January 2026 / 22 Teves 5786
Presenter: TBA - Kashering: What’s done in the real world?
How are factories, plants, other food establishments kashered? When ideal koshering methods aren’t practical, how is equipment kashered?
Date: 22 February 2026 / 5 Adar 5786
Presenter: TBA - Bitul in industrial settings
Is bitul ever relied on in practice? L’chatchilah or B’dieved? What about enzymes and stabilizers that qualify as ma’amid; can they be nullified?
Date: 29 March 2026 / 11 Nissan 5786
Presenter: TBA - Zeiah (and Reicha): Steam Vents, Shared Ovens, and More
Do smells and steam pose kashrus problems? And what does that mean practically in large kitchens or production systems?
Date: 10 May 2026 / 23 Iyar 5786
Presenter: TBA - Mashgichim and Kashrus agencies oversight today: How supervision works
What is a mashgiach? How often do they visit? What’s the difference between full-time presence, yotzei v’nichnas, and remote monitoring? What else do kashrus agencies do for oversight? Do factories have mashgichim?
Date: 28 June 2026 / 13 Tammuz 5786
Presenter: TBA