Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon on the Past, Present and Future of KSA
Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon, lead certification administrator of Kosher Supervision of America (KSA), encourages consumers to consider a kosher diet as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Q: When was KSA founded?
Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon: KSA was first launched in 1996 in response to a growing need for kosher certification in West Coast food manufacturers. Today, KSA provides kosher certification to more than 500 companies in the United States and throughout the world. The KSA symbol indicates that food products have undergone significant testing and will be completely free of insects or other contamination.
Q: Who monitors the progress of KSA?
Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon: Rabbi Yechezkal Auerbach, Rabbi Yossy Bodenstein and Rabbi Binyomin Kreitman handle the day-to-day operations for KSA. Additional support and guidance is provided by Rabbi Chaim Goldzweig, who acts as a trusted consultant. He is known around the world as the “grandfather of kosher certification.”
Q: Can people with health conditions like diabetes still maintain a kosher diet?
Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon: Absolutely, but a doctor’s supervision is necessary to ensure proper nutrition. For starters, the individual will need to cut down on salt, sugar and butter. However, it is important to note that eating can still be a fun and fulfilling experience. People with diabetes who eat kosher must try to incorporate more starches into their diet, including cereal, bread, cereal and starchy vegetables. A general rule is to eat more vegetables and fruits, with a goal of four or five servings per day. For more information on proper nutrition, the best online resource is jewishdiabetes.org.
Q: Are there kosher vitamins available to supplement a proper diet?
Rabbi Binyomin Lisbon: Many kosher vitamin brands are available through local distributors and marketers who sell their products by websites and toll-free hotlines. Kosher consumers can visit koshervitamins.com for details about these nutritional supplements.