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There are so many hechsheirim (Kosher certifications) out there.

How is an individual supposed to find out which hechsheirim to rely on, and which not to?

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    I vote to close this as too opinion-based. There are tons of levels in hechsherim, and asking this question invites people to list those that THEY think is better than others. And all the others aren't good
    – Mennyg
    Jul 7, 2016 at 13:15
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    I think that he is asking for a source that lists hechsheirim rather than opinions.
    – sabbahillel
    Jul 7, 2016 at 17:10
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    I think that lists or "ask your rabbi" are both valid answers to this valid and, I daresay, important question.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Dec 20, 2016 at 15:52
  • @mevaqesh, I think that limiting this question to only asking for lists goes too far. Lists are not necessarily even the best recourse for everyone.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Dec 20, 2016 at 18:42
  • The question was deemed opinion based. I think that the current version is acceptable. Whether or not it is the best way to ask the question, or the best question that should be asked, seems rather immaterial. (Not to say that it couldn't be further improved, of course) @IsaacMoses
    – mevaqesh
    Dec 20, 2016 at 18:44

3 Answers 3

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"Reliable" is a loaded word. Let's try "accepted among conventional American Orthodox standards as we know them."

A good first place to try is Rabbi Eidlitz's kosherquest list:

http://kosherquest.org/kosher-symbols/

It's not necessarily comprehensive, and occasionally people may nitpick with it, but it's a good first-order approximation.

In Israel, there's a great deal of politics. But here's a pointer: Rabbi Dovid Miller of the Gruss Kollel has a talk he gives to new students listing which Israeli hechshers are "mehadrin", and thus recommended. The audio is available on YUTorah.org, and I believe the accompanying handout sheet (PDF) is floating around the internet somewhere. I'm told that Michlalah students are given a similar (if not identical) list.

If it's a local hechsher (e.g. a restaurant certified by the Rabbinical Association of Anytown, USA), contact a local rabbi.

Generally, in the US today, a hechsher that will allow "non-Glatt" beef, such as Hebrew National, is not considered up to the standards used by most Orthodox Jews in America today. Similarly, if it's a meat restaurant, it's open on Shabbos, and it's located someplace where the mashgiach couldn't reach it on Shabbos, that's usually a bad sign.

Otherwise, you can email the webmaster at kashrut.com, who stays in touch with lots of rabbis in the business. The OU does not publicize which other hechshers it accepts, but I believe Chicago's cRc might.

Beyond the US or Israel, try contacting a local rabbi. Different countries can have different standards, and there's an argument to follow local standards (as long as they're within reasonable Halachic boundaries) when visiting. The Chavos Yair wrote of a town in Alsace where certain dried fruit required a hechsher, while it didn't elsewhere. The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch says that some cities required a hechsher on plain butter, and some didn't, but to follow the practice of where you're located at this moment.

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  • Rabbi Dovid Miller of the Gruss Kollel has a talk he gives to new students listing which Israeli hechshers are "mehadrin", and thus recommended How old is the the talk? Presumably the situation is constantly changing.
    – mevaqesh
    Dec 20, 2016 at 18:45
  • Generally, in the US today, a hechsher that will allow "non-Glatt" beef, such as Hebrew National, is not considered up to the standards used by most Orthodox Jews in America today. AFAIK the problem with Hebrew National transcend glatt. AFAIK "glatt" has more to do with marketing, than with the standards of halakha, or halakhists. Cf. for example, judaism.stackexchange.com/a/43335/8775.
    – mevaqesh
    Dec 20, 2016 at 18:48
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In the US, I typically start with the recommended symbols lists from the cRc and the Seattle Vaad. Those together indicate broad acceptance.

When evaluating the status of liquors, especially European ones, I've found the London Beth Din's directory to be quite comprehensive.

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    Jonathan, Welcome to mi.yodeya, and thanks very much for these useful links.
    – Isaac Moses ♦
    Mar 4, 2010 at 6:42
  • @sabbahillel see judaism.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/edit
    – msh210 ♦
    Feb 2, 2016 at 7:12
  • @mevaqesh see judaism.stackexchange.com/help/privileges/edit
    – msh210 ♦
    Feb 2, 2016 at 7:12
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    @Dovi, welcome to Mi Yodeya. Thanks for the contributing your knowledge, but it really would be better as a separate answer: edits are for clarifying or improving what the post's author wrote, not for introducing wholly new information into a post, completely different from what its author intended. I do hope you stick around and enjoy the site.
    – msh210 ♦
    Feb 2, 2016 at 7:14
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For Israel kosher news (with a mehadrin, charedi bent), see:
http://www.jerusalemkoshernews.com/

For updates from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel:
http://www.dat.gov.il/%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%99+%D7%93%D7%AA/%D7%9B%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99+%D7%9B%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA/default.htm

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    second link is broken
    – Avraham
    Jun 17, 2011 at 5:20

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