As rabbinic positions go, Rabbi Aaron Kleinman’s is among the most unique. A commander in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps, his role includes overseeing kashrus on various warships—a challenge he recently shared with more than 90 men from the United States, Canada and Panama, who are working in, or want to join, the kashrut field, at the Orthodox Union’s ASK (Advanced Seminars in Kashrus) OU Kashrus Education Program. ASK OU offers in-depth insights and hands-on experience in the kashrus industry via two unique educational programs; a one-week course and a three-week internship.

This year’s seminars took place at the OU’s New York headquarters coupled with site visits around the tri-state area. Kleinman’s session, “Kosher at Sea,” touched upon the intricacies of keeping kosher while serving in the U.S. Navy.

“We had a really fun session,” he says. “After a brief overview of the Navy, Marine Corps, and their operating environments, I talked about some of the different platforms, including destroyers, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers, and some of the special aspects of kashrut in each of them. We covered a scenario that actually happened to me: the task of preparing a post-Rosh Hashanah services meal on a non-kosher aircraft carrier that I wasn’t stationed on. We really got into the scenario; participants shared how they would do things and gave me some good ideas. I wish I had had their brain trust at the time I needed it, the meal would have been even better than it was!”

A division of the Orthodox Union, OU Kosher is the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher-certification agency, certifying over one million products manufactured in 13,000 plants, in 106 countries. ASK OU was launched by Rabbi Yosef Grossman, who served as senior educational rabbinic coordinator and director of Kosher educational services at OU Kosher. The ASK OU Summer Kashrus Training Program has run annually on alternate years for men and women since its inception, with the exception of the COVID-19 period. It just completed its 16th cycle.

“The ASK OU Summer Kashrus Training Program presents a chance to demystify what goes on behind the scenes in kashrus and to observe practical applications in a real-life context,” says Rabbi Eli Eleff, managing director of community relations at OU Kosher, who oversees the program.

Led by the OU’s world-class rabbis, poskim, and administrators, ASK OU’s weeklong program provides an overview of the processes and implications of kosher certification through hands-on seminars and visits to food service providers. A concurrent three-week internship geared for students studying to be rabbis, rabbis and avreichim, includes the one-week program and explores the intricacies of kashrus and halacha in greater depth. Participants gain hands-on experience at food-processing plants and OU headquarters, and networked with worldwide industry experts.

Rabbi Simcha Silverman is the director of spiritual services at New York’s Lenox Hill Hospital and rabbi at Congregation Etz Chaim in Brooklyn, N.Y. Attracted by ASK OU’s range of meaningful topics, hands-on approach and the opportunity to interact with field professionals, Silverman participated in the weeklong program for a second year.

This time, he particularly enjoyed Kleinman’s presentation.

“Much of what he spoke about resonated with me, as I’ve witnessed many of the same situations in the world of chaplaincy,” says Silverman. “While the hospital setting is quite different from the Navy, there is a lot of overlap in our experiences.”

This year’s seminar leaders included: Rabbi Hershel Schachter, who led a seminar on the rules of kashrut followed by a halachic Q&A session; OU Kosher CEO Rabbi Menachem Genack, who spoke about the state of the Orthodox Union; OU Kosher COO Rabbi Moshe Elefant, who led an Ask the Rabbisession. There were a myriad other sessions, including “How to be an Excellent Mashgiach,” “Shabbos Appliances,” “The Wine Industry,” “Cybersecurity” “The Transportation of Commodities,” “Red Flag Ingredients; Cheese, Whey and Related Products,” and “Mesorah of Birds.” Participants also learned about industrial and retail kashering, and how to establish a local va’ad hakashrus (kashrut organization).

“Kashrus does not exist in a vacuum and there are certain ways that it’s applied,” notes Eleff. “Whether in New York or out of town, each va’ad hakashrus has its own nuances and specific requirements. We wanted participants to understand that kosher is really quite broad, rather than one size fits all.”

Visits to OU Kosher-certified restaurants Wall Street Grill and Reserve Cut, and tours of OU Kosher-certified processing plants including, Newburg Egg, Biazzo Dairy Products (which manufactures specialty cheeses), Hanover Foods (which manufacturers canned and frozen vegetables), and Empire Poultry, among others, offered a glimpse into the kosher operations and facilities’ unique kashrut issues.

“The program far exceeded my expectations,” says Silverman. “The schedule was precise, and we covered significant material in a relatively short time. I appreciated the practical presentations where expert speakers shared halacha and we got to observe fieldwork in action at diverse facilities. I also liked the camaraderie we developed as participants.”

Rabbi Daniel Reines of Lakewood, N.J., is one of ASK OU’s more than 1,000 alumni. After attending a previous ASK OU program, he became a rabbinic coordinator (RC) at OU Kosher and now oversees the kashrut of approximately 100 flavor-based companies.

“I learned in kollel for a number of years,” he says. “While learning the halachos of issur veheter in kashrus, their practical application intrigued me, and I was inspired to attend last cycle’s ASK OU internship program. The presentations and field trips offered a glimpse into OU Kosher’s fascinating work, and I was particularly moved by the ambiance, professionalism, and support at all levels, which I observed at OU headquarters.”

Reines, who is originally from Venezuela, also supervises the kashrus of corporations in South America; something he says necessitates fluency in Spanish and an understanding of Latin culture.

“I was so impressed with the ASK OU training program, that during my internship I imagined that if I would end up working in kashrus, I would want to work at OU Kosher,” he says. “The experience I gained during the program has aided me in my daily job at the OU.”

Contact: Ilana Weinberger, assistant director of public relations, Orthodox Union, (347) 514-0184, weinbergeri@ou.org.