Building the Jewish community one bite at a time. You see food, we see community.
March 31, 2023
By Rabbi Moshe Rosenwasser
*This article was originally published in the Jewish Journal Passover Edition 2023
The Vaad Hakashruth of San Antonio was originally established in 1973, by the illustrious Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg of blessed memory, long-time beloved rabbi of Congregation Rodfei Sholom. The Vaad was created with the intention of ensuring that the kosher consumer can be assured of availability and variety in getting their products when they need them. An added benefit of the Vaad is to help keep San Antonio an attractive place for young Jewish families to move to, and it is with that vision in mind that its day-to-day operations are run.
In general, Vaad is a Hebrew term that refers to a communal organization or council that provides oversight, guidance, and support for various aspects of Jewish life and practice. With regards to a Vaad of Kashruth, this will often include a group of Rabbis who get together periodically to discuss the standards and needs of that specific community. Once this has been established (these can change over time), the Vaad will work on getting kosher options that meet those needs and standards.
The Vaad of San Antonio, in particular, is focused on growing the Jewish community one bite at a time. This is done by providing more availability of kosher products for the Jewish homes in our community, as well as education and outreach programs, such as classes and workshops, to help promote Jewish culture and traditions, specifically the laws of keeping a kosher kitchen. Finally, the Vaad acts as a liaison between community stores and eateries to open more kosher options that will best suit the growing community’s needs.
In the past few years, Rabbi Moshe Rosenwasser, originally from the tri-state area, moved to San Antonio with his wife, Sara, and their sons. Rabbi Rosenwasser took a lead position within the Vaad and has been actively growing it by bringing in more companies to get kosher certified, as well as increasing community engagement. One of the companies that the Vaad certifies as kosher is Bolner Fiesta spices. Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Inc. is a family-owned and operated company with headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton J. Bolner founded Bolner’s Fiesta Products in 1955, and today the company is importing spices from more than 60 countries and offers over 600 different product items. The Vaad also certifies the Jewish Community Center kitchen, providing a kosher catering option for visitors to San Antonio. In the past year, two kosher meat eateries have opened under the certification of the Vaad, thus creating even more options for the kosher consumer.
The Vaad has a long-standing relationship with H-E-B. H-E-B is one of the largest grocery chains in Texas and Mexico, and the Vaad works hand in hand with our local H-E-B community store, located in Alon Market, to provide an experience that will make kosher consumers feel comfortable and confident when shopping in their store. This includes educating store leaders on the traditional foods associated with Jewish holidays throughout the year in order to create an atmosphere of the Jewish holidays within the store. The Vaad works hand in hand with department managers within the Alon Market store to ensure that the kosher shelves have a nice selection and stock of dairy, meat, and dried goods to support our growing needs within the Jewish community. The Vaad also certifies fresh products as kosher, ensuring that they meet the dietary laws of the Jewish faith. Some of the products currently available daily include kosher bakery items (bread, rolls, bagels, cupcakes), a selection of prepared sushi, kosher cuts of fish, squeezed fruit juices, and a variety of freshly cut fruit.
The Vaad is a not-for-profit organization, relying on the dedication and commitment of community support to carry out its mission. Additionally, the Vaad receives funds through allocations of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio’s Annual Campaign.
The Vaad’s importance to the continued growth of our community is underscored by its function as a bridge builder. It serves an integral role as a resource for maintaining traditional practices and preserving cultural heritage. For example, among other functions, the Vaad provides Kosher certification on local food products and eateries, helps to facilitate weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and brit milahs, and offers support to members of the community in their times of need. This helps bridge and bring together the different Jewish communities in our city and beyond.
Learn more about local kosher options at jfsatx.org/vaad-hakashruth