OU’s Pre-Passover Webcast Set for April 5

ORTHODOX UNION’S PRE-PASSOVER WEBCAST ANSWERS VARIETY OF PESACH-RELATED QUESTIONS, TUESDAY, APRIL 5

Almost everyone knows the four questions that are read in the haggadah during the Passover seders, but for two OU Kosher poskim (halachic authorities) -- Rabbi Yisroel Belsky and Rabbi Hershel Schachter -- multiple other questions are asked of them every year during the Orthodox Union’s Pre-Passover webcast, which this year will take place on Tuesday, April 5 at 2:30 p.m., EDT.

Those who wish to view the webcast should log on 15 minutes prior to that time. The link for the webcast is http://www.ou.org/ouradio/kosher_webcast.

“The webcast, coming a bit more than two weeks before the holiday, will provide ample time for men and women to ask the questions they need to prepare for the holiday and to observe its eight days properly,” declared Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Vice President of Communications and Marketing at OU Kosher. “As with all other kashrut webcasts, it will be archived so that it can be referred to again and again.”

This year, the OU poskim will focus on questions and answers relating to the proper observance of the seder and interpretation of the haggadah; Pesach away from home and in the office; and inedibles -- use of medicine, toothpaste, cleansers and disposables.

Rabbi Safran points out that the Rabbis Belsky and Schachter’s popular webcasts are part of OU Kosher’s continuing and ever-growing educational outreach to the community, which includes:

• “OU Kosher Coming to Schools and Communities” program;

• The highly informative and entertaining Kosher Tidbits postings on OU Radio (www.oukosher.org/index.php/learn/koshertidbits), which most recently include “Vegan Restaurants: The Problems that Can Sprout Up,” with Rabbi Dov Schreier; “Kosher Cheese – Not Made with Ease,” with Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer; “Is There Something Fishy about Meat,” with Rabbi Eliyahu W. Ferrell; and

• OU Kosher educational DVDs. The recently released “What's Wrong With this Chicken?” featuring Rabbi Belsky, is the sixth of the OU Kosher DVDs, being used extensively in homes, yeshivas, schools, synagogues and youth groups.

Prior to the program, questions can be emailed to Rabbi Safran at safrane@ou.org. During the webcast, Rabbi Eliyahu W. Ferrell will be able to access emails at ferrelle@ou.org.