Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) 

Kosher Certified Requirements

These Requirements are Only Applicable for USDA Foods Purchased for BJENY Schools 

This document provides manufacturing plants an outline of the requirements specified by BJENY for 

Kosher certified production. ALL kosher production methods must be executed precisely as stated below 

for products to be deemed acceptable for use by BJENY. Notwithstanding the required production 

methods outlined below, ALL plants and products must be pre-approved by the Va’ad Harabbanim in 

advance of each production cycle. Please note, the following text refers “the committee” to mean the 

Va’ad Harabbanim (Rabbinical Committee) on the New York State (NYS) Kosher Commodities Co-op 

committee, and bishul akum is defined as a situation where the Rabbi did not put on the source of heat 

(steam or fire) by which cooks the product.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Committees

• All NYS Office of General Services (OGS) Kosher supervision must be done through the

committee and the entire committee must agree upon it.

• All questions should be presented directly to the committee at (646) 472-5368.

• The Rav Hamachsir (certifying rabbi) must be interviewed and approved by the Rabbinical

Committee.

• Each Rabbinic supervisor (mashgiach) must be interviewed and accepted by the Rav 

Hamachsir (certifying rabbi).

Practices and Protocols Required for Kosher Production (sites, utensils, and ingredients)

Prior to production, a nominee from the committee must inspect the plant and observe the production line 

from beginning to end.

• Utensils must be koshered due to the absorption from bishul akum.

o To the best extent possible, do not produce foods by companies that use the same utensils

or the same line for non-kosher products.

o Before koshering utensils, they must not have been used in the past 24-hour period.

o Following the 24-hour hold, the koshering utensils must be boiled (hagalah) exclusively

in water (no other liquids allowed) at a minimum temperature of 212 degrees.

o The Utensils should be fully covered by water, not just the steam. Cooking through water

which has been boiled through steam (not fire) as well as cooking through steam without

water is unacceptable (this is considered bishul akum).

• Oils

o The only oils that may be used are from plants that only produce vegetable oil.

• Retort

o When koshering a retort, it is necessary to evaluate the retort production and its factory

because it has both lenient and stringent laws.

- A retort pouch is a type of food packaging made from a laminate of flexible plastic

and metal foils. It allows the sterile packaging of a wide variety of food and drink

handled by aseptic processing and is used as an alternative to traditional industrial

canning methods.

• Product additives

o The committee must review and confirm all additives, ingredients and other substances

that may be added to the product.

• Fish/Tuna production

o Fish must be continuously monitored by the mashgiach (Rabbinic supervisor) until the

boxes are sealed. Tuna production utensilsmust be perfectly clean and steamed in the ovens 

at 212 degrees for a full cycle before use (preferably trays and racks that have an indication

that they are now kosher). Utensilsshould not have been used in the past 24-hour period,

and a mashgiach (Rabbinic supervisor) not only has to be on the premises and supervise

through the entire process but must also initiate the cooking process in accordance with

bishul yisroel (where the Mashgiach directly puts on the source of heat which steams and

cooks the Tuna).
Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) 

Kosher Certified Requirements

These Requirements are Only Applicable for USDA Foods Purchased for BJENY Schools 

*Products listed below are specified for BJENY schools

110066 K BEANS GREAT NORTHERN DRY BAG-25 LB

110403 K BEANS GREAT NORTHERN DRY PKG-12/2 LB

110065 K BEANS NAVY PEA DRY BAG-25 LB

100038 K CHEESE PROCESS WHT SLC LVS-6/5 LB

111368 K CHICKEN CUT UP FRZ CTN-40 LB

110580 K SALMON PINK CAN-24/14.75 OZ (33630)

110650 K SALMON RED CAN-24/7.5 OZ

111021 K TUNA CHUNK LIGHT CAN 6/66.5 OZ

110053 K APPLESAUCE CAN-6/10

110111 K APRICOTS CAN-6/10

110054 K PEACHES CLING CAN-6/10

110055 K PEARS SLICES CAN-6/10

110056 K PEACH FREESTONEDICED FRZ CUP-96/4.4 OZ

110057 K ORANGE JUICE CONC FRZ CAN-12/32 OZ

111170 K PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTH JAR-12/16 OZ

110660 K PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTH JAR-12/18 OZ

110067 K PEANUT BUTTER SMOOTH JAR-6/5 LB

110073 K SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER 6-5#'S

110630 K OIL VEGETABLE BTL-6/1 GAL

110068 K OIL VEGETABLE BTL-8/48 OZ

110069 K OIL VEGETABLE BTL-9/48 OZ

110058 K BEANS GREEN CAN-6/10

110483 K BEANS GARBANZO CAN-6/10

110360 K CARROTS CAN-6/10

110059 K CORN WHOLE KERNEL(LIQ) CAN-6/10

110060 K PEAS CAN-6/10

110610 K H TOMATO SAUCE CAN-24/300

110102 K TOMATO PASTE CAN-6/10

110101 K TOMATO SAUCE CAN-6/10

110063 K BEANS GREEN FRZ CTN-30 LB

110064 K CARROTS FRZ CTN-30 LB

110061 K CORN COB FRZ CSE-96

110062 K PEAS GREEN FRZ CTN-30 LB